Elton John says his new album is the "freshest" one he has done since the 70s, marking a "new beginning" for the singer.
The new album, Who Believes in Angels?, is a collaboration between the 78-year-old legend and the US musician Brandi Carlile.
Watch: The video for Elton John and Brandi Carlile's Swing for the Fences.
Speaking to Smooth Radio presenter Kate Garraway ahead of the Friday release of Who Believes in Angels?, John said that despite the album being a challenge to make, it could not compare to the "greatest challenge" of parenthood.
He said: "This album marks a new beginning for me. It's very fresh. It's probably the freshest album I've done since the 70s.
"I needed new musicians. Although I love my band so much, I needed new musicians, [a] new producer to give me a challenge.
"You have to be challenged.
"And I wanted the challenge, and it was challenging, but it worked out really well. And that's the rest of my life. It's a challenge.
"The biggest challenge, of course, is being a parent - and it's the most wonderful challenge you'll ever have. And it has its ups and downs, but it's pretty amazing.
"But with my music, I can pick and choose exactly what I want to do now, so I don't have the brunt of touring, so I can concentrate on other things. And I will be doing more recording, but it won't be like Who Believes in Angels?, it will be something else."
John shares two children, Zachary and Elijah, with his husband, the filmmaker David Furnish.
The album was written and recorded from scratch in 20 days in October 2023 by John, Carlile, the Grammy Award-winning producer Andrew Watt, and Bernie Taupin, John's songwriting partner.
Recording at Los Angeles' Sunset Sound studio, they were joined by musicians including Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and the band's former guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.
Cameras captured the recording sessions, and the footage was turned into a short film marking one of the first times John allowed cameras to film the writing process, documenting the journey to create the album from the very beginning.
John added: "I don't know whose idea it was, but to be honest with you, we didn't notice them because we were so intense about writing.
"And I mean, you forgot they were there and they captured everything - there were nine cameras - and I'm glad they did.
"It was like doing (1997 documentary) Tantrums and Tiaras, I suppose, years and years ago, where you see the whole, the pressure of trying to write something, the pressure of wanting to get it exactly right, and the frustration that I felt because I didn't think I was doing my part of the job.
"Everyone else was, and I didn't feel I was.
"Then Brandi came in and saw the state I was in at breakfast and she wrote A Little Light, which is a really positive song. She said, 'Listen, we're musicians. What we do is try and heal people with our music'. And she's absolutely right. This was a frustrating time for me. I wasn't feeling very well.
"I was tired, but she kicked me out of it and God, I needed her to do that. And she did."
Carlile, who has collaborated with artists including Hozier, Miley Cyrus, and Alicia Keys, is also known for her hit song The Story.
The joint album, Who Believes in Angels?, is out today, Friday 4 April.
The full interview with Smooth Radio's Kate Garraway is on Global Player now.
Source: Press Association
