Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding (born [1] is an English singer-songwriter and musician. In 2010, she became the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll and win the Critics' Choice Award at the Brit Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008. After signing to Polydor Records in 2009, she released her first EP in 2009,
class="Goulding released her debut studio album,"class=" Lights, in 2010. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and has sold over 850,000 copies in the UK. Her cover of Elton John's "Your Song" reached number two in the UK in December 2010, and on 29 April 2011 she performed the song at the wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Buckingham Palace. The album's title track, "Lights", was released in the and reached its peak position of number one on the Billboard Pop Songs chart, number one on the Billboard On-Demand chart, and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 nearly a year and a half later during its thirty-third week charting, completing one of the longest ever climbs into the top two positions on the chart. The single, which lasted over a year on the Billboard Hot 100, was also certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[2][3]
Goulding's second album Halcyon was released in October 2012 to generally positive reviews from critics.[4] "Anything Could Happen" preceded the album as the lead single, reaching the top five in the UK as well as the top forty in Belgium, Ireland and New Zealand. "Halcyon" debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, and number nine on the Billboard 200 Chart, her first Top 10 debut in the United States. The album also reached top five in New Zealand, top ten in Ireland and Canada, and top twenty in Australia.
Ellie Goulding was born and raised in Lyonshall, a small village near Kington, Herefordshire, the second of four children (a brother and two sisters).[5][6][7] Her mother, Tracey (née Clark), used to work at a supermarket, and her father, Arthur Goulding, came from a "family of undertakers".[7] Her parents separated when she was five, and she had a stepfather who was a lorry driver.[8][9] She began playing the clarinet at the age of nine, and at 14 began learning guitar. She attended Lady Hawkins' School in Kington, where she won a main part in a school production, the Wizard of Oz, as the scarecrow. She started songwriting at the age of 15 and while in college she won a singing competition.[10]
After commencing a drama course, politics course, and an English course at the University of Kent, [11] where she was exposed to electronic music, she developed her sound on the track "Wish I Stayed" with the help of Starsmith and Frankmusik. Starsmith went on to become her chief collaborator and primary producer of Lights. After two years at Kent, she was advised to take a gap year to pursue singing,[12][13] and moved to West London.[14]
Signed to Polydor Records in ,[12] Goulding's debut single, "Under the Sheets", was released digitally in the United Kingdom on ,[15] peaking at number fifty-three on the UK Singles Chart.[16] In October 2009 she toured the UK supporting Little Boots,[17] and appeared on Later... with Jools Holland, performing "Under the Sheets" and "Guns and Horses".[18] "Wish I Stayed" was available as a free download as the Single of the Week on iTunes Store UK from 22–28 December 2009.[19]
Before the release of her debut album, Goulding won the BBC Sound of poll, which showcases the critics, broadcasters and music industry insiders' top choices for rising stars and artists for the coming year.[20] She also won the Critics' Choice Award at the 2010 BRIT Awards, a prize that made her the second artist to win both in the same year.[21]
Goulding collaborated with American electronic artist and producer Skrillex on a song titled "Summit", included on his 2011 EP Bangarang. She travelled with Skrillex on his South American tour and many other tours of his alike.[53]
In , Goulding told the Daily Star that she had plans to release a follow-up to Lights sometime in 2011, commenting, "I'm not going to go away for ages. It'll be out this year or the start of next."[62] The following month, when asked about the album's musical direction in an interview with gossip website Dean Piper's World, Goulding stated, "It's started to sound very dark and very weird. This album is going to be even more emotional [...] I wanted to make it so there is hope. I want to make an effect whether it's happy or sad."[63] In April 2012, Goulding stated that she hoped the album would be released in .[64]
On , Goulding released a cover of Active Child's song "Hanging On", featuring Tinie Tempah, as a free download on her SoundCloud page.[68] In late , it was announced that Goulding's second album is titled Halcyon and it would be released on 8 October 2012. The album was preceded by the lead single "Anything Could Happen" on .[69]
Goulding contributed a track titled "Bittersweet" (produced by Skrillex) to the soundtrack to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, released on .[73]
I think sometimes it sounds like my voice is like, out of control... I have to really control it because it just kind of goes everywhere. Like, sometimes stuff comes out that I don't expect. A lot, actually [...] It's so funny because my favorite thing to do is imitate opera singers, but I've never had a singing lesson. Oh, I had a lesson just to teach me how to breathe better, but I never really had a singing lesson.—Goulding describing her voice in an interview with Carson Daly.[74]
Goulding states that she is influenced by a wide range of genres from R & B, electronica, heavy metal, folk, hip hop, pop and classical. She listed Ani DiFranco, Imogen Heap, Björk, Joni Mitchell and Lauryn Hill as influences, as well as contemporaries such as Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Rihanna, stating that she is "blown away" by them. She also expressed admiration for rappers Kanye West, Drake and Nicki Minaj.[83]
Goulding is a keen runner, aiming to run six miles every day and in 2010 announced plans to run a marathon.[7] In support of her second EP, Run Into the Light, she invited a small number of fans through her Facebook pages to run with her in seven different cities on her UK tour,[29] and has announced that she will be doing the same across Europe and the United States.
Main article: Ellie Goulding discography Lights (2010) Halcyon (2012)
Year | Award | Nominated work | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | BBC Sound of 2010 | Ellie Goulding | Sound of 2010 | Won |
BRIT Awards | Ellie Goulding | Critics' Choice | Won | |
Q Awards | Ellie Goulding | Best Female Artist | Nominated | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | Ellie Goulding | Best Breakthrough Artist | Nominated | |
2011 | 2011 Glamour Magazine Awards | Ellie Goulding | Pandora Newcomer of the Year 2011 | Won |
2012 | Teen Choice Awards | Ellie Goulding | Choice Breakout Artist | Nominated |
1."Ellie Goulding". BBC Music. BBC Online. 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
2. "Carly Rae Jepsen Claims Longest Hot 100 No. 1 Run of 2012". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2012
7. a b c d Harrod, Horatia (21 February 2011). "'He was Obsessed with Murder': Ellie Goulding interview". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
12. a b Ferguson, Paul (4 September 2009). "Herefordshire singer, Ellie Goulding, signs recording deal with Polydor". Hereford Times. Newsquest. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
13. "Ellie Goulding's spiritual home". BBC Mid Wales. 17 November 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
14. "University drop-out Ellie Goulding named as top breakthrough music act for 2010". Daily Record. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
15. "Under the Sheets – EP by Ellie Goulding". iTunes Store UK. Apple Inc. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
16. a b c "Ellie Goulding". Official Charts Company. Chart Stats. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
17. Leanne (28 September 2009). "Little Boots To Release New Single 'Earthquake'". Glasswerk National. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
30. Goulding, Ellie (8 September 2010). "Excited to announce that m ...". Twitter. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
31. Beasley, Mark. "Our Christmas 2010 TV advert". John Lewis. John Lewis Partnership. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
Retrieved 7 February 2012.49. "Ellie Goulding Sang at Royal Wedding". MTV UK. MTV Networks Europe. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
50. "Ellie Goulding: 'Tinie Tempah hooked me up with Prince William'". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved 6 November 2012.