Sam Fender has spoken to Elton John about their collaboration ‘Talk To You’ and his plans for a new album.
The singer-songwriter announced the new single earlier this week and it will be released tomorrow (October 17). John plays piano on the track and it is set to be included on the deluxe edition of ‘People Watching’, Fender’s third studio album, which is out on December 5.
Ahead of the song being shared with the world, Fender appeared on Elton John’s Rocket Hour on Apple Music 1 to discuss working together on it.
He said he wished ‘Talk To You’ had ended up on the standard edition of ‘People Watching’, but he was unable to fit it on as he had “basically a whole other album’s worth of stuff” by the time he had finished the writing and recording period.
“So when we started this one, I don’t know what it was, it was like I had this one piano, I had that piano part, which is the main riff,” Fender said. “And, obviously, we were at Chiswick at the time. And I was like, ‘Oh, I would love to get somebody better at piano than me.’ I was like, I wonder who I know. Who can I call?”
John replied: “It was so much fun to come and play on one of your songs, because we’ve been friends for a long, long time.”
The conversation also saw Fender discuss his future plans, revealing that he has already started thinking about the follow-up to ‘People Watching’. “I’m going to make another album, I think,” he said. “I’ve got a load of other songs, so I want to make another record.”
“All right. Do it,” John replied. “There’s nothing wrong with going straight in and doing another record. That’s what we used to do all the time. When one record was finished, the other one was coming out. That’s the way to do it. If you’ve got a lot of songs, just get them down.”
“Yeah, yeah. They just end up sitting on a computer and then you’ll never release them,” Fender added. “Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I’m going to get straight back and then get it done.”
NME gave ‘People Watching’ a four-star review upon its release in February, writing, “Reflective, analytical and vulnerable, ‘People Watching’ does exactly what the title may suggest: takes stock of the characters, friends and loved ones who have made Fender the person he is today. He approaches each track with sensitivity as he looks back on his life so far – perhaps even with an inkling of guilt – and contemplates who he may be next.”
‘People Watching’, which earned the biggest opening week in the UK for a British act since Harry Styles with ‘Harry House’ in 2021, is up for this year’s Mercury Prize. Fender will find out if the album wins later today (October 16).
He’ll be performing at the ceremony, which is taking place in his hometown of Newcastle. He’s up against artists including CMAT, Fontaines D.C., Pa Salieu, PinkPantheress, Pulp and Wolf Alice.
Next month, Fender is heading to Australia to continue his ‘People Watching’ tour.
