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Elton John<\/a>\u2019s latest studio album was his collaborative project with Brandi Carlile, Who Believes in Angels?<\/em>, which was released in April 2025. Now, in a new interview with Variety<\/a><\/em>, the British pop-rock icon has revealed some details about his plans for his next album.<\/p>\n The wide-ranging interview was published in conjunction with Elton being named as Variety<\/em>\u2019s Philanthropist of the Year thanks to his work with the Elton John AIDS Foundation.<\/p>\n [RELATED: Elton John Draws His Biggest Crowd Since Retiring from Touring with Singapore Grand Prix Show]<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n John told Variety<\/em> that he\u2019s preparing to start writing some new songs with his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin. He also reported that he\u2019s planning to collaborate on the next album with Andrew Watt, who produced Who Believes in Angels? and co-wrote all the tunes with John, Taupin, and Carlile.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got seven new lyrics from Bernie, and \u2026 they\u2019re really, really good,\u201d Elton shared. \u201c[S]o I can\u2019t wait to go in the studio with Andrew and just write and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n John also explained that he intends for his next album to be a bit different from Who Believes in Angels?<\/em>, which was influenced by Carlile\u2019s love of Elton\u2019s 1970s-era work.<\/p>\n \u201cThe album with Brandi, it\u2019s a timeless record, but it\u2019s not of its time,\u201d he maintained. \u201cWe just wanted to make a record that we loved, with great songs. That was a yesterday record, and it was fantastic. But there is a part of me that wants to do a much more commercial record and do more Bernie Taupin songs that are more of today than yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, John and his husband, David Furnish, also updated Variety<\/em> about the serious eyesight issues Elton has been experiencing lately. The problems stem from an infection he contracted in France in 2024 that\u2019s seriously affected the vision in both eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been devastating,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause I lost [the sight in] my right eye and my left eye\u2019s not so good, the last 15 months have been challenging for me because I haven\u2019t been able to see anything, watch anything, read anything.\u201d<\/p>\n John then noted that he\u2019s trying to keep a positive outlook on the situation.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had the most incredible life, and there is hope,\u201d he maintained. \u201cI\u2019ve just gotta be patient that someday science will help me with this one. Once they help me with this one, I\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Furnish then told Variety<\/em> about the medical attention John has been receiving to try and improve his vision.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been doing some treatments and there\u2019s been some improvements in his left eye, which is really good,\u201d he reported. \u201c[A]nd we\u2019re continuing to explore and getting a lot of outreach from a lot of doctors who want to help and support. Because there\u2019s damage to the retina in his right eye, retinas don\u2019t heal naturally, so it\u2019s an area of emerging science. But things are changing really quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n Furnish added, \u201cWhat AI is doing for medicine and science alone is astonishing. And there\u2019s all kinds of interesting new theories and breakthroughs, and they can process the data and do the trials a lot more quickly than they could before.\u201d<\/p>\n On the bright side, John says he feels grateful that he\u2019s still able to play concerts despite his vision challenges. He\u2019s also appreciative of the love he receives from his husband and two sons, as well as from some famous friends.<\/p>\n \u201cWe did the Singapore Grand Prix [on October 5] with the band, which was wonderful,\u201d Elton noted. \u201cI mean, you just have to grin and bear it. It does get me down sometimes. But on the whole, I\u2019ve got a wonderful family; I have two great kids; I have [David.]\u201d<\/p>\n He continued, \u201cPaul McCartney FaceTimes me to see how I\u2019m doing. It\u2019s really beautiful. The love I\u2019ve received from him and from [The Who\u2019s] Pete Townshend and [The Rolling Stones\u2019] Mick Jagger and people like that have been amazing. Or you get an email from Keith Richards saying, \u2018Hello, darling, how you doing? You know we love you,\u2019 and that\u2019s it, but it just makes my day.\u201d<\/p>\n When it comes to doing concerts, John explained that he\u2019s able to see things that are close up, such as the microphone and the piano keys. Seeing his band is another story.<\/p>\n \u201c[It] is a bit of a nightmare,\u201d Elton admitted. \u201cI can\u2019t see Nigel [Olsson], the drummer, so I have to have [lead guitarist] Davey [Johnstone] or somebody say, \u2018OK, this is where it ends,\u2019 and make sure we\u2019re in sync.\u201d<\/p>\n That being said, John noted, \u201cI\u2019m singing better than I\u2019ve ever done before, and I\u2019m playing really well, and I\u2019m enjoying it, and that is helping me a lot. Music has been my whole life and has given me so much and takes me on journeys that I never thought I would ever go on\u2014and it\u2019s still doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n On Friday, November 28, John released a new limited-edition vinyl LP<\/a> called Who Believes in Angels? Live at the London Palladium<\/em> as part of the Record Store Day Black Friday sale. The album features a recording of the 10-song performance John and Carlile gave in March 25 in London to celebrate the impending release of their collaborative collection.<\/p>\n The set included renditions of four songs from Who Believes in Angels?<\/em> It also featured versions of five classic Elton hits and the Carlile tune \u201cThe Joke.\u201d<\/p>\n John also recently announced that he\u2019ll be playing a headlining set at the 2026 Rock in Rio festival<\/a> in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The performance is scheduled for September 7.<\/p>\n (Photo by Amy Sussman\/WireImage)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\nAbout Elton John\u2019s Eyesight Issues<\/h3>\n
On Still Being Able to Perform, and Getting Support from Famous Friends<\/h3>\n
Other Elton John News<\/h3>\n