In September, Elton John shared that he lost vision in one of his eyes. He now tells Good Morning America that his condition has affected his efforts to release a new album.
Elton announced a new album at the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction and later said it would be released in 2024 during a year-end message to his fans.
When Robin Roberts asked for an update on the album, Elton replied, “I don’t know. It’s been awhile since I’ve done anything and I just have to get off my backside,” explaining that the problems with his eye caused the delay.
“I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the south of France,” he said. “And it’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see. And my left eye’s not the greatest.”
Elton said, “there’s hope and encouragement that it will be OK,” but he hasn’t really been able to work on music. “I’m kinda stuck in the moment … going into the studio and recording, I don’t know, because I can’t see a lyric, for start.”
“We’re taking an initiative to try and make it better, but at the moment that’s what we’re really concentrating on,” he said. “And it kinda floored me, and I can’t see anything, I can’t read anything, I can’t watch anything.”
Despite all the challenges he’s been through, Elton, whose new documentary Never Too Late will debut on Dec. 13 on Disney+, still seems to stay positive.
“I’m so lucky, I’m the luckiest man in the world,” he said. “I’m proud of my attitude towards myself and what’s going on. I’m just very lucky and very grateful.”
