Elton John Rages and Slams Headphones During 'Nightmare' 20-Day Recording Session as Producer Yells 'You're So Impatient!' at Iconic Singer
Feb. 5 2025, Published 6:20 p.m. ET
Elton John is known for his short fuse and the occasional temper tantrum, and that was made evident during the recording of his upcoming album Who Believes In Angels?.
The 77-year-old gave fans a rare behind-the-scenes look of the session which included country artist Brandi Carlile and producer Andrew Watt – and John losing his mind, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Cameras were installed at the Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles while John recorded his album – a process which he called a "f***ing nightmare."
At one point, a clearly frustrated John responds "Why do you think I am sitting here?" after the producer asked him if he was ready to begin recording.
However, later on in the clip it seems the frustration has trickled over to Watt as he is filmed telling the Rocket Man hitmaker: "I am just trying to make the song as best as it can be... you are so impatient!'"
John is also seen slamming his headphones on his piano, as his collaborator Carlile admits the struggle she had working with the Grammy award winner.
She says in the video: "Elton is prone to bouts of insecurity especially where the stakes are high. I am having a hard time connecting to Elton.
"There were times when I thought why does he want to do this."
After watching footage of himself going off, John responded: "The reality is... I was exhausted, I had a lot of doubt, I was a nightmare. I was angry, I was tired, I was irritable... I felt I don’t want to do it," and admitted he did not bail due to having so many people relying on him.
"I felt there were other people involved, I can’t abandon it… finally it all started to flow. I wanted to play better, sing better, write better and challenge myself at the age I am.'"
John's Who Believes In Angels? is set to be released on April 4.
"I have everything I’ve done behind me and it’s been brilliant, amazing. But this is the new start for me. As far as I’m concerned, this is the start of my career Mark 2," John said of the album.
This comes as the aging entertainer has already begun thinking of the end of his life amid numerous health scares and a battle with blindness.
"On my gravestone, all I want it to say is, 'He was a great dad,'" John previously said.
John shares two kids – sons Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11 – with husband David Furnish.
In the Disney+ documentary, Elton John: Never Too Late – John discussed the major milestones he'll likely miss in his young kids lives.
He said: "They think about my mortality. They worry about my mortality. Not so much David, but me... (My sons) love their daddy, so they want me to be around forever, (and) I would love to be around forever."
John also acknowledged he may not be around to see his sons get families of their own.
The performer said: "I want to see them have children and get married. I don't think I'm going to be around for that. Who knows? You never know. So that's why I want to use the best time – the best of my time – while I'm around."
"Time together is so wonderful and so precious," he added.