Ellie Goulding | Youthink
Image credit:  Ellie Goulding | Electropop singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding Shines With "Bright Lights"

by Hafsa Mohamud – Churchill Secondary, Vancouver BC May 19, 2011

Rolling Stone magazine has its eyes on Ellie Goulding.

Originally from a small town in England, folk turned electropop singer Ellie Goulding is taking North America by storm. Placing 5th on Rolling Stone’s hotlist back in February, armed with her re-released album Bright Lights and most recently appearing as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, 2011 is Goulding's time to shine. Youthink caught up with the University of Kent grad before her Vancouver concert earlier this spring to talk about Bright Lights, the importance of fans and staying true to your roots.
 
YT: You re-released Bright Lights in November 2010 with some new tracks. How does the success of the album compare to the expectations that you had for it?
EG: I think I went in just hoping that people would respond to it, and connect to it in some kinda of way. I‘ve grown a pretty big loyal fan base before I did the album and I was just hoping that they’d be happy with the finished album. I was really pleased that they could have some connection to it. It was just a bonus that it did well because I was proud of it.

YT: You first met producer and friend Starsmith at the University of Kent, and he helped produce your first album Lights. What was it like working with him?
EG: Quite a lot I suppose. The result of us two working together was basically my album. We grew up together, and I have a background of folk and pop music because at the time I really loved folk music and I was just discovering it. And I guess He really loves electronic music and I think that growing up in the same town we just had this connection, and our collaboration ended up with my record. It was all about compromise, and the end result was a combination of what we wanted to hear.
 
YT: Starry Eyed was a big hit on the album. What was the inspiration for this song and which song on the album are you most connected to?
EG: Starry Eyed is just about having a bond with a lot of people at a show and is just the moment when everyone clicks together. I guess that’s what Starry Eyed is about; everyone’s got some euphoria that you can’t explain.
 
I’m gonna go with Animal because it’s my favourite, I just feel so connected to it. It’s about two people being quite obsessed with each other. It’s kind of an epic dance song.

YT: Your cover of Elton John’s classic Your Song is not only your lead single from Bright Lights but also your highest-peaking single to date. How did you feel about taking on an Elton John classic?
EG: I didn’t really think too much about it . I did the song with a friend and we got in the studio together and just recorded this song. I guess it s quite scary to take on such a big song but I didn’t and I guess I didn’t realize the full impact that it has when you do an Elton John song. I was supposed how much of a big song it was in the end. Everyone ended up really connecting with it—I suppose there was something endearing about it.

YT: Every Time You Go was featured on Vampire Diaries and you were featured as the number five artist on Rolling Stone’s hotlist for February 2011 - that is some serious exposure!  How have these things helped in spreading your music from the UK to the North American audience?
EG: I think that it really helps that people know about you. It just meant everyone ended up knowing who I was because of that song. It just shows the importance of exposure and I think you should never underestimate for example, someone being in a magazine. It just takes one person or a couple of people to go check out your music and then spread the word. It’s been really helpful for me in getting known here.

YT: How would you describe your live show?
EG: It’s quite crazy, it’s pretty big. We incorporate remixes of some of my tracks, I’m a big fan of the remixes. There’s a lot of music going on and instruments.  It’s a music nerd's dream because there‘s so much going on.  It’s fun, it’s energetic, loud and its colourful. I think that’s why the tour sold out so quickly, we’re known for giving good shows and I’m pretty proud of that.
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