He’s back with a new album – his first in four years – but Sir Elton John confirmed old habits die hard in behind-the-scenes footage from its frenetic recording sessions.
The veteran star announced forthcoming LP Who Believes In Angels? – a collaboration with country artist Brandi Carlile – on Wednesday afternoon.
The 77-year-old singer boldly declared that the new studio album, his first since 2021 and recorded in just 20 days, is ‘the start of my career Mark 2’.
But Sir Elton – famed for his explosively short temper – appeared to be stuck in career Mark 1 after cameras caught him in a highly emotional and all too familiar state while seated at his piano.
In breathtakingly awkward scenes akin to those aired in notorious 1997 documentary Tantrums And Tiaras, the pop legend is seen slamming his headphones down and tearing up a piece of sheet music as he tells aghast onlookers: ‘I’m going home.’
Sir Elton had already been filmed branding the recording session – one of several conducted for his latest album – a ‘f***ing nightmare.’
Sir Elton John is filmed breaking down while recording his new album, Who Believes In Angels?
In breathtakingly awkward scenes akin to those aired in notorious 1997 documentary Tantrums And Tiaras, the pop legend is seen slamming his headphones down
Sir Elton had already been filmed describing the recording session – one of several conducted over a 20 day period for his latest album – as a ‘f***ing nightmare’
Cameras had been installed at the iconic Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles while Sir Elton recorded his new album with Carlile and producer Andrew Watt.
But their presence meant the tetchy pop star was caught clashing with studio employees, including Watt, while laying down melodies and vocals.
After the seasoned producer asked him if he was ready to record, a frazzled Sir Elton snaps: ‘Why do you think I am sitting here?’
A frustrated Watt is later filmed raising his own voice while attempting to reason with the pop legend, telling him: ‘I am just trying to make the song as best as it can be… you are so impatient!’
Even collaborator Carlile doesn’t escape Sir Elton’s wrath, with the American singer later admitting she struggled to form a bond with him during their time together.
She says: ‘Elton is prone to bouts of insecurity especially where the stakes are high. I am having a hard time connecting to Elton.
‘There were times when I thought why does he want to do this.’
Addressing the footage, a sorry Sir Elton later admitted: ‘The reality is… I was exhausted, I had a lot of doubt, I was a nightmare. I was angry, I was tired, I was irritable… I felt I don’t want to do it.’
The pop legend is reassured by one of his musicians as he reads over a piece of sheet music
Cameras has been installed at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles while Sir Elton recorded his new album with Carlile and producer Andrew Watt
But their presence meant the tetchy pop star was caught clashing with studio employees while laying down melodies ands vocals
But he admitted he was reluctant to pull out after so many people had committed to helping him make the new album.
Her said: ‘I felt there were other people involved, I can’t abandon it… finally it all started to flow. I wanted to play better, sing better, write better and challenge myself at the age I am.’
Sir Elton’s recording studio fracas is the latest in a series of well publicised meltdowns dating back to his career beginnings in the early 1970s.
The pop legend has previously taken aim at photographers, assistants, fellow celebrities, fashion designers and even his own fans – one for merely watching him play tennis.
In 1997, his volatile temper was captured in warts-and-all documentary Tantrums And Tiaras, recorded two years earlier during Sir Elton’s Made In England tour and ostensibly developed as a rare glimpse at his private life.
Dressed in a leopard print coat, Sir Elton was filmed vowing he would ‘never go to the f**king south of France again’ after a female fan called to him as he played tennis, prompting him to lose his concentration.
In 2004 he took aim at another pop legend after Madonna won a gong at the Q Awards, sparking a feud that would last for years.
‘Madonna, best live act? F**k off. Since when has lip-syncing been live?’ he fumed while attending the event, branding the singer a “fairground stripper”, a “c***” and “a nightmare”.
Fast forward to Taiwan that same year and Sir Elton was caught unleashing a verbal barrage at hapless paparazzi photographers, calling them “rude, vile pigs” and demanding they “f**k off”.
When one asked why he didn’t leave Taiwan, he raged: ‘We’d love to get out of Taiwan if it’s full of people like you. Pig! Pig!’
Even those attending his Goodbye Yellow Brick Road farewell tour couldn’t escape his temper, with Sir Elton famously screaming at one fan for wandering too close to his piano – despite inviting guests onstage to dance while he performed.
‘F**k off! You f**ked it up!’ he roared during the show in Las Vegas, before storming offstage.
Sir Elton had previously insisted husband David Furnish – whom he met in 1993 – improved his self-esteem and cured him of his legendary tantrums.
‘I still have that streak in me, but the tantrums don’t happen so much any more,’ he said in 2004. ‘They’re more to do with self-esteem, nothing to do with shouting at people because things have gone wrong.
‘They happen when I am tired, and I just get in a snit. But David knows exactly how to deal with them. He talks me through it, saying “calm down” and that’s it.’
Sir Elton has announced a new album with US folk singer Brandi Carlile and Bernie Taupin- which was written and recorded in just 20 days – despite his recent health setbacks
The singer boldly declared that the new studio album – titled Who Believes In Angels? and his first since 2021 – is ‘the start of my career Mark 2’
Who Believes In Angels? Is a collaborative effort with US folk singer Brandi Carlile and Sir Elton’s longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin and is set for release on April 4.
He also unveiled a new single from the album, the eponymous track ‘Who Believes In Angels?’
Sir Elton said: ‘This record was one of the toughest I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life.
‘It has given me a place where I know I can move forward. Who Believes In Angels? feels like going into another era and I’m pushing the door open to come into the future.’
‘I have everything I’ve done behind me and it’s been brilliant, amazing. But this is the new start for me. As far as I’m concerned, this is the start of my career Mark 2.’
The concept for the album, which was recorded in October 2023, was devised by close friends and regular collaborators Sir Elton, eleven time Grammy winning US superstar Brandi and multiple award winning producer and songwriter Andrew Watt.
They set out to create a genuinely collaborative studio album between Elton and Brandi.
The album would mix Elton-led songs and Brandi-led songs, with long term collaborator Bernie Taupin and Brandi both contributing lyrics, and producer and co-writer Andrew Watt acting as the producer, mediator and creative conduit.
Entering Los Angeles’ Sunset Sound Studios in October 2023 with a completely blank slate, they pushed each other out of their comfort zones to write and record an album completely from scratch in just 20 days.
In promo for the new album reads: ‘Ballads co-exist with raw rock and roll, pop songs and country-hued Americana rub shoulders with synth-heavy psychedelia.
‘It’s an album as unexpected as it is triumphant. Elton sounds utterly revitalized. Brandi sounds like a singer-songwriter at the absolute top of her game, her voice melding with Elton’s like a hand in a glove.
‘The resulting songs somehow manage to be unequivocally the work of Elton John and Brandi Carlile, while sounding unlike any album either have made before.’
‘This record was one of the toughest I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. ‘It has given me a place where I know I can move forward’
Sir Elton has been making hits for more than half a century (pictured onstage in 1984)
It also comes amid his health struggles with his eyesight, which he first lifted the lid on in September 2024.
Elton appeared on Good Morning America alongside his husband David in December to chat with Robin Roberts about his life, career and the personal challenges featured in his new documentary.
Speaking in the interview, the music legend explained: ‘I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the South of France and it’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see.
‘And my left eye is not the greatest, so. There’s hope and encouragement that it will be okay and we’re taking an intiative to try and get it better. At the moment that’s really what we’re concentrating on.’
When asked to elaborate on his current health to put fans worried at ease, Sir Elton quipped: ‘David and I always have our blood tests every six months in Los Angeles. Our health has never been better.
The musician has been supported by husband David Furnish (pictured) during his recent health struggles
‘I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the South of France and it’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see’
‘It’s never fortunate for anything like this to happen. I can’t see anything, I can’t read anything, I can’t watch anything.’
The hitmaker, who played his final shows last summer, revealed his eyesight issues in September.
He took to his Instagram with a lengthy post, explaining how he spent the past few months ‘recuperating at home.’
Elton wrote: ‘Over the summer, I’ve been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye.
‘I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.
‘I am so grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family, who have taken such good care of me over the last several weeks.’