Stephen Sanchez reveals Elton Glastonbury set changed last minute

Virgin Radio

30 Jun 2023, 10:35

Sir Elton John stole the show at Glastonbury with his headline set on Sunday, and he featured some very special guests including Stephen Sanchez.

Now the singer has revealed a last-minute change of plans to Elton's set.

The pair were planning to duet on ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’ until Elton changed his mind.

In the end, Stephen joined Elton on the Pyramid stage and performed his own song 'Until I Found You' backed by Elton and his band.

The duo had been rehearsing Elton's classic, until he told Stephen he wanted to use the show as a platform for Stephen's music.

The decision came after Elton went to see Stephen perform at The Troubadour in Los Angeles.

Sanchez told Rolling Stone UK: "We’d spent weeks doing that and then he came to see me and the boys at The Troubadour.

"The week after, he just rang me and said, ‘Stephen, I’ve had a thought. I don’t want you to sing one of my songs. I think it would be far better if you sang your song and we gave you this big moment for you and your career.'

“I was just blown away by that selflessness and his desire to, you know, expose new artists and new music."

Elton also invited other artists to perform with him.

He was joined by Gabriels on ‘Are You Ready For Love’ and The Killers star Brandon Flowers on 'Tiny Dancer'.

Rounding off the special guests was Rina Sawayama, who performed a duet of ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ with Elton.

He said: "He knew what that would do for our careers and he knew that it would sit in the glory of being his last show in the UK. He wants to champion other artists and pass the torch, so to speak. It’s just amazing. It’s been a huge honour.

“When you’re on the Pyramid Stage and you hear all those voices screaming at you, it’s almost like they’re wrapping you up and it feels spiritual. It’s really, really wild, the visual memory of a sea of heads and faces and people with their own lives and memories.

“I’m still kind of beyond the clouds a bit."