Elton John‘s upcoming album The Lockdown Sessions features the song “Finish Line,” a collaboration with the equally legendary Stevie Wonder that was released today as an advance track. In a preview clip from the upcoming episode of his Apple Music show Elton John’s Rocket Hour, Elton calls the tune “one of the greatest records I’ve ever made.”
Elton talks about putting the track together songwriter and producer Andrew Watt, noting, “Stevie came along and played piano, I played electric piano, and then he did harmonica on it, and then we were trying to get another vocalist on it.”
Elton recalls, “[Stevie] wouldn’t do it because I think he thought he’d done enough.” But Watt then added a gospel choir on the song — the same choir Kanye West has been using — and Elton says, “I think when Stevie heard that, he decided to do the vocal.”
“I think for me, it’s one of the greatest records I’ve ever made, because it’s Stevie Wonder!” Elton raves, praising Watt for making “Stevie sound like a 17-year-old again.”
“I’m so proud of this record because I love [Stevie] so much,” Elton rhapsodizes. “He’s always been so kind to me and so sweet to me, you know, the talent is beyond ridiculous. And it was just lovely to spend time with him and just see this wonderful human being smiling and happy and playing on a record of mine.”
You can hear the whole episode of Elton John’s Rocket Hour on Apple Music 1 on Saturday at noon ET.
Elton’s The Lockdown Sessions is coming out October 22.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.