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Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s Who Believes in Angels? is a ten-song collaborative album, not a one-off guest pairing. Its appeal lies in the exchange: the singers take turns leading, meet in harmonies, and bring distinct musical instincts to songs shaped with producer Andrew Watt and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The result feels warm and personal without making the two artists sound interchangeable.
What makes the collaboration work?
Released April 4, 2025, on EMI, Who Believes in Angels? was conceived as a full album shared by both artists. Carlile called it “not a side-project,” but “Elton’s next album” and her own next album, too. That intent comes through in the way the record gives both singers room rather than treating one as a guest in the other’s musical world.
John brings piano-centered rock writing and a knack for broad, memorable hooks. Carlile’s strong, expressive voice and Americana-rooted sensibility are often prominent. Their harmonies provide the connective tissue. Apple Music describes the record as a duet album with both voices harmonizing through the songs; the Associated Press, in its April 1, 2025 review, hears the pair taking turns at the reins and notes that Carlile’s voice can emerge loudest. Those are listening impressions, not measured shares of vocal time.
Does it feel balanced—or more like a Brandi Carlile album?
The opening track, “The Rose Of Laura Nyro,” may initially suggest a Carlile-led record, with John adding call-and-response harmonies. That is the Associated Press reviewer’s first impression, not a settled verdict on the album. The next song, “Little Richard’s Bible,” puts John in the lead and quickly changes the picture. Across the sequence, the singers alternate focus, while their shared passages make the collaboration feel like a conversation rather than a split set of solo showcases.
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- LIMITED EDITION: Exclusive coke bottle green colored vinyl LP featuring collaborative performances
- COLLECTIBLE FORMAT: High-quality vinyl pressing presented in a vibrant, colorful album artwork sleeve
- SPECIAL COLLABORATION: Unique musical partnership bringing together distinctive artistic styles
- VISUAL DESIGN: Eye-catching carnival-themed cover art with dynamic stage performance imagery
- VINYL SPECIFICATIONS: Standard 12-inch LP format pressed on premium coke bottle green vinyl material
The title track is the clearest emotional center. In the official song notes, Carlile says its lyrics describe her relationship with John and her wish to show who they really are. John calls her his angel and says they fit together well. Their affection gives the song’s sentiment a specific personal foundation; the album’s warmth comes from that closeness as much as from its big, open-hearted sound.
How the ten songs shape the album
Apple Music lists the album at ten songs and 44 minutes, and describes its sequence as arranged like an old-fashioned vinyl record, with a distinct closing track for each five-song side. The official standard CD listing gives the track order:
Rank #2
![Who Believes in Angels?[Tri-Color LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Y7buzjn7L._SL160_.jpg)
- Written and recorded over 20 days, `Who Believes In Angels?' is a collaborative studio album between Elton John and Brandi Carlile
- “The Rose Of Laura Nyro”
- “Little Richard’s Bible”
- “Swing For The Fences”
- “Never Too Late”
- “You Without Me”
- “Who Believes In Angels?”
- “The River Man”
- “A Little Light”
- “Someone To Belong To”
- “When This Old World Is Done With Me”
“You Without Me” is a hushed Carlile ballad about anticipating her children leaving home, according to Apple Music’s editorial description. At the other end of the record, “When This Old World Is Done With Me” is a sweeping John piano ballad that considers mortality and his life. The contrast gives the closing stretch a reflective weight, while “Little Richard’s Bible” and the title song offer striking evidence of the pair’s ability to trade the spotlight.
Two other songs have personal origins described by Carlile in the official notes. She says “A Little Light” grew from a conversation with John on the day Israel invaded Gaza: he was troubled by making a record amid events in the world, and she wrote about helping one another through music. Carlile also says she wrote “Someone To Belong To” as a love song from John to his husband, David Furnish. These accounts add context to the songs without turning them into claims about how listeners must respond.
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![John, Elton & Brandi Carlile - Who Believes In Angels? (Live at the London Palladium) [LP] - Vinyl LP - RSD 2025](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61CR15HSXFL._SL160_.jpg)
- John, Elton & Brandi Carlile - Who Believes In Angels? (Live at the London Palladium) [LP] - Vinyl LP - RSD 2025
How the album was made
John, Carlile, Watt, and Taupin wrote the ten songs. Watt produced the album and, as the official announcement describes him, acted as a mediator and creative conduit. The official store says the album was written and recorded over 20 days; the official song-by-song account places the sessions at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles from mid-October to early November 2023. That concentrated studio period helps explain the record’s sense of shared momentum, though the result is not simply a spontaneous jam: the songs have distinct arrangements and clearly assigned leads.
The official CD listing names Chad Smith, Pino Palladino, and Josh Klinghoffer among the backing musicians. The album’s sound is therefore a collaboration beyond its two billed stars, even as John and Carlile remain its defining voices.
Rank #4
![WHO BELIEVES IN ANGELS? (INDIE EXCLUSIVE PINK SPIRAL VINYL) (輸入盤） [Analog]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513U7wPBlUL._SL160_.jpg)
- Written and recorded over 20 days, ‘Who Believes In Angels?’ is a collaborative studio album between Elton John and Brandi Carlile. It mixes Elton-led songs and Brandi-led songs, with long-term collaborator Bernie Taupin and Brandi both contributing lyrics, and producer and co-writer Andrew Watt acting as the producer, mediator and creative conduit. They are backed by a world-class band of musicians comprising of Chad Smith, Pino Palladino and Josh Klinghoffer. Available on pink swirl color vinyl. Limited Edition. Indie Exclusive. Tracklisting; SIDE A: 1. The Rose of Laura Nyro 2. Little Richard’s Bible 3. Swing for the Fences 4. Never Too Late 5. You Without Me SIDE B: 6. Who Believes in...
- Released: 04/04/2025...
- Availability: Pre-Order...
- Format: Vinyl...
- Format: Vinyl...
Reception and the physical CD
In an April 11, 2025 announcement, John’s official website reported that the album had become the pair’s first collaborative Number 1 album, John’s tenth UK chart-topper, and Carlile’s first UK Number 1. That is a dated UK chart milestone, not a statement about its present chart position or a measure of universal critical opinion. The Associated Press review and Apple Music’s editorial description offer distinct perspectives rather than a consensus among all listeners.
The official store lists a standard CD released April 4, 2025. It comes with a red, blue, and yellow tri-colour disc and a 24-page booklet containing liner notes from John, Carlile, Watt, and Taupin, along with lyrics and studio-session photographs. If looking for the physical edition through Amazon, search for “Elton John Brandi Carlile Who Believes In Angels? CD”; Amazon stock and current pricing are not established here.
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