Ellie Goulding facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ellie Goulding
Goulding in 2022
Born	Elena Jane Goulding (1986-12-30) 30 December 1986 (age 38) Hereford, England
Alma mater	University of Kent
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	2009–present
Works	Discography songs recorded
Spouse(s)	Caspar Jopling ​ ​ (m. 2019; sep. 2024)​
Children	1
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Electropop synth-pop indie pop folktronica
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Polydor Neon Gold Cherrytree Interscope

Elena Jane Goulding (born 30 December 1986) is an English singer and songwriter. She was born in Hereford, England, and grew up in a small village called Lyonshall. Ellie started writing songs when she was just 15 years old.

She released her first song, "Under the Sheets", in 2009. That same year, she signed with Polydor Records. Her first album, Lights (2010), became number one in the UK. This album included popular songs like "Starry Eyed" and "Lights".

Ellie's second album, Halcyon (2012), featured the hit song "Burn". This song became her first number one single in the UK. She also worked with famous DJ Calvin Harris on songs like "I Need Your Love".

Her song "Love Me Like You Do" from the Fifty Shades of Grey movie soundtrack was a huge success. It even earned her a Grammy Award nomination. After a break, Ellie released her fourth album, Brightest Blue (2020), which also topped the UK charts. In 2023, she teamed up with Calvin Harris again for "Miracle", which was number one for eight weeks in the UK. Her fifth album, Higher Than Heaven (2023), also reached number one. This made her the British female artist with the most number-one albums in UK history, tying with Adele.

Ellie Goulding has won many awards, including three Brit Awards. She has sold over 27 million albums and her songs have been streamed billions of times worldwide. This makes her one of the most successful British female singers of the 21st century.

Early life and start in music

Elena Jane Goulding was born on 30 December 1986 in Hereford, England. She grew up in the village of Lyonshall with her brother, Alex, and two sisters, Isabel and Jordan. Her parents separated when she was five years old.

Ellie started playing the clarinet when she was nine. She learned to play the guitar at 14. By the age of 15, she was already writing her own songs. She went to Lady Hawkins' High School and later studied Drama and Theatre at the University of Kent. While there, she met Jamie Lillywhite, who became her manager. He introduced her to producer Starsmith, who helped her create her first album, Lights.

Music career

2009–2011: Lights and early success

Ellie Goulding performing in September 2010

Ellie Goulding signed with Polydor Records in July 2009. Her first song, "Under the Sheets", came out digitally in the UK in November 2009. It reached number 53 on the UK Singles Chart.

Before her first album, Ellie won the BBC Sound of 2010 poll. This poll highlights new artists expected to become famous. She also won the Critics' Choice Award at the 2010 Brit Awards. This made her the second artist to win both awards in the same year.

Ellie's first album, Lights, was released in March 2010. It quickly reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. Songs like "Starry Eyed" and "The Writer" became popular singles. By June 2012, the album had sold over 1.6 million copies worldwide.

In November 2010, Lights was re-released as Bright Lights. This new version included six extra songs. Her cover of Elton John's "Your Song" became a big hit, reaching number two in the UK. The song "Lights" also became very popular in the United States, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2012.

Ellie Goulding performing in Vancouver, April 2011

Ellie toured to support her album Lights. She also performed at many festivals, including Glastonbury Festival 2010. In April 2011, she played at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the US. She also made her first American TV appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

A special moment was when Ellie performed at the wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton in April 2011. She sang about 14 songs, including her cover of "Your Song". Ellie also worked with American electronic artist Skrillex on a song called "Summit".

2012–2014: Halcyon and Halcyon Days

In 2012, Ellie Goulding worked with Calvin Harris on his song "I Need Your Love". Her second album, Halcyon, was released in October 2012. The first song from this album was "Anything Could Happen".

In November 2012, the music video for her second single from Halcyon, "Figure 8", was released. Ellie also contributed a song called "Bittersweet" to the soundtrack of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

In May 2013, Ellie announced a UK tour for October. In July 2013, she confirmed that Halcyon would be re-released as Halcyon Days. This new version came out in August 2013 and included ten new songs. The song "Burn" was released before the album and became Ellie's first number one single in the UK.

Ellie Goulding performing at the Ilosaarirock festival in July 2014

Ellie also released a music video for "How Long Will I Love You" for the film About Time. This song was also chosen as the official single for the 2013 Children in Need charity campaign. In February 2014, Ellie won Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2014 Brit Awards.

In October 2014, she appeared on Calvin Harris's album Motion with a new song called "Outside".

2015–2016: Delirium and break from music

Ellie Goulding focused on her third album in 2014. Her song "Love Me Like You Do" was released for the Fifty Shades of Grey movie soundtrack in February 2015. This song was a huge success, reaching number one in many countries and breaking streaming records. It earned Ellie a Grammy Award nomination.

Ellie Goulding at Bumbershoot 2015

Ellie also appeared in the music video for Taylor Swift's song "Bad Blood" in May 2015. She also featured on the Major Lazer album Peace Is the Mission with the song "Powerful".

In September 2015, Ellie released "On My Mind", the first song from her third album, Delirium. The album was released in November. Other songs from the album included "Army" and "Something in the Way You Move".

Ellie Goulding performing at The O2 Arena in 2016

After touring for Delirium, Ellie took a break from music. In August 2016, she released "Still Falling for You" for the movie Bridget Jones's Baby.

2018–2021: Return to music and Brightest Blue

After her break, Ellie started releasing new music, often working with other artists. In April 2017, she released "First Time" with Kygo. In 2018, she worked with Sean Paul on "Bad Love".

Ellie collaborated with Diplo and Swae Lee on the song "Close to Me", released in October 2018. In 2019, she released "Flux" and "Sixteen". She said "Sixteen" was special to her because that age was a very important time in her life.

She also released "Hate Me" with American rapper Juice Wrld in June 2019. In November, her cover of Joni Mitchell's Christmas song "River" became her third UK number one single.

In March 2020, Ellie released "Worry About Me" with Blackbear. She explained that her upcoming album would have two parts: one with songs she wrote herself, and another with more electronic, dance-style songs. Her fourth album, Brightest Blue, was released in July 2020. It became her third album to reach number one in the UK.

2022–present: Higher Than Heaven and Miracle

Ellie Goulding performing at Superbloom Festival 2023

In July 2022, Ellie released "Easy Lover" featuring Big Sean. This was followed by "All by Myself" with producers Alok and Sigala. In October, she announced her fifth album, Higher Than Heaven, which was released in April 2023.

On March 10, 2023, Ellie released her third collaboration with Calvin Harris, "Miracle". This song was a huge success, reaching number one in the UK and staying there for eight weeks. When "Miracle" was number one, her album Higher Than Heaven also topped the UK Albums Chart. This was the first time Ellie had both a number-one single and album at the same time. This album made her tie with Adele for the most number-one albums by a British female artist.

In May 2023, Ellie received the prestigious BRIT Billion Award for having over a billion streams in the UK. In September, she released "Somebody" with TSHA and Gregory Porter.

Ellie continues to make new music. In April 2024, she released a remixed version of "Brightest Blue" to help environmental causes. She has also hinted at a new album and released a fourth song with Calvin Harris called "Free" in July 2024.

Musical style

Ellie Goulding has said that musicians like Joni Mitchell (left) and Björk (right) have influenced her music.

Ellie Goulding's music is often described as electropop, synth-pop, indie pop, and folktronica. She is known for her high, clear voice and her emotional singing style. Critics have praised her voice as "something special" and unique.

Ellie has said that artists like Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, and Björk have influenced her. She also admires modern artists like Amy Winehouse, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift.

Her first album, Lights, mixed different styles like indie pop and electronic music. Her second album, Halcyon, continued this style but also added more piano and powerful vocals. The re-release, Halcyon Days, brought back her electronic sound.

Ellie's third album, Delirium, had a bigger, more pop-focused sound. Her fourth album, Brightest Blue, was divided into two parts. One part was more like her early music, while the other had influences from Hip-Hop and dance music. Her fifth album, Higher Than Heaven, is mainly a dance-pop and nu-disco record.

Many other artists have praised Ellie Goulding's voice and music, including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, and Calvin Harris.

Personal life

Relationships and family

Ellie Goulding married art dealer Caspar Jopling at York Minster on 31 August 2019. They welcomed their son in April 2021. In February 2024, Ellie and Caspar announced their separation.

Ellie is close friends with her personal assistant, Hannah Suzanne Lowe. The song "Army" was dedicated to Hannah and to Ellie's fans. She is also friends with Princess Beatrice of York.

Health and well-being

Ellie has spoken openly about her experiences with mental health. She has shared that she faced challenges with anxiety. To help with this, she found that a fitness routine and boxing helped her feel better. In December 2023, she also shared that she experienced post-natal depression after her son was born.

Other activities

SERVED drinks

A SERVED Drinks advert from their 2024 campaign.

In 2021, Ellie Goulding invested in a British drink brand called SERVED. She was interested because the company is based in her home county of Herefordshire and cares about the environment.

In 2022, some of Ellie's social media posts promoting SERVED were stopped by the Advertising Standards Authority. This was because they made claims about the drink being low in calories and sugar, which is not allowed for alcohol products.

In 2023, SERVED partnered with Morrisons supermarkets, making their products available in many stores. In September 2023, Heineken UK also bought a part of SERVED. In July 2024, SERVED launched a big advertising campaign with the slogan "Summer's Too Short for Bad Cocktails".

MAC cosmetics

In 2015, Ellie Goulding worked with MAC Cosmetics to create her own make-up collection. The products were inspired by her music and performances. The collection was released in January 2016, and each make-up item was named after one of her songs. Her collection became one of MAC's best-selling collaborations.

Helping others

Ellie Goulding speaking in 2018 as a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador

Ellie Goulding is very active in charity work. In 2010, she took part in the Bupa Great North Run to support the British Heart Foundation. She also ran for the charity Students Run LA, which helps children get involved in sports.

She has often supported the BBC's annual charity event Children in Need in the UK. In 2013, her song "How Long Will I Love You" was the official song for the Children in Need campaign.

In 2014, Ellie joined the charity group Band Aid 30. They recorded a new version of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to raise money for the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

Ellie also helps people experiencing homelessness. She has performed at charity concerts for "Streets of London" at the Royal Albert Hall for several years. In 2015, she volunteered at the Marylebone Project in London to help homeless women. In 2018, Ellie became a Global Ambassador for the United Nations Foundation.

Endorsements

Ellie Goulding has also worked with different brands. In 2010, she sang "Your Song" for a famous Christmas advert for the British department store John Lewis.

In 2013, she became a model for Marks & Spencer's 'Womanism' campaign, appearing alongside other famous British women like actress Helen Mirren. Since 2016, Ellie has been the face of the Swiss shampoo Pantene Pro-V, with the slogan "Strong Is Beautiful". In 2024, she starred in an advert for the People's Postcode Lottery.

Awards and achievements

As a musician

Ellie Goulding has won many awards for her music. These include three Brit Awards, a Billboard Music Award, and the BBC Sound Of... poll. She has also received 17 BMI London Awards. She has been nominated for two Grammy Awards.

In 2019, she received the Variety Hitmakers Decade Award for her many hit songs over ten years. She also received an honorary degree from the University of Kent for her contributions to music. In 2022, she was given the BMI President's Award for her songwriting.

Ellie has set several records in music. In 2015, her song "Love Me like You Do" broke the record for the most-streamed song in a week on Spotify. In 2019, she set a record for the most songs by a British female artist to enter the US charts. In the UK, she has the most number-one albums by a British female artist (tied with Adele), with four albums reaching the top. Her cover of Joni Mitchell's "River" was the last number-one single of the 2010s in the UK. She also has the third most number-one singles by a British female artist. Ellie holds the record for the most song entries by a British female solo artist in the UK Singles Chart.

As an activist

Ellie Goulding has been recognized for her support of the LGBTQ+ community. She received the 'Ally Award' from the Attitude Awards in 2022.

She has also received many awards for her work on climate-change awareness. In 2017, she received the 'Global Leadership Award' for her environmental work. In 2022, she was named 'Humanitarian of the Year' by the United Nations Foundation. That same year, she received the 'Impact Award' at the TIME100 Impact Awards for raising awareness about climate change. In 2024, she became the first musician to receive 'The Conservationist of the Year' title from The Perfect World Foundation.

Discography

• Lights (2010)
• Halcyon (2012)
• Delirium (2015)
• Brightest Blue (2020)
• Higher Than Heaven (2023)

Concert tours

Headlining

• The Lights Tour (2010)
• The Halcyon Days Tour (2012–14)
• Delirium World Tour (2016–17)
• Brightest Blue Tour (2021)
• Higher Than Heaven Tour (2023)

Supporting

• Katy Perry – California Dreams Tour (2011)
• Bruno Mars – Moonshine Jungle Tour (2013)

Filmography