At 74 years old and with some hip problems, the British singer Elton John is still passionate about music, but above all for the new generations, from Nicki Minaj to Dupa Lipa, passing through Young Thug.
His new album, which comes out this Friday, "The Lockdown Sessions", has been created entirely with collaborations.
As a starter, a duet with the British of Albanian origin Dua Lipa, with whom he signs "Cold heart" which entered the top ten best-selling singles list.
Elton John has managed to place, over six decades, 33 successes in the "top 10" on the British charts, ahead of any other artist.
On "The Lockdown Sessions" ("Confinement sessions") John surrounds himself with stars of his generation like Stevie Wonder or Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac), but also rappers like Young Thug, 6LACK, Nicki Minaj or the star of electronic music, SG Lewis.
"I have learned from all of them, and at my age, learning from other musicians is the greatest gift possible"Elton John explained in a video conference question and answer session with international journalists in late September.
A few days after this multiple interview, the British star had to be admitted for a hip operation.
"To say that I already know everything would be the end. I’m more excited than ever for music", He says.
Sir Elton claims he was stunned by the "freestyles" (improvisations) from the rappers he worked with during those sessions, sometimes via video conferencing.
The composer of "Your song" he incited young people to provoke him, to lead him down unknown paths.
"Maybe he was intimidated"
"SG Lewis had first proposed something very ‘eltonjohniano’ to me, he laughs, "perhaps he was intimidated or afraid of insulting me. Then we end up reaching what we were looking for", trusts the musician who has sold more than 300 million records.
"The Lockdown Sessions" brings together songs composed for his album but also for the albums of other artists, such as Gorillaz or even "The Metallica Blacklist", the album tribute to the hard rock group in the wake of the thirty years of the "Black Album".
Elton John performs Metallica’s smash hit, "Nothing else matters", along with Miley Cyrus, Robert Trujillo (bassist of the group) and Chad Smith (drums of Red Hot Chili Peppers).
"The idea was to start and end on the piano, when the song is actually composed for the guitar. It’s another way of looking at it, it’s fun", Explain.
"I don’t believe this guy said this!"
Metallica frontman James Hetfield recently explained his reaction in an interview broadcast by Apple Music.
"Elton John was zoomed in and all of a sudden he goes on and on: ‘Nothing Else Matters is one of the most beautiful melodies, one of the best love ballads ever written.’
"I said to myself, ‘I don’t believe this guy said this!’ (…) It’s a huge compliment", said.
"Captain Fantastic", as Elton John nicknamed himself after one of his great albums of the 70s, he admits that he likes to remember his time as a "studio musician". Like when he played with the Hollies, a British group from the 60s, in the famous London studios of Abbey Road.
After so many years, he still considers himself a music bulimic.
He has starred in podcasts on Apple Music, DJing and commenting on music like a disc jockey. And now he would like to collaborate with Billie Eilish: "I have been amazed, it is magnificent to see a flower turn into such a beautiful tree, but for the moment it is tracing its own path".
.
