Music icon Elton John already had an award named after him. Now it has become a bigger awards program: The Elton John Impact Awards, which are being presented to influential members of the LGBTQ+ community and prominent allies.
iHeartMedia and Procter & Gamble have teamed up to launch the inaugural awards, which aim to recognise "those whose lifelong work has inspired change and shaped culture while also giving back to LGBTQ+ organisations that uplift the communities they serve".
Listen to the trailer for “The Elton John Impact Awards”:
The Elton John Impact Awards, created by iHeartMedia and consumer packaged goods giant P&G, will launch June 1 as a podcast series on the iHeartRadio app and on all major podcast platforms. It also will air as an audio special on iHeartRadio PRIDE stations.
As well as Bailey and Roan, 2026 honorees include Laverne Cox, Melissa Etheridge, Billie Jean King and Orville Peck.
Hosted by Billy Porter and Elvis Duran, the Impact Awards will launch on 1 June as a podcast series. The special will also feature a performance of John's Your Song by Dove Cameron, along with candid, personal conversations with John; John's husband, David Furnish, who is chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation; and this year's honorees.
Organisers said the program will also help boost awareness and funding for several organisations supporting the LGBTQ+ community, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
"I've always believed in the power of storytelling to connect us and challenge us," John said. "These conversations bring together the people who have shaped LGBTQ+ culture and fought for dignity at a time when the world too often looked away."
