Nicki Minaj, Young Thug, Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X, Stevie Nicks, and Stevie Wonder are among the musicians that have collaborated with Elton John on an album that spans generations and genres.
EMI Universal said Wednesday that “The Lockdown Sessions,” a collection of 16 songs starring John and singers ranging from Dua Lipa to the late Glen Campbell, will be released on Oct. 22.
John’s decision to suspend his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour in March 2020, as well as his Apple Music chat program “Rocket Hour,” via which he met many of the artists he would work with, sparked the pandemic project.
In some situations, the recordings were recorded with the artists separated from one another, while in others, safety precautions were used.
It pushed John into new musical area, diving into hip-hop, country, and electronic dance music, often in the same song, according to John.
“I realised there was something weirdly familiar about working like this,” he said in a statement announcing the album. “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.”
“Cold Heart (PNAU Remix),” Dua Lipa’s first single, was released earlier this month.
John sings lead on a few tracks, including duets with Brandi Carlile and Eddie Vedder, and is a featured guest on others, including previously released Rina Sawayama and Surfaces recordings.