About
Ellie Goulding is a hit-making British singer known for her emotionally charged electronic pop, and her enormously popular single, “Lights.”
Goulding was born in England, where she discovered her love of folk music as a teenager. Goulding attended the University of Kent to study drama, and during her time there was exposed to electronica, which influenced much of her later music. Goulding moved to West London after two years of studies, and began to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter. She soon met and befriended producers Frankmusik and Starsmith, who inserted an electro-pop twist into her songs.
Goulding began to build an Internet audience via early tracks like “Starry Eyed” and a cover of Sam Sparro’s “Black & Gold.” Her music was noticed and given praise by major publications like The Guardian, which led to her signing a deal with Polydor Records. While writing her debut album, Goulding continued to write songs for the likes of Gabrielle Climi, Diana Vickers, and others. After topping a 2010 poll used by British music industry insiders to scout new talent, Goulding released Lights. The album immediately topped U.K. charts in its first week, and its single “Starry Eyed” reached the Top Five.
Goulding’s follow-up was the more adventurous Halcyon (2012), which featured an electro-pop sound. Two of the songs from the album topped charts in the United Kingdom; “Burn” hit number one, while “How Long Will I Love You” reached number three. In 2013, Goulding appeared on Calvin’ Harris hit song “Outside” and re-entered the U.K. Top Ten with “Beating Heart,” a song which appeared on the Divergent soundtrack.
In 2013, Goulding released her third studio album, Delirium, which featured the hit single “On My Mind” as well as collaborations with Greg Kurstin and Max Martin. She has released a smattering of successful singles since, including “First Time” with Kygo, and “Close to Me” with Diplo and Rae Sremmurd. In 2019, she was featured on Clean Bandit’s single, “Mama,” and released two solo singles of her own, “Flux,” and “Sixteen.” Goulding performs regularly, and is often book for private parties and corporate entertainment events.
