Elton John’s first album in five years is a collection of duets recorded during lockdown.

The music icon’s latest release features collaborations with Years & Years, Rina Sawayama, Brandi Carlile, Glen Campbell, Stevie Wonder, Eddie Vedder, Stevie Nicks, Charlie Puth, Miley Cyrus, Jimmie Allen, PNAU, Dua Lipa, Gorillaz, SG Lewis, Surfaces, Young Thug, Lil Nas X and Nicki Minaj. 

“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,” Elton said in a statement.

“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.

“I realised there was something weirdly familiar about working like this. 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.”

‘The Lockdown Sessions’, out October 22, is available to pre-order on CD, vinyl and cassette.

Elton previously collaborated with Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander on a cover of Pet Shop Boys’ It’s a Sin to raise funds for his AIDS Foundation. 

More recently, the Tiny Dancer star released Cold Heart, produced by PNAU and featuring Dua Lipa. The tune features interpolations of his tracks Sacrifice, Kiss the Bride and Rocket Man.