Elton John Releases Stacked Collaboration Album ‘The Lockdown Sessions’ With Stevie Wonder, Years & Years And More
The 16-track project was recorded remotely over the last year and a half while the artists were in lockdown.
Combining songs created over a year and a half while in lockdown, Elton John has released his 16-track collaborative album The Lockdown Sessions.
The album was recorded remotely and pairs the musician with some of the biggest names in the industry including Dua Lipa, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, and more.
“The last thing I expected to do during lockdown was make an album. But, as the pandemic went on, one‐off projects kept cropping up. Some of the recording sessions had to be done remotely, via Zoom, which I’d obviously never done before. Some of the sessions were recorded under very stringent safety regulations: working with another artist, but separated by glass screens,” John explained when the album was first announced. “But all the tracks I worked on were 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.”
A number of The Lockdown Sessions tracks were released prior to the album release or were included on other projects entirely. The Lil Nas X collaboration, “One of Me,” features John on piano and was released on the singer and rapper’s debut album Montero. Elton also included his Rina Sawayama collaboration “Chosen Family,” “The Pink Phantom,” with Gorillaz and 6LACK, and “Learn To Fly” with Surfaces.
Other big name collaborators featured on the album include Years & Years, Charlie Puth, Young Thug and Nicki Minaj, SG Lewis, Brandi Carlile, Jimmie Allen, Eddie Vedder, Miley Cyrus, and Glen Campbell.
“I realized there was something weirdly familiar about working like this,” John explained. “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.”
Stream or purchase Elton John’s The Lockdown Sessions. View the official tracklist below.
The Lockdown Sessions Tracklist:
1. Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
2. Elton John, Young Thug & Nicki Minaj – Always Love You
3. Surfaces feat. Elton John – Learn To Fly
4. Elton John & Charlie Puth – After All
5. Rina Sawayama & Elton John – Chosen Family
6. Gorillaz feat. Elton John & 6LACK – The Pink Phantom
7. Elton John & Years & Years – It’s a sin (global reach mix)
8. Miley Cyrus feat. WATT, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo & Chad Smith – Nothing Else Matters
9. Elton John & SG Lewis – Orbit
10. Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Simple Things
11. Jimmie Allen & Elton John – Beauty In The Bones
12. Lil Nas X feat. Elton John – One Of Me
13. Elton John & Eddie Vedder – E-Ticket
14. Elton John & Stevie Wonder – Finish Line
15. Elton John & Stevie Nicks – Stolen Car
16. Glen Campbell & Elton John – I’m Not Gonna Miss You
