Elton John and Brandi Carlile have just released a new song, “Swing For The Fences.” This upbeat and uplifting song is the latest take from Elton and Brandi’s recently announced joint studio album, Who Believes In Angels?, which will be released on April 4.
“Swing For The Fences” is both a euphoric rock ‘n’ roll song and a proud, defiant anthem. Brandi says of the song: “‘Swing For The Fences’ was a little gem that I took into the studio: I’m a gay woman, Elton is a gay man, we both have families and our dreams have come true. I thought it would be amazing to write an anthem for LGBTQ+ youth that calls them to live bigger, more stylish, more fabulous lives. Something like ‘go, go! Don’t let anything hold you back!’”
Elton adds: “When we recorded ‘Swing For The Fences’, that was the moment that crystallised where the album was going. It was difficult to get to this point, but we knew we had to rise to the occasion, and we all felt an enormous sense of joy and euphoria. After our initial difficulties, all uncertainties began to dissipate as this song came to life. It just sounded really good.”
The concept of Who Believes In Angels? was developed by Elton John’s close friends and regular collaborators, American superstar Brandi Carlile (11-time GRAMMY winner) and producer and songwriter Andrew Watt (multi-GRAMMY winner). The goal was to create a truly collaborative studio album between Elton and Brandi. The album would mix songs performed by Elton and Brandi, with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin and Brandi contributing lyrics, and producer and co-songwriter Andrew Watt serving as producer, facilitator and creative director. They walked into Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles in October 2023 with a completely blank page and challenged each other to step outside their comfort zones to write and record an album from scratch in just 20 days. They were accompanied by a world-renowned band of musicians, consisting of Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Pino Palladino (Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan and David Gilmour) and Josh Klinghoffer (Pearl Jam, Beck).
Watch a short film about the creation process of Who Believes In Angels? here. This is the first time Elton has allowed cameras to film his writing and recording sessions. Static cameras positioned throughout the studio captured thousands of hours of raw footage, documenting the entire creative process—from moments of frustration to breakthroughs, tears, torn lyric sheets, and more. The genuine footage offers fans an unprecedented and deeply honest look into the emotionally turbulent creative process of Elton, Brandi and the rest of the team.
The results of this creative friction are stunning, and the kaleidoscopic scope of Who Believes In Angels? leads to comparisons to some of Elton’s best work. Ballads coexist with raw rock, pop songs and Americana with country tones mixed with synthesizer-laden psychedelia. It’s an album as unexpected as it is triumphant. Elton John sounds completely revitalized. Brandi sounds like a singer-songwriter at the peak of her career, her voice blending with Elton’s like a glove. The resulting songs are undoubtedly the work of Elton John and Brandi Carlile, but they sound like nothing either of them has done before.
Who Believes In Angels? was announced with great enthusiasm around the world in February, with the self-titled single Who Believes In Angels? receiving widespread acclaim. The album also includes the 2025 Oscar-nominated song “Never Too Late,” created especially for the Disney+ documentary of the same name and revealed last year to critical acclaim. A beautiful, thoughtful, and ultimately inspiring story about finding happiness and redemption in love and family, “Never Too Late” is a truly fitting finale to the documentary, playing over the closing credits. The documentary follows Elton as he looks back on his life and the early days of his 50-year career on an emotional, intimate and inspiring journey. Directed by R.J. Cutler and David Furnish, the documentary is available to view on Disney+.
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