Elton John Used to Be ‘Cranky’ but His 2 Sons ‘Have Totally Changed His Outlook on Life’

Elton John may have been known as one of the grumpiest celebrities in showbiz, but fatherhood and retirement have changed everything.

Life has been more relaxing for the 77-year-old Grammy Award winner ever since he officially said goodbye to touring the globe with his final concert on July 8, 2023, at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. Now, Elton’s time is spent alongside husband David Furnish and their two sons, Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11.

“The way Elton dotes on his twins is so sweet, he turns to total mush around them,” an insider exclusively tells Closer. “They bring him so much happiness and seem to have totally changed his outlook on life.”

During an interview last month with Entertainment Tonight, David, 61, said that he and Elton “don’t want to miss anything” as their sons approach their teenage years. “We want to be present for that,” he added. “It’s sort of a key decade, I think, in a child’s life.”

And since time is so precious as the EGOT winner approaches his 80s, Closer‘s source reveals that the “Rocket Man” singer no longer gets worked up over trivial matters.

According to the insider, Elton “used to be known as quite a cranky guy,” though “no one ever gave him a hard time about it because he usually managed to be charming even when he was being a pain — but there’s no denying he used to be pretty high maintenance, even he would admit that.”

However, the source says, “That’s changed dramatically in recent years.” Elton — who has been in and out of the hospital in over the last few years for various surgeries regarding his health — “still has his moments but they are very few and far between,” the source explains.

“Now, when something doesn’t go his way, he seems to shrug it off,” the insider continues. “He’ll say life is too short to sweat the small stuff, which is a far cry from the short-tempered man he used to be.

“Enjoying his time with his boys and leading them by example is his main focus these days,” adds the source. “He really has transformed since becoming a dad.”

While Elton may be done touring the world to take the stage for his adoring fans, he’s still keeping busy with new music and various projects.

In a March 4 interview with Variety, his husband, who is also his manager, revealed, “He’s been working away. I don’t think you’re going to have to wait too long [for new music]. I can’t say when but he’s making real progress. It was important for him when he came off the road to have a little bit of a breather and a break. But he’s always said he’s retiring from touring, but he’s not retiring from working.”

In a separate interview with The Sun, David shared, “We are launching two stage musicals this year, a documentary on Disney+, opening a photo exhibition at the V&A in May, so it’s still very busy. It hasn’t exactly slowed down in the Furnish-John household.”