Superstar Sir Elton John broke down in tears and threw a series of diva strops as he invited cameras into the recording studio for the first time in his career. In incredible footage, the music legend slams down his headphones, shouting “f****** nightmare”, before later ripping up a sheet of music in a huff, saying: “I’m going home.” The star set up several static cameras while recording surprise new album Who Believes In Angels? with Brandi Carlile. Insiders say its one of the best albums of his career.

The star captured thousands of hours of “emotionally turbulent” raw footage at Los Angeles’ Sunset Sound Studios which saw him also clash with his producer and songwriter Andrew Watt. Speaking in a voiceover, Elton explains there was “tension in the studio” during the sessions in in October 2023. He adds: “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.".

At one point, Watt says to him “Are you ready to record?” to which Elton snaps back: “Why do you think I am sitting here.” Watt later shouts at him: “I am just trying to make the song as best as it can be...you are so impatient.”. Brandi also got it in the neck. She explained: “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.”.

But Elton, who has had hip and knee replacement surgery in recent years, said the “fog started to lift” and his team - which also included long term collaborator Bernie Taupin - finally began to gel. He says: “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.”.

The result was an album which insiders are saying could be one of the best of his career. It was completed in just 20 days. He added: “It came at the end of the most amazing year: the Dodgers stadium in America, Glastonbury. I’m 76 and I want to do something different. I don’t want to coast. For me it’s immaculate, this came out the way I wanted it to come out”. His team have also announced ‘An Evening With Elton John & Brandi Carlile’ at The London Palladium on March 26.

Announcing the new album yesterday, his camp said the footage “ultimately documented the entire creative process - breakdowns, breakthroughs, tears, torn up lyric sheets and all.” They added: “The candid footage offers fans an unprecedented, searingly honest insight into the emotionally turbulent creative process for Elton, Brandi and the rest of the team.”. Elton, who was the subject of documentary Tantrums and Tiaras in 1997 and is married to David Furnish, says the album marks the beginning of the second part of his career.

He said: “This record was one of the toughest I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. It has given me a place where I know I can move forward. Who Believes In Angels? feels like going into another era and I’m pushing the door open to come into the future. 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.” The first single, also called Who Believes In Angels? has also been released.