Elton John (L) and The Lockdown Sessions album artwork (R). (Gregg Kemp)
Elton John has announced his 32nd studio album, The Lockdown Sessions, will be released in October – and it features collaborations with some of the biggest names in music.
The trailblazing singer announced the 16-track record on Wednesday (1 September), revealing that making an album was “the last thing” he expected to do during lockdown.
Elton John’s new album features collaborations with Dua Lipa, Young Thug, Nicki Minaj, Charlie Puth, Rina Sawayama, Gorillaz, Years & Years, Miley Cyrus, Brandi Carlile, Lil Nas X, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks and Glen Campbell.
The record was recorded over the last 18 months – much of it done remotely – throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
The Lockdown Sessions will take John fans on a “heady journey through many different genres”, with 10 brand new unreleased tracks and six fans will be familiar with.
Elton John’s new album sees him returning to his roots as a session musician
In a statement, the singer said “one-off projects” with other artists kept cropping up throughout the pandemic until he had an album’s worth of material.
“Some of the recording sessions had to be done remotely, via Zoom, which I’d obviously never done before,” he said.
“Some of the sessions were recorded under very stringent safety regulations: working with another artist, but separated by glass screens.
The last thing I expected to do during lockdown was make an album but here it is. Thank you to everyone who came together to make it happen.
I can’t wait for you all to hear ‘The Lockdown Sessions’ when it’s released on 22 October, but for now, preorder it from today. pic.twitter.com/u8Qfvuk1Fk
– Elton John (@eltonofficial) September 1, 2021
“But all the tracks I worked on were really interesting and diverse, stuff that was completely different to anything I’m known for, stuff that took me out of my comfort zone into completely new territory.
“And I realised there was something weirdly familiar about working like this. At the start of my career, in the late ’60s, I worked as a session musician.
“Working with different artists during lockdown reminded me of that. I’d come full circle: I was a session musician again. And it was still a blast.”
The album will feature John’s collaboration with British pop pioneer Rina Sawayama, which was originally released earlier this year. The song, called “Chosen Family”, celebrates the LGBT+ community’s ability to create their own families with friends.
The Lockdown Sessions will also feature “One of Us”, a collaboration with Lil Nas X. The song will also appear on Lil Nas’s debut album Montero, which will be released on 17 September.
The full track listing is below:
1. Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
2. Elton, Young Thug & Nicki Minaj – Always Love You
3. Surfaces feat. Elton – Learn To Fly
4. Elton & Charlie Puth – After All
5. Rina Sawayama & Elton – Chosen Family
6. Gorillaz feat. Elton & 6LACK – The Pink Phantom
7. Elton & Years & Years – It’s a Sin (global reach mix)
8. Miley Cyrus feat. WATT, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo & Chad Smith – Nothing Else Matters
9. Elton John & SG Lewis – Orbit
10. Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Simple Things
11. Jimmie Allen & Elton John – Beauty In The Bones
12. Lil Nas X feat. Elton John – One Of Me
13. Elton John & Eddie Vedder – E-Ticket
14. Elton John & Stevie Wonder – Finish Line
15. Elton John & Stevie Nicks – Stolen Car
16. Glen Campbell & Elton John – I’m Not Gonna Miss You
