Sir Elton John, 77, has commented on circulating footage of him breaking down in tears and smashing items during a sweary rant.
It came as the iconic musician allowed cameras into the recording studio for the first time in his career as he created Who Believes In Angels? with singer Brandi Carlile.
One candid moment saw John furiously labelling the situation a “f***ing nightmare” before he stormed off.
The footage emerged on Thursday and has been widely reported on, with many airing concerns for the I’m Still Standing hit-maker.
In a new interview, the singer whose acclaimed career spans decades, broke his silence on the surprising footage and acknowledged he hadn’t been in the best place.
“I was not in a good space when I went in, I was tired, I was grumpy and I was nervous,” he admitted.
Elton John can be seen fuming and breaking headphones in the clip
“Nervous, yeah – very nervous,” Carlile agreed in the interview on Magic FM’s Mellow Magic show with Nicki Chapman.
“Why were you nervous?” Chapman probed, adding: “Because that’s so lovely to hear – this honesty coming through.
“Because a lot of people do stuff and they think, ‘You are such a superstar, with such a reputation, decades of hits, decades of success.’
“For you to say you’re nervous… Can you sum up why?” she asked. In an honest response, John explained a number of things had left him in a bad space.
Elton John became emotional during the recording
“All the problems I had with the album to start with was self-doubt,” he confessed.
“My self-doubt – and once I got over that… And Brandi was so helpful, she would come round to where we are now in this house and one morning I was sitting here with a newspaper sort of saying, ‘it’s so awful, the world’s in such a bad place.’
“I was so miserable and she took that, and she wrote A Little Light.
“So she took my bad, grumpy, irritable feelings about what the world was like and she turned it into a really positive, wonderful song.”
The candid footage saw producer Andrew Watt on the receiving end John’s frustration during several tense exchanges.
When Watt asked if the star was ready to record, John snapped back: “Why do you think I am sitting here?”
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Elton John admitted he had been “tired” and “grumpy”
PA
The producer later confronted the singer’s impatience, shouting: “I am just trying to make the song as best as it can be…you are so impatient.”
One moment saw the Can You Feel the Love Tonight hit-maker is seen ripping up a sheet of music, stating: “I’m going home.”
John’s emotions get the better of him in a later moment when he breaks down in tears and is comforted by Carlile.