Elton John performs ‘I’m Still Standing’ with Joni Mitchell in a rare concert at the Hollywood Bowl

Nearly a decade after suffering a brain aneurysm, Mitchell has slowly returned to performing

Name a better surprise guest at a concert than Sir Elton John.

This weekend, legendary folk singer Joni Mitchell performed a rare pair of shows at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Billed as “Joni Mitchell and the Joni Jam,” the 80-year-old singer was joined by Annie Lennox, Marcus Mumford, Brandi Carlile and the Rocket Man himself, Elton John.

According to fan-filmed footage on social media, John and Mitchell shared the stage to perform a rendition of the English singer’s “I’m Still Standing,” with support from actress Meryl Streep. The surprise was part of Mitchell’s massive three-hour set, loaded with jokes and deep cuts from her decades-long catalog.

Related: Joni Mitchell’s life in photos

After the show, John shared a video of him hugging Mitchell on his Instagram Stories, writing, “Thanks for having me @jonimitchell & @brandicarlile.”

Other special guests for the weekend included Blake Mills, Jacob Collier, Robin Pecknold, Lucius, Allison Russell, Jon Batiste and more.

In 2022, John and Mitchell celebrated her return to the stage with an intimate interview for his show on Apple Music 1, Rocket hour. In their conversation, Mitchell revealed that she did not rehearse for her performance at the Newport Folk Festival. John noted that not only was she singing in public for the first time in almost a decade, but she was also playing guitar.

Related: Joni Mitchell Returns Music Library to Spotify After Boycotting the Streamer in 2022

“I had to figure out what I was doing, but I couldn’t sing the key,” Mitchell replied. “I became an alto, I’m not a soprano anymore, so I couldn’t sing the song. And I thought maybe people would feel enlightened if I just played the guitar part, but I like the guitar part on that song. How anyway, it was very well received, much to my delight.”

Last week, John, 77, joined Dua Lipa on stage for her historic Royal Albert Hall show to perform their collaboration ‘Cold Heart’. It was the first time the ‘Rocket Man’ singer had taken the stage in more than a year since his farewell tour in 2023, which marked the end of his touring career.

Related: Elton John Joins Dua Lipa on Stage for ‘Cold Heart’ Performance at the Royal Albert Hall

Mitchell’s return to the stage comes nearly a decade after surviving a brain aneurysm that left her relearning how to talk, walk and sing. In 2022, the “Big Yellow Taxi” singer made a surprise appearance alongside Carlile at the Newport Folk Festival. She followed that up with a sold-out headlining show at the Gorge Amphitheater in Quincy, Washington, in 2023.

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