Ahead of Sir Elton John’s 33rd studio record, the legendary piano rocker gives us the whimsical, abstract music video for Looking Up. Beginning with an upbeat piano riff alongside splotches of bright colors, the video — which shows illustrated visuals of stars, flowers, other shapes, and the performer himself — is a lighthearted accompaniment to the optimistic single.
The Tiny Dancer and Rocket Man singer announced last month that the new record, called Wonderful Crazy Night, will be released on February 5, 2016. Similar to 2013’s The Diving Board, the record is co-produced by John and the legendary T Bone Burnett. John’s longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin has again written the lyrics for the album. It’s also the first record for two longtime members of Elton John’s band — drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone — since 2006’s The Captain and the Kid.
Over the summer, Burnett briefly commented on the record to Billboard: “We just finished a new Elton record that’s beautiful. It’s a very upbeat rock’n’roll record. That last album was a particular group of very personal material; this is broadcasting. That one was a parlor record; this is a festival.”
Before his last record was released, he explained to The Telegraph that appendicitis surgery made him reconsider doing so much touring. “When I had the operation, I said: ‘This has got to stop, this is crazy, why am I doing this?’ I’m a great believer in signs coming to you in life to tell you something. This appendix thing, it’s so lucky I didn’t die. So I’m treating is as a sign in great big letters saying ‘for f—’s sake, get a grip!”
Yet in addition to the upcoming record, John is continuing his performing residency at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. The gay rights activist also married his partner David Furnish last year after the UK passed legislation to allow gay marriage.
Wonderful Crazy Night will be ten songs long and a deluxe edition will feature two bonus tracks.
