Are Billie Jean King and Elton John Friends? All You Need to Know After the Iconic ‘Masked Singer’ Episode

The legendary Billie Jean King and the iconic Sir Elton John share a close bond with each other. It may come as a surprise to the followers of the two, but the two stars are great friends. Like friends, they met by chance and have been joined at the hip whenever they meet. They have been supportive of each other and have also fought for many of the same movements.

How did Billie Jean King meet Elton John?

King and John first met at the Troubadour in West Hollywood in 1971, two years before her disastrous battle with Bobby Riggs, which inspired the new film Battle of the Sexes. “We couldn’t stop talking,” King told Us. Six months later, the Pinball Wizard picked her up in his car, and they listened to music all night. “Lily Tomlin said we were separated at birth,” she recalls. “We were both chubby and couldn’t see well. I wanted to play the piano, and he wanted to be an athlete“.

They then had another encounter at a Los Angeles party in 1973: King, the world’s number one female tennis player, and John, who was on a sold-out tour of the United States. He was a tennis fan, and she enjoyed his music. They struck it off and formed a bond that still persists. Many people assumed they were lovers at the time, but they were not. Both are trailblazing role models in their respective areas as advocates for equal rights and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Did Elton John really write a song for the BJK?

In 1974, the World Team Tennis (WTT) was formed as a mixed-gender tennis league. King became the top seed and player-coach for one of the charter franchises, the Philadelphia Freedoms. The Rocket Man would frequently accompany her to games. He became WTT’s most ardent supporter, especially King’s. He was gifted a free spot on the team bench at courtside and often wore the team outfit. And he cheered like a madman.

Elton John contributed to Billie Jean King when he wrote and sang ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ as an anthem for World Team Tennis to wish King well in her new business. Unfortunately, the team disbanded after the first year, and the song was not published until the franchise’s final game.

However, the song went on to become a number-one hit in the United States and Canada. “I was thrilled…(when Elton mentioned he’d written a song for her) that’s great. It will be a great gift to the people of Philadelphia…I love the word ‘freedom’.” King said.

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King loves the song to this day. The iconic tennis player got the chance to perform the song he wrote for her. On October 19, The Masked Singer aired a battle between the Royal Hen and the Hawk in a special episode that paid tribute to Sir Elton. King performed ‘Philadelphia Freedom’, masked as the Royal Hen.

The everlasting friendship of two legends

The two icons are great friends after 46 years together. When Sir Elton gave his last performance in the US in 2022, King was right there to witness her close friend go out on a high note. Additionally, King was not pleased when Donald Trump called North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man” in his September 19 address to the United Nations. 

The 39-time grand slam champion told Us, “There’s only one ‘Rocket Man, and that’s Elton John! Anything else is an insult,” on the same day Trump made the comparison.

Despite their relationship, their friendship did reach a snag at one point. “There was a period of about five years when we didn’t talk,” she said. “But then one day, he called me and asked me to meet him in rehab in Chicago. And we just reconnected.”

Sir Elton and Billie Jean King have maintained their close bond to this day. The two are well into the senior stage of their lives but have made sure to make time for each other. Their bond is a testament to the relationship of friends; through every struggle, they have been there for each other and have given their voices in the fight for equality. 

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