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Sting will release his latest studio set, titled The Bridge, on November 19th, according to The Los Angeles Times. Sting said the new songs were, “written in a year of global pandemic, personal loss, separation, disruption, lockdown and extraordinary social and political turmoil.”

He spoke about the new collection, explaining that it was recorded in relative isolation, recalling, “Wherever there was a studio, that’s where I was — New York, the Bahamas, everywhere. That’s how I kept myself sane, turning up at 10:30 every morning and working until dinnertime.”

When pressed as to whether he would’ve written and recorded a new album had Covid not happened, Sting said, “It was certainly time for me to make a record, but the circumstances were unique. It’s difficult to get people together in one place, so I did a lot of recording remotely via Zoom and via studio technology. But I think the theme of the record is building bridges between separations. I didn’t begin that way — I was just writing songs — but at some point in the process I went, ‘Oh, that’s what this is about.’”

Sting was asked if he found it gratifying to still be able to pop out uniquely commercial music on a whim: “Yes. I’m often drawn to music that’s problematic or complex; I like puzzles, and I like solving puzzles. But occasionally, you have to put that aside and just do something that’s easy. A major chord followed by a rounded minor — it’s the oldest trick in the book.”

Sting told us he aims to excite only himself with his music he makes: “I’ve always managed to do exactly what I want, and largely it’s coincided with popular tastes, which I like — rather than, say, ‘OK, what’s the formula here? So I just really make the record for myself and my friends and musicians. If it flies up the flagpole, great. If it doesn’t, we’ll have another go a couple of years later.”

Sting kicks off his eight show “My Songs” Las Vegas residency on October 29th.