Elton John's Christmas Commercial Is an Emotional Experience

John Lewis & Partners' holiday ad is "about the power of a gift"

By Zach Johnson Nov 15, 2018 2:30 PMTags

James Corden summed it up best on Twitter: "Holy s--t. This commercial."

Overnight, John Lewis & Partners released a Christmas commercial starring Elton John. Titled "The Boy and the Piano," this year's story "is about the power of a gift," the company said in a statement. "And how that gift inspired, changed and influenced the course of a little boy's life. The film begins in present day and works backwards chronologically through Elton's life right until the moment on Christmas morning when he received the special gift that changed his life."

Lasting a little over two minutes, the commercial begins with the 71-year-old living legend playing the piano at home. It follows him as he plays his smash "Your Song" at various points in his life—in stadium arenas, private planes, recording studios, school auditoriums and other venues. Each era features a different recording, so fans can appreciate his musical evolution.

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John said it was a "pleasure" to star in the ad, telling his Instagram followers, "Hope you enjoy."

John Lewis & Partners cast some impressive look-alikes to play John in his younger years, but it's a wonder they didn't reach out to Taron Egerton, who plays the artist in 2019's Rocketman. As Jamie Foxx, Egerton's co-star in Robin Hood, told E! News over the weekend, "Taron's amazing. Taron's got the pipes, man. He was amazing. He's multitalented, man. He's amazing!"