Billy Joel is offering fans a nostalgic journey.
On Feb. 16, the music video for the Grammy Award winner's latest single, “Turn The Lights Back On,” debuted, utilizing AI technology to depict the evolution of the “Piano Man” singer through the years.
Seated at the piano, Joel first channels the ‘70s era, clad in a brown suit and tie, complete with his trademark bushy hair, while a cigarette smolders atop the instrument.
Next, the singer transforms into an ‘80s version of himself, donning a black leather jacket and a more refined appearance.
Finally, a '90s Joel emerges, donning his iconic sunglasses as he skillfully plays the piano.
After traversing through the decades, the contemporary Joel is depicted belting out the final verse of the tune before being joined by all three previous versions of himself. As the song concludes, archival clips of younger Joels are showcased in a video montage.
The 74-year-old Grammy winner unveiled “Turn The Lights Back On,” his first solo single in nearly two decades, on Feb. 1. The song's release was accompanied by a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl.
Joel collaborated on the song with Arthur Bacon, Wayne Hector, and Freddy Wexler, with Wexler also producing the track.
“Turn the Lights Back On” is characterized as “a classic Billy Joel-style tune,” capturing the essence of his distinctive sound while also signaling the beginning of a new chapter in his musical journey.
Joel's previous single, “All My Life,” was released in 2007, while his last full-length studio album of original material, the classical music compilation “Fantasies & Delusions,” debuted in 2001.
The “Uptown Girl” crooner hinted at the impending release of “Turn The Lights Back On” during a recent live performance, sharing a video of the moment on Dec. 20 via his official TikTok channel.
“I have good news. I have bad news. I’ll give you the bad news first: We don’t have anything new to play for you,” Joel quipped to the audience, eliciting laughter. “The good news is, you don’t have to sit through something you have no idea what it is. Although, we’ve got a little something we’re working on that you might hear sometime.”
@billyjoel Billy has some good news and bad news. Stay tuned for more! - Team Joel
♬ original sound - Billy Joel
In a 2021 interview with Howard Stern, Joel candidly discussed his decision to halt the creation of lyrical music.
“You have to have the desire to write songs. I love music so I never stopped writing music. It’s instrumental music. But I stopped writing lyrics because I got tired of that particular format,” Joel explained.
“To me, music is enough now, and I became more comfortable with abstract form,” said Joel, renowned for scoring 13 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including three No. 1 hits: “It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me,” “Tell Her About It” and “We Didn’t Start The Fire.”
“But if I had an idea for a song, I’m not going to stop myself. I just haven’t had the desire to do it,” he added.
Joel went on to describe moments of musical frustration, likening the piano to a “big black beast with 88 teeth that wants to bite my fingers off.”
He labeled attempting but failing to compose a song as “the most frustrating feeling in the world.”
“The worst thing about songwriting is the struggle,” said Joel, adding, “I love having written. I hate writing.”
While Joel's release of new music has been sparse in recent years, he continues to captivate audiences with his live performances.
In June 2023, the singer announced the conclusion of his record-breaking residency at New York's Madison Square Garden, scheduled for July 2024 after a decade-long run.