The musical collaboration between Elton John and Brandi Carlile released their album Who Believes in Angels? on April 4, while sharing a revealing film that showed the difficult yet powerful journey of creating this record. The film debuted at the 92nd Street Y in New York, featuring Elton John (78) and Brandi Carlile (43) together with Andrew Watt and the lyricist Bernie Taupin. Elton John took part in the celebration of the album release while sharing his emotional state throughout the production process.
Elton John’s Crisis of Confidence
The panel became a moment to witness Elton John confess an unexpected revelation.
“I was not in good shape while making this record.” He described being exhausted, overwhelmed, and plagued by self-doubt—an unexpected revelation from a performer of his caliber. “I had so much doubt about my ability to come through… That led to a lot of aggression and bad behavior,” he admitted, reflecting on the personal storm he weathered behind the scenes.
Carlile’s Guiding Hand
Despite Elton John’s internal struggle, Carlile’s grounded presence became a guiding light. Her storytelling approach and creative patience ultimately helped steer the album’s direction.
“I’ve never done anything like this before,” Elton shared. One breakthrough moment came when he crafted a song inspired by Laura Nyro, a personal musical hero. “It just fell into place,” he said.
Through his lyrical talent, Carlile examined life after death and the power of heritage while focusing on spiritual experience in the album that he crafted. Every line of the music plays like a solemn collection about artistic departures and acquired life knowledge.
A Raw and Uncensored Studio Dynamic
The short film contains a famous scene where Elton John uses profanity to tell Brandi to leave him alone during a contentious creative discussion. Carlile responded to the audience by laughing at the remark before continuing.
“That’s just Elton being Elton. He hasn’t censored himself, and that’s why the music flows through him. It’s wild, but it’s real.”
The intense unforgettable experience derived its inspiration from chaotic recording sessions that produced some of the album’s best musical moments according to Delaney. Who Believes in Angels? represents more than music because it brings listeners through a transformation of self-doubt and artistic authenticity. Traditional Elton John style marks this album thus it remains messy yet magical and undeniably unfiltered.
