Sir Elton John has claimed he was ‘letting himself down’ while recording his new album as he struggled with his health. 

The iconic singer, 78, contracted a severe eye infection in July which left him blind in his right eye, with ‘limited vision’ in his left.

Despite his health woes, Sir Elton got back in the recording room to create his collaborative album Who Believes In Angels? with Brandi Carlile – which dropped earlier on Friday.

But speaking to ITV on Monday, Sir Elton made a candid confession about how he found the writing process this time around.    

‘I had a lot of fear going into it, a lot of doubt, I wasn’t feeling very well. In the end the anxiety pushed the energy forward,’ he said.

‘That’s what I get out of this record, even though there’s a couple of beautiful slow songs, the energy is off the charts.

Sir Elton John has claimed to ITV that he was ‘letting himself down’ while recording his new album as he struggled with his health (Seen in 2013)

The iconic singer, 78, contracted a severe eye infection in July which left him blind in his right eye, with ‘limited vision’ in his left (Seen in September)

‘I had three other people to think of and I don’t walk away and let people down. I was letting myself down, that was what I was irritable about. 

‘I wasn’t clicking and with these three people I needed to click.’

On choosing to return to music, Sir Elton said Brandi was the only person who could have got him back in the recording booth.

He said: ‘It was a challenge. To do a new album I needed a challenge. I needed to move forward. I’ve always wanted to record with Brandy and I knew she’d want to do it with me. 

‘There’s no one else I’d do an album with. This is it. This is the only person I wanted to record with.’

Speaking about his health to the The Sunday Times, he said: ‘I can see you, but I can’t see TV, I can’t read. I can’t see my boys playing rugby and soccer, and it has been a very stressful time because I’m used to soaking it all up.

‘It’s distressing. You get emotional, but you have to get used to it because I’m lucky to have the life I have.’

He added: ‘I still have my wonderful family, and I can still see something out of here [left eye] So you say to yourself, just get on with it.’ 

Despite his health woes, Sir Elton got back in the recording room to create his collaborative album Who Believes In Angels? with Brandi Carlile – which dropped earlier on Friday (Seen together last month)

Sir Elton lives with his husband David Furnish, 62, and their sons, Zachary, 14, and Elijah, 12, who he joked in the interview have now swapped Eego and Star Wars toys for an ‘all-consuming love of rap’.

Despite being unable to experience some of his most glitzy events over the last few months, including the gala performance of the musical The Devil Wears Prada, the star has remained positive. 

In an interview with The Guardian in February, Sir Elton confessed that he now has a newfound respect for sight-impaired people and understands how lucky he is.

He told the publication: ‘I’m an optimist permanently, I’ve got bad eyesight at the moment.

‘There have been days I’ve been miserable, but then I think about how lucky I am, I’ve got a new respect for sight-impaired people, but I’ve got a great life and hopefully my sight will improve.

‘I’ve beaten addiction, health issues and can pick myself up, dust myself off.’

He took to his Instagram with a lengthy post, explaining how he spent the past few months ‘recuperating at home.’

He took to his Instagram with a lengthy post, explaining how he spent the past few months ‘recuperating at home’

Sir Elton wrote: ‘Over the summer, I’ve been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye.

‘I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.

‘I am so grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family, who have taken such good care of me over the last several weeks.’

Sir Elton concluded: ‘I have been quietly spending the summer recuperating at home, and am feeling positive about the progress I have made in my healing and recovery thus far.’