Portugal Colonial - Elton John says new album 'freshest' since 1970s

The studio album comes after he wound down his glittering live career with a global farewell tour which wrapped up in Sweden in July 2023.

"Who Believes in Angels?" is a collaboration with US singer Brandi Carlile and co-written by John's long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin.

"This album marks a new beginning for me. It's very fresh. It's probably the freshest album I've done since the 70s," the 78-year-old singer told Smooth Radio ahead of the release.

"I needed new musicians, although I love my band so much, I needed new musicians, new producer to give me a challenge. You have to be challenged," he added.

John, famed for his flamboyant performances and unforgettable melodies, has sold over 300 million records worldwide.

The new album was written and recorded from scratch in 20 days in October 2023 at the Sunset Sound recording studio in Los Angeles shortly after the end of the farewell tour.

"That's the rest of my life. It's a challenge," John said, adding that 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," he said.

John and his husband filmmaker David Furnish have two children, Zachary and Elijah.

With his music, he said, he could now "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," he said.

The release comes after the "Rocket Man" star revealed in December that an eye infection contracted last summer had severely affected his eyesight.

"I am healing but it's an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye," he said at the time.

A headline set at the Glastonbury festival in 2023 was his last UK performance as part of his 330-date "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, which ended with an emotionally charged show in Stockholm, Sweden.

In January he achieved his ninth UK number one album with "Diamonds", a greatest hits compilation.

E.Ramalho--PC