Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s release new “anthem for young gay kids”, ‘Swing For The Fences’

Elton John and Brandi Carlile have released a new single from their forthcoming album, an LGBTQ+ anthem titled ‘Swing For The Fences’. Released on March 5, this track is the latest preview of their upcoming collaborative album ‘Who Believes In Angels?’, which was announced last month with the title track as its lead single, according to ‘NME’.

The pair provide another glimpse into the album with the vibrant and self-affirming song ‘Swing For The Fences’. This track retains the rock n’ roll charm that initially brought Carlile and Sir Elton acclaim while delivering an empowering message for the LGBTQ+ community.

Carlile explained, “Swing For The Fences’ was a little gem I took into the studio with me: I’m a gay woman, Elton’s a gay man and we both have families, and our dreams have come true. I was thinking, wouldn’t it be cool to write an anthem for young gay kids out there that calls them into a bigger, more elegant, more fabulous life. Just like ‘go, go! Don’t let anything hold you back!’”

Sir Elton added, “When we recorded ‘Swing For The Fences’, it was the moment that crystallised where the album was going. It was hard to get to that point, but we knew we had to rise to the occasion and we all just felt this massive sense of joy and euphoria. After our initial difficulties, all the uncertainties started to dissipate when this song came together. It just sounded great.”

Check out the review here.

Set for release on April 4 via Island EMI, ‘Who Believes In Angels?’ features collaborations with Andrew Watt and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin.

The album serves as a follow-up to Elton’s 2021 release, ‘The Lockdown Sessions’, and also includes the 2025 Oscar-nominated track ‘Never Too Late’, crafted specifically for the Disney+ documentary of the same name. Pre-orders are available now.

The album features backing from renowned musicians such as Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pino Palladino (of Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan, and David Gilmour), and Josh Klinghoffer (Pearl Jam, Beck).

The writing and recording occurred over a three-week period in October 2023, during which Sir Elton permitted cameras to document the creative process for the first time, resulting in a new ‘Making Of’ film. A trailer for the film is available for viewing here.

To commemorate the release of the album, Carlile and Sir Elton have announced a one-time special performance at The London Palladium on March 26. Tickets will be exclusively available to those who pre-order the album.

In other news, it was reported last month that during the album’s creation, the ‘Rocketman’ star had a moment of frustration, smashing his iPad and telling Carlile to “fuck off”. He has since expressed admiration for Kneecap, describing them as “extraordinary”.