“It’s not as bad as it seems”- Elton John jokingly addresses eyesight issues at the Golden Globes

Elton John recently attended the Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles County, California on January 5, 2025. He and Brandi Carlile announced the winner of the Best Original Score (Motion Picture). Before the announcement, the singer jokingly addressed his eyesight issues, referring to Carlile as Rihanna as part of the joke:

"It’s a very special night for me to be here because, I don’t know if you know, but there’s been stories going around about my regressive eyesight. I just want to reassure everybody – it’s not as bad as it seems. I’m so pleased to be here with my co-host, Rihanna."

The duo then called forth Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as the winners of the film Challengers. Reznor and Ross's score triumphed over scores made by the likes of Hans Zimmer, Volker Bertelmann, Daniel Blumberg, Kris Bowers, Clement Ducol, and Camille.

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Elton John's eyesight has been troubling him for over four months

Elton John's eyesight troubles started months ago. The singer first revealed his eyesight issue back in September, stating in an Instagram page post on September 3, 2024:

"l’ve been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye. I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye."

The singer continued:

I am so grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family, who have taken such good care of me over the last several weeks. I have been quietly spending the summer recuperating at home, and am feeling positive about the progress I have made in my healing and recovery thus far."

The singer later talked about his eyesight during an interview with Good Morning America's Robin Roberts on November 25, 2024:

"I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the South of France. It’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see. And my left eye is not the greatest. There’s hope and encouragement that it will be OK. But I’m kind of stuck at the moment.. Because I can’t see a lyric for a start."

Elton John has not released new albums since 2021. The singer released his latest studio album, Regimental Sgt. Zippo, on June 12, 2021. Recorded back in 1967 and 1968, the singer released the album on vinyl on the above-mentioned date.

In the same year, the singer also released The Lockdown Sessions, on October 22, 2021. The album featured collaborations with Dua Lipa, Charlie Puth, and Stevie Wonder as well as Lil Nas X, Young Thug, and Nicki Minaj.

More recently, Elton John worked on his documentary soundtrack Never Too Late: Soundtrack To The Disney+ Documentary. The singer worked with Brandi Carlile on the soundtrack of the documentary.

The documentary chronicles Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which ran from 2018 to 2023. The film was directed by R. J. Cutler and David Furnish. It was produced by Rocket Entertainment and Disney.

Elton John has also collaborated with Lady Gaga on her album Chromatica's single Sine from Above, as well as with Foy Vance, Keith Urban, and Ed Sheeran on the single Guiding Light (Anniversary Edition).