Elton John and Khalid collaborated on a glossy cover version of the R&B star’s 2017 single “Young Dumb & Broke.” The duo recorded the song live at the Colosseum, Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada as part of the Spotify Singles series. The rock legend reimagined the smooth American Teen cut as an adult contemporary ballad, crooning over intricate piano, palm-muted electric guitar and a slick electronic beat. Khalid appears at various points, harmonizing on the chorus and adding soulful vocalese to the song’s climax.
“I discovered Khalid’s music a few years ago and have been a fan ever since,” John said in a statement about the collaboration. “We finally met when I played his home town of El Paso last year. It’s a thrill to be a small part of any new artists’ journey, and it’s been wonderful to see his star continue to rise and rise. ‘Young Dumb & Broke’ is a fabulous song, one of my favorites, and I’m really pleased that he liked my cover enough to contribute vocals.”
John paired “Young Dumb & Broke” with a relatively straightforward version of his signature Goodbye Yellow Brick Road hit “Bennie and the Jets,” highlighted by a climactic piano solo and flurry of synthesizers.
The singer – who released most recent LP, Wonderful Crazy Night, in 2016 – is currently deep into his massive farewell tour. The jaunt continues Wednesday, December 12th in San Antonio, Texas and runs through Saturday, the 15th, 2018 in Dallas Texas; after a break, the tour resumes January 11th, 2019 in Boise, Idaho.