Did Elton John and Kiki Dee Have a Relationship?

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Elton John Kiki Dee lg

Elton John and Kiki Dee famously had a hit with their song “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” in 1976. But was their chemistry real? And did Elton John and Kiki Dee have a relationship?

Elton John and Kiki Dee did not ever engage in a romantic relationship. The duo deeply cared about each other but were never more than close friends. Her longest-running relationship, however, was with one of Elton’s guitar players, Davey Johnstone.

And Elton met his future wife during the time of that song’s recording.

In fact, Kiki described to a British magazine that she “didn’t want to be somebody caged by celebrity”. Life in a village suits her more where she can enjoy watching kids on their walk to school in the mornings and stay comfortable in her home.

She doesn’t refute the idea that her relationship with Elton was authentic. But what has she been up to these days? Where is she now? Is she going to be working with Elton anytime soon?

Let’s find out!

Is Elton John still friends with Kiki Dee?

Elton John is Kiki Dee’s longest and greatest friend. The iconic duo live two different lifestyles these days. But the pair are “as close as cousins,”-Kiki Dee insists.

Kiki told The Sydney Morning Herald:

“I don’t see him a lot these days-we’re like cousins who only see one another rarely. But whenever we do, we get straight back into our friendship. His life is extraordinary, whereas mine is quite a bit more down-to-earth now.”

Despite living in different worlds now, Dee reassures she’s friends with John. She recently told Mirror UK that she receives an orchid plant on her birthday every year from John.

Kiki is well-known for her iconic duet with Elton.

The duo is quite artistic and keeps coming up with new ideas to create music. It’s been over four decades since she recorded her duet with Elton, which reached No.1 in the UK, Australia, and the US.

While for Dwight (aka Elton), the track- “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” was his first chartbuster, for Pauline Matthews (aka Kiki Dee), it remains the song most of her fans associate with her.

But did Elton write the lyrics on this track as he was famous for not frequently contributing lyrics to his songs?

Luckily, I covered Elton’s songwriting process in a recent article. I get into why Elton uses Bernie Taupin to write his lyrics and the real reason he DIDN’T use Bernie for the Lion King soundtrack.

Just click to read it on my site.

Were Elton John and Kiki Dee Married?

Kiki Dee was never married to Elton John. In fact, Kiki Dee has never been married to anyone. Elton John was married to a woman, Renate Blauel, from 1984 to 1988, and to his current husband, David Furnish, whom he married in 2014.

In addition, Kiki suffered a life-threatening illness that stopped her from being able to reproduce, although she adored children.

A UK-based newspaper also confirmed that she sacrificed her personal life for her career- an unusual choice for a woman of her time. She always worked hard for her music and has never regretted her decision.

In 2019 when Kiki sat down to discuss what it was like to work with Elton John, she answered:

“I met John in his rock-star flat in London.” She found John highly intelligent and super sharp. 

The duo went on to work together and enjoyed a good friendship. But when it came to marriage, it never happened. John had an extraordinary life, and Kiki was more grounded.

The only serious relationship she ever had was with Elton John’s guitarist Davey Johnstone. Davey became a big part of her life and remained her friend to date. And as for Elton, he had a profound influence on her career.

Who was Elton John’s wife?

Three days after announcing his engagement, Elton John married Renate Blauel (a German sound engineer) on Valentine’s Day in 1984. Before this, many of Elton’s friends were convinced that he was gay.

John was 36-year-old, and Renate was 30-year-old when the couple got married. As per media coverage, the couple tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in 1984.

According to the movie Rocketman (Elton John’s documentary), John met Blauel while recording “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”, which became the ultimate karaoke duet with Kiki Dee.

According to multiple articles, I read online, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” became the track from which Elton and Blauel’s personal & professional friendship grew.

Before this, Blauel worked on Elton’s 1983 album, Too Low for Zero.

She also joined him on his tour to Australia in 1984. The couple’s marriage lasted for four years. Years later, Elton revisited the chapter of his life, and this is what he wrote:

“I went to Australia for my wedding to a wonderful woman whom I have so much admiration for.” And more than anything, he wanted to be a good husband, but he denied who he was – which caused his wife more sadness.

Where is Kiki Dee now?

Kiki Dee lives in a small village in Hertfordshire in the UK. She lives her life away from the spotlight but still records her music, with her most recent release having been 2019’s “Gold”, a greatest hits album.

Kiki’s life has a different flavor because she has moved away from the buzz world.

According to a report published by Great British Life, “Kiki has moved away from the spotlight to the sweet stress of a small village of Ashwell called Hertfordshire.”

She says:

“That period was very exciting because up to that point, I’d been this kid who had been discovered in Yorkshire, who had been working with much older people. When I met Elton, I worked with people my generation, my own age”

Kiki kept busy the next couple of decades, contributing to Elton’s music and finding her footing in the industry.

Meanwhile, she collaborated with other artists. And at present, she finds fulfillment in country life. Music is her driving force, and she seems to be just doing her own thing with her music partner Carmelo Luggeri.

Who has Elton John had relationships with?

Elton John has been married twice to both David Furnish and Renate Blauel, But he has also had romantic relationships with Gary Clarke, Linda Woodrow, and former manager John Reid. 

Let’s look at some of these in greater detail.

David Furnish:

Elton tied the knot with longtime partner David Furnish in 2014. According to a website, the pair had formerly had a civil partnership in 2005 before gay marriage became legal in the UK.

Renate Blauel:

Elton married Renate in Australia on Valentine’s Day in 1984. But the pair’s marriage only lasted for four years, and she settled for the divorce for $45 million.

Gary Clarke:

Elton shared a relationship with Clarke between 1982 to 1984. They were legally together till days before John announced his engagement to Renate.

John Reid:

Elton met his former manager John Reid at a Christmas party and hit off instantly.

They struck up a romance soon and lived like “lovers” for five years. Reid also performed duties as Elton’s manager (as well as Queen’s manager) for 25 years. But the pair’s relationship came to a bitter end due to a misunderstanding.

The matter stretched to the extent of John accusing Reid of “negligence and breach of duty” with millions of dollars.

This was also when Reid was rumored to have ripped Elton apart in court.

But since one was privy to the details of the court proceedings, the matter has remained a subject of controversy.

Luckily, I made sure to bring some clarity to it in a recent article. I have also discussed the rumored amount John paid to Reid to settle the case.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Elton John, Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee)

Conclusion

Among two marriages, three proposals, and multiple affairs, Elton’s relationship with Kiki Dee stands out from the rest-especially because Elton recorded his first track to hit number one position in the UK with Dee.

The massive fame that the track brought for the pair is yet to be replaced by any song at the top. But it is pretty hard to re-imagine the craze that the music created. The duo became an instant hit, and they were immediately seen as a great collaboration pair.

After a few years under their belt, the duo was said to have enjoyed a romantic relationship. But according to the musicians, it is not true.

They were more like cousins who rarely saw each other, but they had great chemistry whenever they did.

Photos that require attribution under CC2.0 or Public Domain and were cropped, edited, merged, and had a text overlay added:

Elton John 2011 Shankbone 2 by David Shankbone and SAS Band – Kiki Dee 2 by Mark Kent