Besides making timeless music, Elton John knows how to throw a party. His latest charity bash has raised more than six million bucks for his AIDS Foundation.
The inaugural Elton John AIDS Foundation Midsummer Party, hosted by Elton and his husband David Furnish, was held Wednesday at a swanky villa on the Côte d'Azur in the South of France. Among the attendees were Coldplay's Chris Martin, The Who's Pete Townshend, Rocketman star Taron Egerton, iconic actress Joan Collins, Julian Lennon and more.
Like most of Elton's charity events, the party featured a live auction of super-exclusive items and experiences, including a brand-new Bentley, a piano used in the Rocketman movie and autographed by Elton and Egerton, a Gucci jacket worn by Egerton in the movie, tickets to see Elton's current tour, and a trip to L.A. to attend Elton's annual Oscar viewing party.
And of course, there was music: Chris Martin performed, and then welcomed Elton onto the stage to sing "I'm Still Standing" and "Rocket Man."
Elton told the crowd, "It’s because of the consistent support and kindness of so many people in this room that we are able to commit the Elton John AIDS Foundation to real partnerships with world leaders that can a make a future without AIDS.”
The money raised from the party will go towards a new program that is designed to provide HIV self-test kids to 400,000 men in Kenya, and subsequent treatment for every positive test.