U2’s Bono Joins INXS for New Ballad?

Is that U2's Bono sitting in on vocals with INXS on 'Tiny Summer,' a new ballad from the Australian band that was recently posted on their website. After all, Bono was a close friend of Michael Hutchence, appearing on the late INXS singer's solo album before his untimely death in 1997.

It does indeed sound a bit like the U2 singer, and INXS guitarist Andrew Farriss certainly (and purposefully?) confused the matter when he commented on the band's website, "Recently at a party I met a fellow songwriter ... an Irish bloke, and we sat around playing songs on acoustic guitars. Despite his funny accent, we then spent a few days songwriting and singing together ... song magic was in the room again.”

Many fans -- and even a radio station in Sydney -- made the forgivable leap in assuming that it was indeed Bono, but turns out it's not. The long-running U2 fansite ATU2.com reports, "We've contacted U2's PR team for information ... We are told by U2's camp that it definitely is not Bono on this track."

Regardless of who it is singing -- and we're not quite sure who it is -- it is indeed a stunningly beautiful ballad worthy of a listen from U2 and INXS fans alike. Check it out, it's streaming online here.