Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding (born Elena Jane Goulding, 30 December 1986, Hereford, England) is an English singer-songwriter whose music spans electropop, synth-pop and contemporary pop. She emerged at the end of the 2000s with a distinctive vocal style and electronic-leaning production. Goulding became internationally known through a series of UK chart-topping releases and prominent soundtrack and collaboration singles.

Goulding grew up in Herefordshire and developed her early musical interests through songwriting and performance while studying at university. She gained attention through online releases and early live performances before signing a major recording contract. Her debut album, Lights (2010), entered the UK Albums Chart at number one and included singles such as “Starry Eyed”, establishing her as a major new UK pop artist.

Her peak chart period broadened in the early-to-mid 2010s with Halcyon (2012) and its expanded edition Halcyon Days (2013). Singles including “Anything Could Happen” and “Burn” became major hits, with “Burn” reaching number one in the UK. During this period she also achieved large-scale international exposure through collaborations such as “I Need Your Love” with Calvin Harris and later through soundtrack work, most notably “Love Me Like You Do” (2015), which became one of her most widely recognised songs worldwide.

Goulding continued releasing studio albums while shifting between electronic pop and more traditional singer-songwriter material. Delirium (2015) extended her run of international singles, and later projects included Brightest Blue (2020), which combined pop production with more introspective writing. In the 2020s she maintained her presence through new releases and collaborations, including further work with dance producers and renewed chart activity in the club-pop space.

Goulding’s honours include a Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist and a range of international nominations and industry recognition. Her recordings have achieved multi-platinum certifications across several major markets, reflecting sustained popularity beyond the UK. She is frequently associated with the early-2010s wave of British electronic pop and has remained a consistent figure in contemporary pop through her combination of vocal identity, electronic production and high-profile collaborations.