Gary Barlow has enlisted the expertise of his hero Sir Elton John for his first solo album in 14 years.
The 'X Factor' judge has reportedly recorded one of his songs with Elton in New York for his new album, which is released on 25 November.
Elton John and Gary Barlow
An industry insider told The Mirror: “Gary and Elton had a really good time recording the track together. Their voices really complement each other.
“Now Gary and his label team are busy fine-tuning details on the album between now and the beginning of October, before his 'X Factor' judging duties really kick in with the live shows."
Gary will take on his Take That pal Robbie Williams in the charts when his album comes out.
Gary's November release date means he will be in direct competition with Robbie, whose new album 'Swings Both Ways' is due out on 18 November.
Gary Barlow
Gary announced on his album news Twitter: "After 14 long years, I'm proud to announce my new solo album out on November 25th. I'm excited for you to hear it."
Gary has reportedly been calculating the best time to release his album for a while and has chosen to do it while he's on TV every week on 'The X Factor'.
A source told The Sun: “The music is not just the ballads people might expect. He’s a shoo-in for an 'X Factor' performance to boost sales when the first single from the album is released.”
The title and tracklisting of his third solo release are still to be confirmed. His last release away from Take That, 'Sing', featured just a handful of songs and was credited to Gary and The Commonwealth Band.
It featured an array of musicians - including the Military Wives - who had worked on songs for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
His last solo album proper - 'Twelve Months, Eleven Days' - came out in 1999, after his debut 'Open Road' topped the album charts in May 1997.
Last year the 42-year-old toured in his own right in a number of theatres as well as headlining an evening at the Royal Albert Hall in support of the Prince's Trust.
