Elton John Discusses Name Change Impact

Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, recently shared the emotional impact of his name change during an interview with Good Morning America. He explained that he disliked his birth name, which he found old-fashioned and preferred to adopt a unique stage persona. However, he revealed that the decision to distance himself from his childhood identity caught up with him during a performance at Dodger Stadium in 1975, leading him to feel like a 'void' without his past. John expressed that while he aimed to leave his old self behind, he realized that 'little Reggie' still resided within him. The singer legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John in 1972, drawing inspiration from musicians he had played with earlier in his career. He also mentioned that he has had to pause plans for a new album due to temporary eyesight issues.