Yard Act singer James Smith has spoken about the “amazing” experience of collaborating with Elton John for their new version of ‘100% Endurance’.The pop legend, who is a fan of the Leeds-based band, contributed piano to the new studio recording. ‘100% Endurance’ is the latest single released from Yard Act’s debut album ‘The Overload’, which was released in January.Speaking to Matt Wilkinson on Apple Music 1 today (July 6), as part of his UK City Spotlight on Leeds, Smith said: “We had a lovely afternoon together at Metropolis Studios in London.
It was beautiful. We wanted to shine a light on ‘100% Endurance’ a bit more, now the album had been out a bit and we felt we’d established the one side of Yard Act.“It felt like there’s ways we could accentuate and highlight the melody and the emotion of that track without over egging it, while still sling in a string section and loads of lush Elton John piano all over it.
And then, obviously, because he’d been so kind about us and he’d been calling me a little bit, we thought why not ask him?”Smith said that John’s response to the collaboration offer was “abso-fucking-lutely”, adding: “I think he’d been for a Chairman of the Board meeting at Watford or something [prior to the recording], and then he came to us.
It was bananas.“It was wicked. I don’t think there’s anything more Yard Act than you directly addressing Elton John within a song he’s playing piano on.
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