Never Too Late (Elton John and Brandi Carlile song)

"Never Too Late" is a song by British singer-songwriter Elton John and American singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile. It was released on November 15, 2024, through EMI and Mercury Records as the lead single from John's 2024 soundtrack to his documentary film, Elton John: Never Too Late. At the 97th Academy Awards the song was nominated for Best Original Song, becoming John fifth and Carlile first nomination in the category.

Background and composition

It was wild setting a lyric down in front of Elton John for the first time that I had written and watch him write it. It was absolutely surreal. The thing about Bernie that so influenced my ability to do this, and why I think in the end it became a collaboration, is because Elton doesn’t like saying nice things about himself. It’s soulfully the right thing, based on this story, based on this film, based on the man and the men. Elton is a wildly individual and spectacular comet of a person, but he’s a sum of his parts, (which are) musically Elton John and Bernie Taupin

— Brandi Carlile to Variety in 2024

The film's production was announced in 2022 by The Walt Disney Company, originally with the working title Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years That Made His Legend.

During the documentary production, Brandi Carlile and her wife Catherine Shepherd went to Elton John's house in the southern France, where they saw an early cut of the documentary with the director David Furnish. Inspired by the movie, Carlile worte the first lyrics of the sonf and presented the it to John, who submitted it to Andrew Watt and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin.

After the song production and rewriting John decided to change the name of the documentary into Elton John: Never Too Late, inspired by the song title.

Music video

The music video for the song was released on November 15, 2024 through John's YouTube channel. It featured cameo and short video with unreleased images and footage initially sourced for the documentary.

Commercial performance

In the United Kingdom "Never Too Late" debouted on the Official Singles Downloads at No. 3, becoming John thirtheend top 40 hits on the lis. The song also debouted on the Official Singles Sales chart, which is similar to the download-only roster, though it doesn’t climb quite as high. “Never Too Late” launches at No. 47.

Accolades

Awards and nominations received by "Lift Me Up"
Year	Organization	Category	Result
2024	Hollywood Music in Media Awards	Best Original Song in a Feature Film	Won
2025	Academy Awards	Best Original Song	Pending
	Satellite Awards	Best Original Song	Pending
	Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards	Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production	Pending

Charts

Chart performance for "Never Too Late"
Chart (2024)	Peak position
UK Singles Sales (OCC)	47

References

Dunworth, Liberty (November 15, 2024). "Listen to Elton John and Brandi Carlile's new song 'Never Too Late', written for upcoming documentary". NME. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Zemler, Emily (November 15, 2024). "Hear Elton John, Brandi Carlile Team Up on 'Never Too Late'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Breihan, Tom (November 15, 2024). "Elton John & Brandi Carlile Team Up On New Song "Never Too Late": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Lewis, Hilary (January 23, 2025). "Oscars: Full List of Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
^ Willman, Chris (November 15, 2024). "Elton John and Brandi Carlile on Co-Writing and Recording Title Song for His 'Never Too Late' Documentary: 'It Feels Like a New Beginning'". Variety. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Andreeva, Nellie; Fleming Jr., Mike (May 18, 2022). "Elton John Documentary 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' Lands At Disney In Mega Deal For Hybrid Release". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
Carey, Matthew; Destiny, Jackson (January 8, 2025). "Elton John Talks Collaborating With Brandi Carlile On Oscar Shortlist Personal Anthem "Never Too Late"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Newman, Melinda (November 15, 2024). "Elton John and Brandi Carlile Talk Writing Music for His New Doc,' Never Too Late,' Teaming Up For Soaring Theme Song". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Zemler, Emily (November 15, 2024). "Hear Elton John and Brandi Carlile team up on 'Never Too Late'". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Gustafson, Hana (November 15, 2024). "Watch: Elton John and Brandi Carlile Unveil New Reflective Original "Never Too Late," Plus Official Music Video". Relix. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
McIntyre, Hugh (November 26, 2024). "Elton John Scores A Brand New Top 40 Hit, And He's Not Alone". Forbes. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Willman, Chris (November 7, 2024). "Hollywood Music in Media Awards Noms Led by 'Emilia Pérez' and 'Blitz,' With Elton John, Hans Zimmer and Scores More Among the Nominees". Variety. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
Lewis, Hilary (January 23, 2025). "Oscars: Full List of Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
"2024 Nominees". International Press Academy. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
Pedersen, Erik (December 18, 2024). "Society Of Composers & Lyricists Cues Up 2025 SCL Awards Nominations". Deadline. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
""Never Too Late" - Elton John and Brandi Carlile". Official Charts Company. November 28, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2025.

v t e Elton John songs
Discography
1960s	"I've Been Loving You" (1968) "Skyline Pigeon" (1968) "Lady Samantha" (1969) "It's Me That You Need" (1969)
1970s	"Border Song" (1970) "Rock and Roll Madonna" (1970) "From Denver to L.A." (1970) "Take Me to the Pilot" (1970) "Your Song" (1970) "Come Down in Time" (1970) "Friends" (1971) "Levon" (1971) "Indian Sunset" (1971) "Tiny Dancer" (1972) "Rocket Man" (1972) "Honky Cat" (1972) "I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself" (1972) "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" (1972) "Crocodile Rock" (1972) "Elderberry Wine" (1972) "Daniel" (1972) "Have Mercy on the Criminal" (1972) "Teacher I Need You" (1973) "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" (1973) "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" (1973) "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) "Step into Christmas" (1973) "Candle in the Wind" (1974) "Bennie and the Jets" (1974) "Harmony" (1974) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1974) "The Bitch Is Back" (1974) "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1974) "Philadelphia Freedom" (1975) "I Saw Her Standing There" (1975) "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" (1975) "We All Fall in Love Sometimes" (1975) "Island Girl" (1975) "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" (1976) "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" (1976) "Pinball Wizard" (1976) "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (1976) "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (1976) "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)" (1977) "Crazy Water" (1977) "The Goaldiggers Song" (1977) "Ego" (1978) "Part-Time Love" (1978) "Song for Guy" (1978) "Are You Ready for Love" (1979) "Mama Can't Buy You Love" (1979) "Johnny B. Goode" (1979)
1980s	"Little Jeannie" (1980) "Sartorial Eloquence (Don't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)" (1980) "Dear God" (1980) "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (1981) "Nobody Wins" (1981) "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" (1981) "Blue Eyes" (1982) "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (1982) "Ball and Chain" (1982) "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1982) "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (1983) "I'm Still Standing" (1983) "Kiss the Bride" (1983) "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (1984) "Passengers" (1984) "Who Wears These Shoes? (1984) "Nikita" (1985) "That's What Friends Are For" (1985) "Wrap Her Up" (1985) "Heartache All Over the World" (1986) "Slow Rivers" (1986) "Take Me to the Pilot" (1988) "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (1988) "Town of Plenty" (1988) "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" (1988) "Through the Storm" (1989) "Healing Hands" (1989) "Sacrifice" (1989)
1990s	"Club at the End of the Street" (1990) "You Gotta Love Someone" (1990) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1991) "The One" (1992) "Runaway Train" (1992) "The Last Song" (1992) "Simple Life" (1993) "True Love" (1993) "Shakey Ground" (1994) "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1994) "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (1994) "Circle of Life" (1994) "Believe" (1995) "Made in England" (1995) "When the Money's Gone" (1995) "You Can Make History (Young Again)" (1996) "Live Like Horses" (1996) "The Madness of King Scar" (1997) "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997) "Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997) "Written in the Stars" (1999)
2000s	"Someday Out of the Blue" (2000) "I Want Love" (2001) "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" (2002) "Original Sin" (2002) "Are You Ready for Love" (2003) "Ghetto Gospel" (2005) "Electricity" (2005) "The Bridge" (2006) "Joseph, Better You than Me" (2008) "Tiny Dancer (Hold Me Closer)" (2009)
2010s	"All of the Lights" (2010) "Good Morning to the Night" (2012) "Sad" (2012) "Looking Up" (2015) "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" (2019)
2020s	"Ordinary Man" (2020) "Sine from Above" (2020) "The Pink Phantom" (2020) "It's a Sin" (2021) "Cold Heart (Pnau remix)" (2021) "Merry Christmas" (2021) "Sausage Rolls for Everyone" (2021) "Hold Me Closer" (2022) "Never Too Late" (2024)
Related	Albums discography Videography
Category:Elton John

v t e Brandi Carlile
Albums	Brandi Carlile The Story Give Up the Ghost Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony Bear Creek The Firewatcher's Daughter By the Way, I Forgive You In These Silent Days
EPs	XOBC
Singles	"The Story" "That Wasn't Me" "The Joke" "A Beautiful Noise" "Right on Time" "You and Me on the Rock" "Never Too Late"
Related	Discography Phil and Tim Hanseroth Cover Stories The Highwomen

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