In recent weeks, Elton John has been sending personalised letters to loyal fans, some of which hint that the musician is working on new material. The letters, which John has been sending to a handful of his biggest and most dedicated fans, hint at new music in the near future, possibly a new collaborative album. One collaborator is Brandi Carlile, who John revealed in one of the letters when he explained the singer had been working with him after requesting to play the piano on one of his songs. John also wrote that he “fell in love with her” the moment they met and that they “connected straight away.” He said: “It was connection, a true connection, emotionally, musically and it’s been one of the greatest friendships of my life.” Following John’s final tour in 2023, the “connection” allowed him to feel freshly inspired with “a blank notepad and a world-class band of legendary session musicians”. Working with Carlile, alongside longtime musical partner Bernie Taupin, they created 14 tracks in just under three weeks, ten of which will form his next “truly collaborative album” inspired by their “musical heroes” and “journey together”. Working with Carlile and the other collaborators also meant John could challenge himself and create some of his best work yet. However, he also notes it was “one of the most difficult creative processes” he has ever experienced, but that he “knew it would be special”. John teased new music in December last year on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, not long after sharing his new duet with Carlile, ‘Never Too Late’, from the documentary of the same name. During the show, John reflected on being proud of his farewell tour and addressed the potential of new music, telling Colbert that “The juices have never dried up”. He added: “They never want to dry up because I’m always looking to create things. It’s just having the space now to do it at my own time. Of course there will be new Elton John music.” Although the musician experienced a significant setback after getting a serious eye infection, he seems more passionate than ever about continuing to work on new music. However, the development has not been without its challenges, particularly after the infection left John unable to see out of his right eye. In a previous conversation with Good Morning America, John mentioned that he hasn’t been able to make a full recovery in months, stating, “I, unfortunately, lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the south of France. And it’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see. And my left eye’s not the greatest.”