Elton John Announces 'The Lockdown Session' s Featuring Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X and More

"Never in a million years did I think this was going to be a year where I put an album out," said Elton John in an Instagram video

Photo: Gregg Kemp

The Rocket Man is back — and switching it up with his music!

On Wednesday, Elton John, 74, announced in an Instagram video that he is releasing his newest album, The Lockdown Sessions on Oct. 22. The "Rocket Man" singer said in the video that the making of the album was a "really fantastic journey."

"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," John wrote on Instagram. "I've ended with a selection of 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."

The album will include 16 tracks — of those tracks, 10 unreleased — and will feature collaborations with big artists.

Names include Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Young Thug, Charlie Puth, Lil Nas X, Stevie Wonder and Stevie Nicks.

"I'm thrilled with every single track and I love and thank every single artist that I worked with because I had so much fun," said John in the Instagram video. "And to have fun during lockdown is a privilege."

The Lockdown Sessions, the Grammy-winner says, is a collection of songs he recorded during lockdown — hence the name.

"Some of the recording sessions had to be done remotely, via Zoom, which I'd obviously never done before. Some of the sessions were recorded under very stringent safety regulations: working with another artist, but separated by glass screens," John said in a press release.

However, the sessions made him realize he had come "full circle."

"I realized 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," he wrote on Instagram.

The Lockdown Sessions Cover Art. Universal Music Group

Following his announcement, several artists expressed their gratitude and excitement for the upcoming album.

"Dream come true....one of the top 3 things I've ever done! Thank you @eltonjohn! Available October 22nd. Link to pre-order in bio," wrote Nicks alongside a photo of the album cover on Instagram.

"Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)," featuring Lipa, will be the first track on the album. The single — which was released in August — was the first we saw of John working with artists virtually to create music.

At the time, the "Your Song" singer said it was "incredible" to work with the Future Nostalgia singer.

"She's given me so much energy. She's a truly wonderful artist, and person, absolutely bursting with creativity and ideas," said John. "The energy she brought to 'Cold Heart' just blew my mind."

The singer is also currently preparing for his Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road: The Final Tour ahead of his retirement.

"I'm going to go out in the biggest possible way, performing at my very best, with the most spectacular production I've ever had, playing in places that have meant so much to me throughout my career," he announced on YouTube in June.

The tour will kick off on Sept. 28 in Copenhagen, Denmark.