Elton John and Britney Spears Unveil Acoustic Cut of 'Hold Me Closer'

Elton John and Britney Spears release the acoustic version of their chart-topping smash hit record, "Hold Me Closer." The latest rendition offers a stripped down, piano version of the song showcasing Britney's vocal abilities.

Accompanying the song release is a beautiful music video featuring Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Chen ice skating to a routine he choreographed himself captivating emotion in every frame.

The seeds of collaboration between the duo began in 2019 when Chen first incorporated the music legends' songs into his free skate program after his choreographer saw the Oscar-winning motion-picture "Rocketman."

A lifelong fan of Elton John, Chen decided to use his Elton-John-inspired program for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where he secured the Gold Medal for his show-stopping performance. Following his Olympic triumph, Chen and fellow ice-skating stars attended one of John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour performances in Charlotte, North Carolina where Elton surprised him with a surprise congratulatory shout-out from the stage on his well-deserved gold.

Nathan Chen said, "Elton John's music means something to anybody who's ever listened to it. 'Rocket Man' has always intrigued me - it's otherworldly, but it's just as much about our lives on Earth, love and loneliness, dreams and disappointments. In a way, 'Rocket Man' captures what my own journey has felt like - and getting to skate to it at the Olympics was one of the most special moments of my life. I couldn't believe it when I heard Elton thought of me for this video. Elton and Britney created something really beautiful with this version of 'Hold Me Closer' - and I'm so honored to be a part of it."

Debuting at #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, "Hold Me Closer" finds two of the most iconic artists of all time coming together for the first time ever on record. As predicted, the song topped the charts providing Elton with his tenth Top 10 hit and Britney's first in almost ten years.

The song has also climbed to #1 in Australia and Canada, #3 in the UK, and most notably, #1 on iTunes in over 40 countries upon release, with over 88 million global streams. Produced by Andrew Watt, "Hold Me Closer" is a refreshingly contemporary twist on one of Elton John's most iconic hits, "Tiny Dancer," that also features elements of other classic songs from his legendary catalog, including "The One" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."

ABOUT ELTON JOHN

Elton's career achievements to date are unsurpassed in their breadth and longevity. Elton is one of the top-selling solo artists of all time. In the UK and US charts alone he has 1 diamond, 32 platinum or multi-platinum, and 21 gold albums as well as over 70 Top 40 hits. He has sold more than 300 million records worldwide.

He holds the record for the biggest-selling single of all time, "Candle in the Wind 1997", which sold over 33 million copies. Released in 2017 'Diamonds' the Ultimate Greatest Hits album, became Elton's 40th UK Top 40 album and has spent over 200 consecutive weeks in the top 75 of the UK album charts, over 110 of these in the top 20. This release celebrated 50 years of his songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin.

August 2018 saw Elton named as the most successful male solo artist in Billboard Hot 100 chart history. At present, he has logged 70 Billboard Hot 100 entries, including nine No. 1s and 28 Top 10s. 'The Lockdown Sessions', an album of collaborations recorded during the COVID-19 Pandemic, was released in October 2021 and went straight to number 1 in the UK album Charts, becoming Elton's 8th UK number 1 album in the process.

It's lead single "Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) with Dua Lipa" became a bona fide global hit, reaching number 1 in the UK and Australian singles charts. Its success meant that Elton became the first ever solo artist to score a UK Top 10 hit single in 6 consecutive decades. In America, he holds the record for longest span between Billboard top 40 hits at 50 years.

ABOUT BRITNEY SPEARS

Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning pop icon Britney Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in pop history with nearly 150 million records worldwide. In the U.S. alone, she has sold more than 70 million albums, singles, and songs, according to Nielsen Music. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears became a household name as a teenager when she released her first single "...Baby One More Time," a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash and international hit that broke sales records with more than 20 million copies sold worldwide and is currently 14x Platinum in the U.S.

Her musical career boasts countless awards and accolades, including seven Billboard Music Awards and Billboard's Millennium Award, which recognizes outstanding career achievements and influence in the music industry as well as an American Music Award and the 2011 MTV Video Vanguard Award.

So far, Spears has earned a total of six No.1-debuting albums on the Billboard 200 chart and 34 top 40 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 - four of which went to No. 1. Spears has been nominated for seven Grammy Awards and won for Best Dance Recording in 2005.

Not only has Britney's music touched the lives of millions, but she has also used her global platform and voice to support the LGBTQ+ community, from the Dream Act to anti-transgender bills in Texas. As a longtime ally of the community, she most recently received GLAAD's 2018 Vanguard Award, which is presented to media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people.

After her cutting-edge pop concert Las Vegas residency, "Britney: Piece of Me," at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino ended in December 2017 Spears took her show on the road with a "Piece of Me" global tour in summer 2018. Britney has been creating fragrances for over fifteen years, and her scents are available in over 85 countries around the world.

Watch the music video here:

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