Ellie Goulding
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Elena Jane Goulding ( ; born 30 December 1986) is an English singer and songwriter. Her career began when she met record producers
Starsmith Finlay Dow-Smith (born 8 July 1988), known professionally as Starsmith, is a British songwriter and producer. He co-wrote and produced "Good Thing" by Zedd and Kehlani, and "I'll Be There" by Jess Glynne which went to number one in the UK an ...
and Frankmusik, and she was later spotted by Jamie Lillywhite, who became her manager and A&R. After signing to
Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
in July 2009, Goulding released her debut
extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
, '' An Introduction to Ellie Goulding'', later that year. In 2010, she became the second artist to top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll and win the Critics' Choice Award at the
Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
in the same year. She released her debut studio album, '' Lights'', in 2010; it debuted at on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
and has sold over 850,000 copies in the UK. In November 2010, the album was reissued as ''Bright Lights'', spawning two singles: a cover of
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
's "
Your Song "Your Song" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was John's first international Top 10 chart single. "Your Song" was first released by American rock band Three Dog Night in M ...
", which reached on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
; and " Lights", which peaked at on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Goulding's highest-charting single to date. Goulding's second studio album, ''
Halcyon Halcyon is a name originally derived from Alcyone of Greek mythology. Halcyon or Halcyone may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''Halcyon'' (TV series), a Virtual Reality murder mystery on SyFy * '' The Halcyon'', British period ...
'' was released in 2012 and preceded by its lead single " Anything Could Happen". The album debuted at on the UK Albums Chart, and topped the chart after 65 weeks. ''Halcyon'' debuted at on the US ''Billboard'' 200. '' Halcyon Days'', a repackaged edition of ''Halcyon'', was released in 2013 and produced the single "
Burn A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ultraviolet radiation (like sunburn). Most burns are due to heat from hot liquids (called scalding), solids, or fire. Burns occur ma ...
", which became her first single in the UK. At the 2014 Brit Awards, she received the award for British Female Solo Artist. Goulding released her third studio album, ''Delirium'', in 2015, with " On My Mind" as the album's lead single. That year, she received her first
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance for her single " Love Me like You Do". Her fourth studio album, ''
Brightest Blue ''Brightest Blue'' is the fourth studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding. It was released on 17 July 2020 through Polydor Records. Originally scheduled for 5 June 2020, the album's release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pan ...
'' (2020), became her third album to top the UK Albums Chart, and her fourth consecutive
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
–certified album.


Early life

Elena Jane Goulding was born on 30 December 1986 in
Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester, England, Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. ...
,
Herefordshire Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouths ...
, England to Arthur and Tracey Goulding, and was brought up in the small village of
Lyonshall Lyonshall is a historic village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. The civil parish includes the hamlet of Penrhos. According to the 2001 Census, the civil parish had a population of 750, increasing to 757 at the 2011 Census. Geo ...
, in Herefordshire. She has a brother, Alex, and two sisters, Isabel and Jordan. When she was five years old, her parents separated. Afterwards, she had little contact with her father, a funeral director. Goulding and her siblings were raised by their mother on a
council estate Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council estates, council housing, or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011 when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in so ...
, with Goulding describing the family as "super poor". She stated that she has a "difficult" relationship with her mother. Goulding began playing the
clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...
at age nine and learning guitar at age 14. She attended Lady Hawkins' High School in Kington, Herefordshire and, by the age of 15, started writing songs. She took
A levels The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational au ...
in English, Politics, Drama and Music, and passed the first 3 with "A" grades but failed music. After enrolling on a degree in Drama and Theatre Studies at the
University of Kent , motto_lang = , mottoeng = Literal translation: 'Whom to serve is to reign'(Book of Common Prayer translation: 'whose service is perfect freedom')Graham Martin, ''From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury'' ...
and remaining until her final year, she met Jamie Lillywhite. He became her manager and introduced her to the producer Starsmith, who would become her chief collaborator and the primary producer of ''Lights''.


Career


2009–2011: ''Lights'' and ''Bright Lights''

Although Ellie Goulding signed to
Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
in July 2009, her debut single, "
Under the Sheets "Under the Sheets" is the debut single by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding from her debut album, '' Lights'' (2010). Produced by Starsmith, it was released as the album's lead single. The song premiered on Huw Stephens's BBC Radio 1 ...
", was released through the independent label Neon Gold Records, appearing digitally in the United Kingdom on 15 November 2009. The single peaked at on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
following a successful appearance on '' Later... with Jools Holland'' (performing "Under the Sheets" and "
Guns and Horses "Guns and Horses" is a song by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding from her debut studio album, ''Lights'' (2010). The song was released digitally on 16 May 2010 and physically the day after as the album's third single. Background Rega ...
") and a UK tour supporting
Little Boots Victoria Christina Hesketh (born 4 May 1984), better known by her stage name Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter and DJ. She was previously a member of the band Dead Disco. Since performing as a solo artist she has release ...
. "Wish I Stayed" was available as a free download as Single of the Week on
iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
UK from 22 to 28 December 2009. Before the release of her debut album, Goulding won the BBC Sound of 2010 poll, which showcases the music industry's top choices for rising stars. She also won the Critics' Choice Award at the 2010 Brit Awards, making her the second artist to win both in the same year. Goulding co-wrote "Love Me 'Cause You Want To" for
Gabriella Cilmi Gabriella Lucia Cilmi ( ; ; born 10 October 1991) is an Australian pop singer. A contralto, Cilmi is known for her distinctive raspy singing voice. Her debut album, '' Lessons to Be Learned'', was released in March 2008, becoming a moderate in ...
's second album, '' Ten'', and three songs ("Remake Me + You", "Notice", "Jumping into Rivers") for Diana Vickers's debut album, ''
Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree ''Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree'' is the debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Diana Vickers. Originally set for a November 2009 release, the album was postponed due to Vickers' leading role in the West End play ''The Rise an ...
''. Her song "Not Following" was used by German singer
Lena Lena or LENA may refer to: Places * Léna Department, a department of Houet Province in Burkina Faso * Lena, Manitoba, an unincorporated community located in Killarney-Turtle Mountain municipality in Manitoba, Canada * Lena, Norway, a village in ...
on her debut album ''
My Cassette Player ''My Cassette Player'' is the debut studio album of German singer Lena Meyer-Landrut. It was released under her stage name Lena on 7 May 2010,Klier, MarcusGermany: Lena's debut album released on 7th May ESCtoday.com. 1 May 2010. Accessed 7 May 20 ...
''. Goulding was featured on rapper
Tinie Tempah Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu (born 7 November 1988), better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He has been signed to Parlophone Records since 2009, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He created his own entertainment compa ...
's single " Wonderman" from his debut studio album ''
Disc-Overy ''Disc-Overy'' is the debut studio album by the British rapper Tinie Tempah, released in Ireland on 1 October 2010 and in the United Kingdom on 4 October, by Parlophone Records. The original album track list includes Kelly Rowland, Ellie Goul ...
'' (2010). Goulding's debut album '' Lights'' was released in March 2010, reaching on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
and on the Irish Albums Chart. Its singles " Starry Eyed", "
Guns and Horses "Guns and Horses" is a song by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding from her debut studio album, ''Lights'' (2010). The song was released digitally on 16 May 2010 and physically the day after as the album's third single. Background Rega ...
", and "
The Writer ''The Writer'' is a magazine for writers, published monthly by Madavor Media. History ''The Writer'' was first established by William H. Hills and Robert Luce, two ''Boston Globe'' reporters, as "a monthly magazine to interest and help all lit ...
" peaked at , 26, and 19. As of June 2012, the album had sold over 850,000 copies in the UK and 1.6 million copies worldwide. In August 2010, she released a second EP, '' Run into the Light'', containing remixes of songs from ''Lights''. The album was supported by Nike and was released through Polydor as a running soundtrack in an effort to get her music taken up by the running subculture. In November 2010, ''Lights'' was re-released as ''Bright Lights'', with six new tracks added. It was originally announced that the lead single from ''Bright Lights'' would be the new edit of the title track with a release scheduled for 1 November 2010. This plan was ultimately scrapped to allow her cover of
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
's "
Your Song "Your Song" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was John's first international Top 10 chart single. "Your Song" was first released by American rock band Three Dog Night in M ...
" to be released in conjunction with the John Lewis Christmas advert in the UK in 2010. The single became her second highest-charting single to date, reaching on the UK Singles Chart. It also charted in some European countries. In January 2011, it was announced that the title track from ''Lights'' would serve as the second single from ''Bright Lights''. "Lights" reached on the UK Singles Chart, while becoming Goulding's first song to chart in the United States, as well as her highest-charting song to date, peaking at on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in August 2012. Goulding toured in support of ''Lights'' and supported Passion Pit in March 2010 and
John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left and moved to Atlanta in 1997 wit ...
during his British tour in May 2010. During the summer she performed at a number of festivals. On 29 May she performed at the Dot to Dot Festival in Bristol. She performed a set on 25 June at the
Glastonbury Festival 2010 The 2010 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts took place in Pilton, Somerset, England in June 2010. The festival was headlined by Gorillaz, Muse, and Stevie Wonder. U2 were initially announced as headliners, but withdrew o ...
on the John Peel Stage. Her third EP was a live recording of part of her set at the
iTunes Festival The Apple Music Festival (formerly known as the iTunes Festival) was a concert series held by Apple, Inc. and inaugurated in 2007. Free tickets were given to Apple Music, iTunes and DICE users who lived in the United Kingdom, through localized p ...
2010. The whole set was ultimately included as bonus content on the iTunes version of ''Bright Lights''. She made her
T in the Park T in the Park festival was a major Scottish music festival that was held annually from 1994 to 2016. It was named after its main sponsor, Tennents. The event was held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire, until 1996. It then moved to the disused B ...
debut on 11 July. In early 2011, she recorded an original song for the film '' Life in a Day''. Ellie Goulding was on ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''s annual hot list in February 2011. In February 2011, she returned to the
Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
where she was nominated for Best British Female and Best British Breakthrough Act but lost out to
Laura Marling Laura Beatrice Marling (born 1 February 1990) is a British folk singer-songwriter. She won the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards and was nominated for the same award at the 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 Brit ...
and to
Tinie Tempah Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu (born 7 November 1988), better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He has been signed to Parlophone Records since 2009, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He created his own entertainment compa ...
. In April 2011, Goulding played live at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...
. She also made her American television debut on ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's ...
'' on 7 April 2011 performing "Starry Eyed". She appeared as the musical guest on the 700th episode of the ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'', broadcast 7 May 2011 and hosted by
Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
. She performed at the wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton on 29 April 2011, and performed what she recalled as "about 14 songs", including her cover of "Your Song". Goulding collaborated with American electronic artist and producer
Skrillex Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead si ...
on a song titled "Summit", included on his 2011 EP '' Bangarang''. She travelled with Skrillex on his South American tour She headlined the 2011 Wakestock Festival in Wales, performing on 8 July. In August, she performed at the V Festival for her second year in a row. Following the re-release of ''Lights'' and the American release of the album, Goulding said she would soon begin work on a second studio album with an expected release of September 2011. On 6 August 2011, she performed at
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Musi ...
in Chicago. She performed at the annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert on 11 December 2011 in
Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
, Norway. On 1 December 2011, she performed at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
during the National Christmas Tree lighting, alongside
Big Time Rush ''Big Time Rush'' is an American musical sitcom television series created by Scott Fellows that originally aired on Nickelodeon from November 28, 2009, to July 25, 2013 and is currently available in Paramount+. It focuses on the Hollywood mi ...
and will.i.am. On 19 September 2011, it was announced that she would open for
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her campy style, she has been referred to ...
's California Dreams Tour, replacing
Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...
who withdrew due to a foot injury.


2012–2014: ''Halcyon'' and ''Halcyon Days''

In 2012, Goulding appeared on "Fall into the Sky" from
Zedd Anton Zaslavski (russian: Антон Заславский; born 2 September 1989), known professionally as Zedd (), is a Russian-born German DJ, record producer, and songwriter. Zedd grew up and began his musical journey in Kaiserslautern, G ...
's debut album '' Clarity'' and on
Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums. His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
's song " I Need Your Love" which is included on ''Halcyon'' and also Harris's album '' 18 Months''. On 10 July 2012, Goulding released a cover of Active Child's song "Hanging On", featuring Tinie Tempah, as a free download on her
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
page. In late July 2012, it was announced that Goulding's second album is titled ''
Halcyon Halcyon is a name originally derived from Alcyone of Greek mythology. Halcyon or Halcyone may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''Halcyon'' (TV series), a Virtual Reality murder mystery on SyFy * '' The Halcyon'', British period ...
'' and it would be released on 8 October 2012. The album was preceded by the lead single " Anything Could Happen" on 21 August. The lyric video for "Anything Could Happen" premiered on 9 August 2012, consisting of a series of fan-submitted
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
pictures. On 19 November 2012, the music video for Goulding's second single from ''Halcyon'', titled " Figure 8" was released. The single was released digitally in the UK on 12 December 2012. The song charted before it was released, and made its way into the top 40 in the UK, peaking at . Goulding contributed a track titled "Bittersweet" (produced by
Skrillex Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead si ...
) to the soundtrack of '' The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2'', released on 13 November 2012. It was announced on 12 February 2013, that in May 2013, she would be supporting
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical ...
on his Moonshine Jungle World Tour on selected dates. On 20 May 2013, Goulding announced she would embark on a seven-date tour in the UK during October that year. On 28 May 2013, Goulding's cover of
Alt-J Alt-J (stylised as alt-J, real name Δ) are an English indie rock band formed in 2007 in Leeds. Their lineup includes Joe Newman (guitar/lead vocals), Thom Sonny Green (drums), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards/vocals), and formerly Gwilym Sainsbur ...
's song "
Tessellate A tessellation or tiling is the covering of a surface, often a plane, using one or more geometric shapes, called ''tiles'', with no overlaps and no gaps. In mathematics, tessellation can be generalized to higher dimensions and a variety of ...
" was released via her SoundCloud page. Goulding has also been reported to have filmed a music video for this track in Paris earlier that month. She claimed to be "making a video for a song that isn't on my record". In June 2013, Goulding performed at previous festivals and concerts including RockNess festival in
Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histor ...

Capital FM Summertime Ball
and Firefly Music Festival at The Woodlands in
Dover, Delaware Dover () is the capital and second-largest city of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County and the principal city of the Dover, DE, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County and is part o ...
. On 2 July 2013, Goulding premiered a song titled "You My Everything" in the first episode of ''
Skins Fire "Skins Fire" is a feature-length episode of E4 television series '' Skins''. It aired in two parts in 2013 as part of a specially-commissioned seventh season marking the end of the programme. The first six series of ''Skins'' aired from 2007 to ...
'' and that same day Goulding confirmed to ''
Elle ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...
'' magazine that ''Halcyon'' would be re-released later that year. On 5 July 2013, Digital Spy confirmed the release of '' Halcyon Days'', a repackaged edition of ''Halcyon'', which was released on 23 August 2013. The re-release, featuring ten additional tracks, was preceded by the single "
Burn A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ultraviolet radiation (like sunburn). Most burns are due to heat from hot liquids (called scalding), solids, or fire. Burns occur ma ...
", which had been uploaded to Goulding's
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
page the previous day. On 7 July 2013, the official music video for "Burn" premiered on Goulding's Vevo channel on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
. "Burn" became Goulding's first single to top the UK's Official Singles Chart. Goulding was performing at V Festival Chelmsford when news of her first UK broke;
Rita Ora Rita Sahatçiu Ora (born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut stud ...
surprised Goulding with her Official Number 1 Award. On 9 September 2013, Goulding released a music video for " How Long Will I Love You" for the film '' About Time''. Goulding appeared on the soundtrack for the film '' The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'' with the track "Mirror". On 15 October 2013, Goulding confirmed on Fearne Cotton's radio show that "How Long Will I Love You" would be the next single for BBC's Children in Need. On the same day, the Active Child song "Silhouette", on which Goulding features, was also released. On 28 October 2013, Goulding posted an alternative video of "How Long Will I Love You" on her Vevo channel for the short film ''Tom & Issy'', in which she also stars. On the final episode of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' on 14 December, Goulding performed a duet with finalist
Luke Friend Luke Friend (born 30 April 1996) is an English singer and former student from Teignmouth in Devon. He started his career in 2013 after winning ''TeenStar'' and appearing as a contestant and later a finalist on tenth series of ''The X Factor'' an ...
. On 5 January 2014, Goulding premiered the music video for her song "Goodness Gracious" on her Vevo channel, later confirming that it would be her sixth single released from ''Halcyon Days''. On 22 January 2014, Goulding confirmed through her Facebook page that she had contributed the song " Beating Heart" to the soundtrack for the film '' Divergent'', based on the novel of the same name by Veronica Roth. On 3 February 2014, Goulding released a cover of the James Blake song "Life Round Here" featuring rapper
Angel Haze Raykeea Raeen-Roes Wilson (born July 10, 1991) known professionally as ROES (fka Angel Haze), is an American rapper and singer. In 2012, Wilson released the mixtape ''Reservation'' and later signed a record deal with Universal Republic Records b ...
through her SoundCloud page. On 19 February, Goulding won Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2014 Brit Awards. On 20 October 2014, she stated via
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that she will appear on the new
Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums. His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
album, ''
Motion In physics, motion is the phenomenon in which an object changes its position with respect to time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed and frame of reference to an observer and m ...
'', with a new song called " Outside". The song was released as the album's fourth single on 20 October 2014. Goulding also featured in Iggy Azalea's song " Heavy Crown", which was released on 21 November 2014 on Azalea's '' Reclassified'', a reissue of her debut album ''
The New Classic ''The New Classic'' is the debut studio album by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released on 21 April 2014 by Def Jam Recordings. Primarily a hip hop album, ''The New Classic'' features elements of EDM, dance-pop and trap in its produc ...
''.


2015–2017: ''Delirium''

In November 2014, Goulding announced that she was focusing on a third studio album. In early 2015, Goulding released the song " Love Me like You Do", which was featured in the soundtrack to the film ''
Fifty Shades of Grey ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It became the first instalment in the ''Fifty Shades'' novel series that follows the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, ...
'', adapted from the erotic novel of the same name. The video was released to
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
on 22 January, to precede an official release date of 15 February. The single has been a commercial success, spending four weeks at on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, topping the charts in many other nations including Australia, New Zealand, and Germany, and reaching on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The single held the record for the most-streamed track in a single week in the United Kingdom (streamed 2.58 million times), and worldwide (streamed 15.5 million times). On 7 December 2015, "Love Me like You Do" earned Goulding a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance. In the nominations for the
2016 Brit Awards Brit Awards 2016 was held on 24 February 2016 and was the 36th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at The O2 Arena in London and were presented by Ant & Dec. Award nominations w ...
announced on 14 January 2016, the song was among the nominees for British Single of the Year, and Best British Video. Goulding starred in the music video for
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
's song " Bad Blood", which was released in May 2015. Goulding appeared on the
Major Lazer Major Lazer is an American electronic dance music DJ trio, which includes record producer Diplo, and DJs Walshy Fire and Ape Drums. It originates from Kingston, Jamaica, and was founded in 2008 by Diplo and Switch, with Switch leaving af ...
album ''
Peace Is the Mission ''Peace Is the Mission'' is the third studio album by American electronic dance music project Major Lazer. It was released on June 1, 2015. The album was preceded by the international hit single " Lean On" featuring DJ Snake and MØ. The single ...
'' on the track " Powerful", alongside
Tarrus Riley Omar "Tarrus" Riley (born April 26, 1979, Bronx, New York, United States) is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and member of the Rastafari movement.Kenner, Rob (2009)Reggae Singer With a Legacy, a Following and a Mission. '' New York Times''. ...
. The track was released together with the album on 1 June 2015. A preview of the single was revealed on 23 April 2015. Having finished recording new material on 27 July 2015, Goulding tweeted a link to an Instagram post of her leaving
Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music ...
captioned, "That's a wrap!". On 5 August 2015 at the
iHeartRadio iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbrella brand for iHe ...
Music Summit, Interscope unveiled the title of Goulding's new single, " On My Mind". A preview of the new track was released online via Goulding's Facebook page on 15 September 2015, with a confirmed single release date of 17 September 2015. The following day, another video teaser was uploaded revealing the title and cover art for Goulding's third studio album, ''
Delirium Delirium (also known as acute confusional state) is an organically caused decline from a previous baseline of mental function that develops over a short period of time, typically hours to days. Delirium is a syndrome encompassing disturbances ...
''. On 7 September 2015, it was announced that Goulding would be performing at the 2015 AFL Grand Final, along with Canadian musician
Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and mor ...
and American musician
Chris Isaak Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional actor. He is widely known for his breakthrough hit and signature song " Wicked Game", as well as other songs such as "Blue Hotel", " Baby ...
. On 17 September, Goulding debuted her single, "On My Mind", the lead track from ''Delirium'', on BBC Radio 1's Breakfast Show. She also announced that ''Delirium'' would be released on 6 November. Goulding subsequently performed "On My Mind" at the Apple Music Festival later that week. She also appeared on the Australian '' X Factor'' on 6 October where she performed "On My Mind". On 15 October 2015, it was announced that "
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
" would serve as the second official single from the album; the song's music video was later released on 14 January 2016. Third single, "
Something in the Way You Move "Something in the Way You Move" is a song by English singer Ellie Goulding from her third studio album, ''Delirium'' (2015). The song was serviced to contemporary hit radio in the United States on 19 January 2016 as the album's second single in ...
" was first released as a promotional single from the album on 9 October 2015. It was then released on 19 January 2016, its original music video was released on 23 February 2016 and other music video directed by Emil Nava was released on 21 June 2017. On 19 August 2016 she released the song " Still Falling for You" for the
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...
to the film ''
Bridget Jones's Baby ''Bridget Jones's Baby'' is a 2016 romantic comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire and written by Helen Fielding, Dan Mazer and Emma Thompson, based on the fictional columns by Fielding. It is the third film in the franchise and a sequel to t ...
'', and its music video premiered on 25 August 2016. It received moderate commercial success worldwide managing to reach number 11 in the UK. After a long gap, in 2017, she performed at the opening of 16th edition of Mawazine Festival, held in Rabat from 12 to 20 May. The event saw the debut live performance of her Kygo collaboration " First Time", which was released on 28 April.


2018–2021: ''Brightest Blue''

In 2018, Goulding joined Tap Management after almost a decade with First Access Management. She appeared on a collaboration with
Sean Paul Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques OD (born 9 January 1973) is a Jamaican rapper and singer who is regarded as one of dancehall's most prolific artists. Paul's singles " Get Busy" and "Temperature" topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the ...
on his ''
Mad Love the Prequel ''Mad Love the Prequel'' is the first extended play by Jamaican singer Sean Paul. It was released by SPJ Productions and Island Records on 29 June 2018. The album contains six singles: " No Lie" featuring the Youngest Queen Dua Lipa, "Tek Weh Yu ...
'' EP titled "Bad Love", released on 29 June 2018. Goulding collaborated with
Diplo Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD wit ...
and Swae Lee on the single " Close to Me", which was released on 24 October 2018. On 1 January 2019, ''The Guardian'' reported that she has been working on her fourth album, set to release in the same year. On 1 March, she released the next single "
Flux Flux describes any effect that appears to pass or travel (whether it actually moves or not) through a surface or substance. Flux is a concept in applied mathematics and vector calculus which has many applications to physics. For transport ...
". She said regarding the album, "It's very much written by me". On 12 April 2019, Goulding released the single " Sixteen". Goulding said of the single, "...That age was such a pivotal year for me in many ways and this song is so close to my heart. It takes me back to the reckless days of being a teenager and I hope it reminds us all about the innocence of youth." Goulding released " Hate Me" with American rapper Juice Wrld on 26 June 2019.Non-loginwalled link at bibliogram.pussthecat.org
/ref> It was premiered by
Zane Lowe Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter. After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...
as his 'World Record' on
Beats 1 Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod) ...
. In July, Goulding stated that her next material to be released would be the songs "Woman I Am" and "Start". In November, she released her rendition of
Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her st ...
's Christmas song "
River A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...
", which topped the UK Singles Chart, becoming her third UK number one single and the last UK number one song of the 2010s. On 13 March 2020, Goulding released the new single "
Worry About Me "Worry About Me" is a song by English singer Ellie Goulding featuring American singer Blackbear, released as the lead single from Goulding's fourth studio album ''Brightest Blue'', through Polydor Records on 13 March 2020. It was written by Gouldi ...
" which was created in-collaboration with Blackbear. In a radio interview with
Heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as ca ...
the same month, she revealed that the album "kind of comes in two parts", adding that "the first side is something written entirely by me which was fun and I wrote most of it in New York when I was living there a few years back. I play the guitar and I play the bass and piano and then I'm singing a lot of vocals. It's very classically influenced because I love classical music. There's a lot going on, it's a big soundscape and one big film. The second half is my kind of alter ego songs." On 21 May she released single " Power" and on 30 June single "
Slow Grenade "Slow Grenade" is a song by English singer Ellie Goulding featuring American singer Lauv, released as the third single from Goulding's fourth studio album ''Brightest Blue'', through Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-Britis ...
" with
Lauv Ari Staprans Leff (born August 8, 1994), known professionally as Lauv (), is an American singer and musician, best known for his breakout hit "I Like Me Better"; included on his compilation album ''I Met You When I Was 18 (The Playlist)'', whi ...
. Goulding released her fourth studio album, ''
Brightest Blue ''Brightest Blue'' is the fourth studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding. It was released on 17 July 2020 through Polydor Records. Originally scheduled for 5 June 2020, the album's release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pan ...
'', on 17 July 2020. Originally scheduled for 5 June 2020, the album's release was delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. The album debuted at the top of the UK Album Chart, becoming Goulding's third album to do so, as well as at No. 2 in
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. It reached the top 10 in
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
as well as the top 40 in over ten countries including
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
and the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. Goulding announced on an Instagram Q&A that she would be releasing new music which was not part of the ''Brightest Blue'' era at the end of January 2021. On 21 January, she released a collaboration with electronic duo Silk City, titled " New Love". On 30 September, Goulding performed " Anything Could Happen" as part of the opening ceremony for
Expo 2020 Expo 2020 ( ar, إكسبو 2020) was a World Expo hosted by Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Originally scheduled for 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 ...
, held in
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...
.


2022–present: ''Higher Than Heaven''

On 19 June 2022, Goulding performed at Rock in Rio in
Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...
. After the concert, she announced that she would be releasing new music in July. The following day, she blacked out all her social media profiles. Back in July 2021, during an interview with Joe Wicks, she described the forthcoming album as "a dance record. It's electronic pop, a dance thing from outer space". On 4 July 2022, she announced the release of " Easy Lover" featuring
Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
, which was released on 15 July. The single did not enter the UK Singles Top 100, but peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart Top 100. It was followed by "All by Myself", a collaboration between Goulding and producers
Alok Alok is an Indian given name of Sanskrit origin. People with the given name Alok *Alok (DJ) (born 1991), Brazilian DJ and music producer *Alok Bhargava (born 1954), Indian-American econometrician * Alok R. Chaturvedi, Professor of Information Syst ...
and
Sigala Bruce Fielder, known professionally as Sigala, is a British DJ and music producer. He has had eight songs peak within the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, including his 2015 debut single " Easy Love", which samples " ABC" by the Jackson 5. C ...
, on 7 October. Goulding released the single "Let It Die" along with its video on 19 October and announced the same day that her fifth studio album '' Higher Than Heaven'' would be released on 3 February 2023.


Artistry and influences

Goulding's music has been described as
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a r ...
,
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
,
indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...
and
folktronica Folktronica is a genre of music comprising various elements of folk music and electronica, often featuring uses of acoustic instruments – especially stringed instruments – and incorporating hip hop, electronic or dance rhythms, although ...
. She is a
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...
and is noted for her high piercing
vibrato Vibrato ( Italian, from past participle of " vibrare", to vibrate) is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms ...
, breathy tone and emotive delivery. In a review for ''Halcyon'', Neil McCormick of ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
'' described her voice as "something special", continuing; "Her tremulous vibrato and slightly hoarse
timbre In music, timbre ( ), also known as tone color or tone quality (from psychoacoustics), is the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound or tone. Timbre distinguishes different types of sound production, such as choir voices and musica ...
have the feel of something primal and folky, her birdlike high notes conveying a childlike wonder while darker tones imply ancient depths of sorrow. She sings like she is strung out on the melody, warbling from a place of desperate emotion. It really is that rarest and perhaps most accidental of gifts: an original voice". He then continued in regards to her vocal layering stating, "producer Jim Eliot puts her voice front, back and centre, banking up choral walls of vibrato, fashioning hooks from cut up samples of chirrups and chants, and creating unusual textures from trills and warbles". During an interview with
Carson Daly Carson Jones Daly (born June 22, 1973) is an American television host, radio personality, producer, and television personality. Prior to 2003, Daly was a VJ on MTV's '' Total Request Live'', and a DJ for the Southern California-based radio sta ...
, Goulding described her own voice saying;
Will Hermes Will Hermes (born December 27, 1960 in Jamaica, Queens, New York City) is an American author, broadcaster, journalist and critic who has written extensively about popular music. He is a longtime contributor to ''Rolling Stone'' and to National Pu ...
of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' compared her voice to that of
Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...
, stating that her upper register was dazzling whilst also complementing her skill in vocal multi-layering. Megan Farokhmanesh of '' Paste'' magazine stated "Goulding has a lovely voice, but occasionally her soprano-strung vocals hit a note that rubs the eardrums the wrong way" although she praised Goulding overall for her "talent for gorgeous high heart-tugging vocals". Goulding has listed
Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her st ...
,
Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single " Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female ...
, and
Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
as influences, as well as contemporaries such as
Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...
,
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her campy style, she has been referred to ...
,
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
,
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
,
Burial Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
,
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
,
Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
, and
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to th ...
. She also expressed admiration for rappers
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
,
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
and
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents ...
. Goulding's musical style has been compared to that of
Kate Nash Kate Marie Nash (born 6 July 1987) is an English singer-songwriter and actress. Nash launched her music career in 2005. Her 2007 single " Foundations" became a hit and brought her to public attention in the UK. Her debut album, '' Made of Bricks ...
, Lykke Li and
Tracey Thorn Tracey Anne Thorn (born 26 September 1962) is a British singer. She is best known as being one half of the duo Everything but the Girl from 1982 to 1999. She was a member of the band Marine Girls between 1980 and 1983 and since 2007 has bee ...
. Goulding's debut album '' Lights'' (2010) experimented with genres including
indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...
,
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
,
folktronica Folktronica is a genre of music comprising various elements of folk music and electronica, often featuring uses of acoustic instruments – especially stringed instruments – and incorporating hip hop, electronic or dance rhythms, although ...
and
indietronica Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produc ...
. The album contained "sparkling pop with a folky heart and an electronic edge" and was noted as being infectious. The album incorporated "acoustic guitar" and "retro-synthpop" compared to that of
Little Boots Victoria Christina Hesketh (born 4 May 1984), better known by her stage name Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter and DJ. She was previously a member of the band Dead Disco. Since performing as a solo artist she has release ...
and
La Roux La Roux ( ) is an English synthpop act formed in 2008 by singer Elly Jackson and record producer Ben Langmaid. The act's debut album '' La Roux'' (2009) was a critical and commercial success, winning a Grammy Award and producing hit singles su ...
, while the production contained "folkie origins under a welter of busily cycling synths and programmed beats". Goulding toured the United Kingdom with American folk singer
Lissie Elisabeth Corrin Maurus (born November 21, 1982), known as Lissie, is an American singer-songwriter. She released her debut EP, "Why You Runnin'", in November 2009. Her debut album, ''Catching a Tiger'', was released in June 2010. Her second stu ...
in 2010. Goulding's second album ''
Halcyon Halcyon is a name originally derived from Alcyone of Greek mythology. Halcyon or Halcyone may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''Halcyon'' (TV series), a Virtual Reality murder mystery on SyFy * '' The Halcyon'', British period ...
'' followed in the same vein, including genres such as indie pop, synthpop and
dream pop Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as ...
. She stepped away from the electronic sound of her previous album and moved to a more tribal and anthemic sound containing a bit more piano and vocal.


Personal life

Goulding ran the inaugural Nike Women Half Marathon in Washington, D.C. on 28 April 2013, earning a time of 1:41:35. She dated English radio DJ
Greg James Gregory James Alan Milward (born 17 December 1985) is an English radio and television presenter, comedian and author. He is the host of BBC Radio 1's breakfast show, co-presenter on the cricket podcast '' Tailenders'' alongside Felix White and ...
in 2010. Their relationship ended in 2012 after 18 months together. In the same year, after collaborating on a song called "Bittersweet" for the ''Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part Two'' soundtrack, Goulding started dating DJ
Skrillex Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead si ...
. The two split nine months later, citing the long distance nature of their relationship. Goulding later was in a relationship with actor
Jeremy Irvine Jeremy William Fredric Smith (born 18 June 1990), known professionally as Jeremy Irvine, is an English actor who made his film debut in the epic war film '' War Horse'' (2011). In 2012, he portrayed Philip "Pip" Pirrip in the film adaptation of ...
. They broke up in August 2013. Goulding was in a relationship with
Dougie Poynter Dougie Lee Poynter (born 30 November 1987) is an English musician, songwriter, fashion model, aspiring clothing designer, children's author and actor. He is the bassist of the pop rock band McFly. Biography Early life Poynter was born in Orset ...
of
McFly McFly are an English pop rock band formed in London in 2003. The band took their name from the '' Back to the Future'' character Marty McFly. The band consists of Tom Fletcher (lead vocals, guitar, and piano), Danny Jones (lead vocals, har ...
between 2014 and 2016. On 7 August 2018, Goulding and her boyfriend Caspar Jopling announced their engagement. The couple were married at
York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Arch ...
on 31 August 2019 and Goulding was
baptised Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
in order to get married. Jopling is the grandson of former
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
MP Michael Jopling, who was the
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom cabinet position, responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The post was originally named President of the Board of Agriculture and was created in 1889. ...
from 1983 to 1987. In February 2021, Goulding announced that she and Jopling were expecting their first child. She gave birth in April 2021. Goulding's best friend and personal assistant is Hannah Suzanne Lowe; the song "
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
" was dedicated to Lowe and to Goulding's fans. On ''
Michael McIntyre's Big Show ''Michael McIntyre's Big Show'' (adapted from ''Michael McIntyre's Big Christmas Show'') is a British variety and stand-up comedy television series, presented by British comedian Michael McIntyre. The show was originally a one-off Christmas spec ...
'', she revealed that she is also close friends with Princess Beatrice of York. Goulding has spoken several times about her experience with mental health conditions. In 2016, she discussed
panic attack Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear and discomfort that may include palpitations, sweating, chest pain or chest discomfort, shortness of breath, trembling, dizziness, numbness, confusion, or a feeling of impending doom or of losing ...
s caused by the studio environment that prevented her from working. In 2017, she discussed ongoing confidence issues and severe
anxiety Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different than fear in that the former is defined as the anticipation of a future threat wh ...
she had experienced. She spoke of an increased confidence within herself which reduces the nervous flutters she experiences. She has said that a fitness regime and boxing at the gym has helped her overcome panic attacks and anxiety. Goulding is a former
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...
.


Other ventures


Philanthropy

In 2010, Goulding participated in the Bupa Great North Run for the
British Heart Foundation The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is a cardiovascular research charity in the United Kingdom. It funds medical research related to heart and circulatory diseases and their risk factors, and runs influencing work aimed at shaping public policy ...
. In 2011, Goulding ran the ''She Runs LA'' event for charity Students Run LA, which aims to increase access to sport for less privileged children across the
Los Angeles Unified School District Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is a public school district in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the largest public school system in California in terms of number of students and the 2nd largest public school district in ...
. In 2012, she partnered with Pandora Radio, one dollar for each sale of her mixtape was donated to the ''Free the Children'' charity. On 1 June 2013, Goulding performed at
Gucci Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty, Inc. for fragranc ...
's global concert event in London whose campaign "Chime for Change" aims to raise awareness of women's issues in terms of education, health and justice. Goulding has frequently contributed to the BBC's annual charity telethon Children in Need in the UK. In 2013, Goulding's track "How Long Will I Love You" was the official single for the 2013 Children in Need campaign. On 15 November 2014, Goulding joined the charity group Band Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording a new version of the track " Do They Know It's Christmas?" at Sarm West Studios in
Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Road Ma ...
, London, to raise money for the 2014 Ebola crisis in
West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali ...
. Goulding is also a supporter for helping the
homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...
. She has performed in the annual charity concerts for the "Streets of London" charity event at the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
from years 2014 to 2018 consecutively. On 24 December 2015, Goulding volunteered in central London at the Marylebone Project to help end homelessness and to assist in the elimination of the stereotype associated with the homeless population. She said, "It's that stigma of what a homeless person is — they abuse drugs or abuse alcohol. It's just not true, some people come from very normal backgrounds, very normal situations and something goes wrong. It can happen to all of us." As a patron of the Marylebone Project, Goulding attended the opening of a 24-hour drop-in centre for homeless women in London in November 2021. In October 2017, she was recognised with a Global Leadership Award by the United Nations Foundation for her environmental and social justice activism. She also announced that she would join the foundation in 2018 as a Goodwill Ambassador.


Endorsements

Goulding contributed her vocals to an advert for the British department store chain
John Lewis John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American politician and civil rights activist who served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashville ...
in 2010. The John Lewis Christmas advert has become an annual tradition in
British culture British culture is influenced by the combined nations' history; its historically Christian religious life, its interaction with the cultures of Europe, the traditions of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and the impact of the British Empire ...
and one of the signals that the countdown to Christmas has begun in the UK, with Goulding performing "Your Song" for the store's 2010 campaign. In 2013, Goulding was announced as one of several new models for
Marks & Spencer Marks and Spencer Group plc (commonly abbreviated to M&S and colloquially known as Marks's or Marks & Sparks) is a major British multinational retailer with headquarters in Paddington, London that specialises in selling clothing, beauty, home ...
's 'Womanism' campaign. Subtitled "Britain's leading ladies", the campaign saw Goulding appear alongside British women from various fields, including the actress
Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom ...
, double Olympic gold medal-winning boxer
Nicola Adams Nicola Virginia Adams (born 26 October 1982) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2017 to 2019. She retired with an undefeated record and held the WBO female flyweight title in 2019. As an amateur, she became the first fe ...
, and writer
Monica Ali Monica Ali FRSL (born 20 October 1967) is a British writer of Bangladeshi and English heritage. In 2003, she was selected as one of the "Best of Young British Novelists" by ''Granta'' magazine based on her unpublished manuscript; her debut nove ...
. Goulding is endorsing the Swiss shampoo
Pantene Pantene () is a brand of hair care products owned by Procter & Gamble. The product line was first introduced in Europe in 1945 by Hoffmann-La Roche, which branded the name based on panthenol as a shampoo ingredient. It was purchased by Procter & ...
Pro-V on television and on the official Pantene website under the tagline "Strong Is Beautiful". This campaign has been running since 21 March 2016.


Accolades and achievements

Goulding has won several awards during her music career, such as two
Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
, a
Billboard Music Award The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by ''Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of t ...
, the BBC Sound Of... poll, 17 BMI London Awards, two
Glamour Awards The ''Glamour'' Awards is an annual set of awards hosted by '' Glamour'' magazine. Woman of the Year awards honour "extraordinary and inspirational" women from a variety of fields, including entertainment, business, sports, music, science, medic ...
, an
iHeartRadio Music Award The iHeartRadio Music Awards is a music awards show that celebrates music heard throughout the year across iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia's digital music platform. Founded by iHeartRadio in 2014, the ev ...
, one MTV Italian Music Award, an NRJ Music Award, a People's Choice Award, an Q Award, a Teen Choice Award and a Variety Hitmakers Award. Alongside those accolades, she has been nominated for numerous major music awards including, a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance, a Danish Music Award, a Latin American Music Award, three
Global Awards The Global Awards are held by Global Media & Entertainment and reward music played on the British radio stations which are part of the Global network, including Capital, Capital XTRA, Heart, Classic FM, Smooth, Radio X, LBC and Gold, with the awa ...
, three
MTV Video Music Award The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video categor ...
, six
MTV Europe Music Awards The MTV Europe Music Awards (originally named MTV European Music Awards, commonly abbreviated as MTV EMA) are awards presented by Paramount International Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture. It was originally conceived as an a ...
, and ten
World Music Awards The World Music Awards is an international award show founded in 1989 under the patronage of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and co-founder/executive producer John Martinotti. The event is based in Monte Carlo. Awards are presented to the world' ...
. In 2019, after ten years of consistent work as a hitmaker, She was honored with the Variety Hitmakers ''Decade Award'', with Goulding stating: ''"It's probably the first time I've really been acknowledged for this work"''. Meanwhile, in recognition as a songwriter she was presented with the ''BMI President's Award'' at the 2022 BMI London Awards ceremony.


Discography

* '' Lights'' (2010) * ''
Halcyon Halcyon is a name originally derived from Alcyone of Greek mythology. Halcyon or Halcyone may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''Halcyon'' (TV series), a Virtual Reality murder mystery on SyFy * '' The Halcyon'', British period ...
'' (2012) * ''
Delirium Delirium (also known as acute confusional state) is an organically caused decline from a previous baseline of mental function that develops over a short period of time, typically hours to days. Delirium is a syndrome encompassing disturbances ...
'' (2015) * ''
Brightest Blue ''Brightest Blue'' is the fourth studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding. It was released on 17 July 2020 through Polydor Records. Originally scheduled for 5 June 2020, the album's release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pan ...
'' (2020) * '' Higher Than Heaven'' (2023)


Concert tours

Headlining * The Lights Tour (2010) * The Halcyon Days Tour (2012–14) *
Delirium World Tour The Delirium World Tour was the third headlining concert tour by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding to promote her third studio album, ''Delirium'' (2015). The tour consists of four legs, European, North American, summer festivals and ...
(2016–17) * Brightest Blue Tour (2021) Supporting *
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her campy style, she has been referred to ...
California Dreams Tour (2011) *
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical ...
Moonshine Jungle Tour (2013) * Opening Ceremony of
Expo 2020 Expo 2020 ( ar, إكسبو 2020) was a World Expo hosted by Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Originally scheduled for 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 ...
(2021)


Filmography


Bibliography

* ''Fitter. Calmer. Stronger.'' (2021)


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Goulding, Ellie 1986 births 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers Alumni of the University of Kent Brit Award winners Electropop musicians English women singer-songwriters British indie pop musicians English electronic musicians English women pop singers English sopranos Folktronica musicians Homelessness activists Interscope Records artists Living people Musicians from Herefordshire Musicians from Kent People from Hereford Polydor Records artists Synth-pop singers English women in electronic music