Sam Fender turned down the opportunity to collaborate with Elton John on his chart-topping ‘The Lockdown Sessions’ album.
The LP features stars including Dua Lipa, Stevie Nicks and Lil Nas X but, according to Sam, he was “too busy” to record a duet with the music legend.
Speaking to the Daily Star, he said: “Elton is now actually a friend, so I’ve been hanging out with him and learning some of his tricks.
“He’s a legend. We were going to do something for his ‘Lockdown Sessions’ album but I needed to stay focused on what I was finishing.
“We didn’t want to rush it or f**k it up, so I hope we can return to it down the line or drop it in later.”
Elton’s album knocked Sam’s ‘Seventeen Going Under’ from the top of the UK Singles Chart in October.
He isn’t Sam’s only veteran pal; he’s also grown close to The Jam’s Paul Weller, who he often calls on for advice.
“Both have their opinions on the album. Paul’s great to bounce things off because he’s a lyric writer himself, he really engages with that,” he smiled.
Elton recently praised Sam as the “best rock and roll artist there is”.
Asked who else he’d like to collaborate with, the Rocket Man hitmaker admitted: “I’ve collaborated with most people. Sam Fender.
“He’s a British rock and roll artist who’s the best rock and roll artist there is. He makes Oasis sound like a calm palm trio. He is brilliant.”
In a review of the album, Retro Pop called ‘The Lockdown Sessions’ “a fitting chapter at this point in Elton’s six-decade career”.
‘The Lockdown Sessions’ is available on CD, vinyl and cassette.
