Out singer Sir Elton John has surprised
fans with the announcement of a new album scheduled to arrive on
October 22.
“The last thing I expected to do
during lockdown was make an album,” John said, referring to
COVID-19 lockdowns in Britain and Los Angeles. “But, as the
pandemic went on, one-off projects kept cropping up and I've ended
with a selection of 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 realized
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 a blast,” he said.
The Lockdown Sessions includes
16 tracks featuring collaborations with Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Lil
Nas X, Rina Sawayama, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, and other artists.
Some of the songs have already been
released, including John's cover of The Pet Shop Boys' “It's a Sin”
and “Chosen Family” with Rina Sawayama.
The Lockdown Sessions is
available for pre-order on Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music.