In an , Elton John says he is the happiest he has ever been and is having the best year of his life as he performs around the world for his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" swan-song tour.
"Where I am now is the happiest I鈥檝e ever been. I鈥檓 72 years of age, I had the best year of my life professionally this year with the tour, the film, the book, and 鈥楾he Lion King鈥� coming out. It鈥檚 been an amazing year and I鈥檓 so grateful," he said in the exclusive interview with etalk anchor Danielle Graham.
The rock legend is in Toronto this week for two performances at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday and Thursday. He鈥檚 also promoting his which was just released last week.
The book chronicles his life from the shy Reginald Dwight, to the highs and lows of superstardom, to finding love with Toronto-native David Furnish and becoming a father. It comes on the heels of the biopic film 鈥淩ocketman,鈥� which came out earlier this year.
He does not shy away from the darker chapters in his life when he tells his life story. He regrets the drugs and the behavior of the past, he said, but it got him to where he is today.
"You get success and you lose touch with reality, which is what this book is all about and the film is about. And then you have to kind of go back and start all over again," said Elton John, calling fame a "surreal world."
"When I was in rehab, and when I did my aftercare, when I came out, I had a lot of work to do. I had to work as hard at getting well and getting real as I did at getting famous and unreal."
Elton John has performed 127 shows so far on his 鈥�, which kicked off in September 2018. He鈥檚 expected to perform more than 300 shows by the time it wraps up in 2021.
He said he wanted to raise the bar for his 鈥渓ast hurrah鈥� for touring: This meant better visuals, singing better, and playing better.
"There鈥檚 no point in going out if you鈥檙e just going through the motions,鈥� he said, adding that audiences have been 鈥渟pectacular."
"I鈥檓 enjoying it more every night, and we鈥檙e playing and singing better than we鈥檝e ever done. And I鈥檓 very proud of that."
Because this is his last tour, he wants to leave people with 鈥渢he best Elton John you鈥檙e ever going to see or you鈥檝e seen. That鈥檚 what I鈥檓 aiming for."
"If it鈥檚 taken me 72 years to get to this place, so be it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a most fantastic journey possible."
