Elton John says if he could be any woman alive, he would want to be Jacinda Ardern

Elton John performs at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. Photo / Otago Daily Times

British music icon Elton John has praised Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, saying she is one of the few politicians that he respects.

In an interview with the Guardian – which featured a Q&A section with A-list celebrities – John said Ardern was "one of the few politicians that I respect and love".

"She's got dignity and she's humane. I think she's doing a brilliant job."

The answer was in reply to a question from model and actor Cara Delevingne, who asked the award-winning singer/song writer if he could be one woman alive and one woman from the past, who would you be?

He chose Ardern as the one woman alive today that he would like to be, and Elizabeth Taylor for the woman from the past.

"She was ****ing talented and brilliant, (b) she was beautiful, (c) she had a lot of sex, and (d) she had the most fantastic jewellery," he said.

John said Taylor was a dear friend of his and was one of the world's greatest philanthropists.

This is not the first time Ardern has won praise from celebrities.

In her keynote speech at the Women in the World summit in New York City Oprah Winfrey praised Ardern's leadership after the March 15 terror attack.

"I've never seen such leadership," Winfrey said. "The Prime Minister is a woman who has such courage in her convictions and has set a global standard for leadership with her response."

"Fifty murders could have brought even more destruction but instead led to a portrait of the Prime Minister displayed across Dubai's tallest building with the word 'peace' shining above it."