Ellie Goulding Age, Height & Biography

Ellie Goulding is an English singer-songwriter whose ethereal voice and electronic pop sound have made her one of Britain’s most successful music exports. Born in Hereford in 1986, she won the BBC Sound of 2010 poll and the Brit Awards Critics’ Choice award before her debut album Lights reached number one. Her single Love Me like You Do, from the film Fifty Shades of Grey, became a global hit and earned her a Grammy nomination.

Quick Facts

Who Is Ellie Goulding?

Ellie Goulding is a singer-songwriter known for her distinctive breathy vocals and her blend of folk, indie and electronic pop. Her debut album Lights, released in 2010, reached number one in the UK, and its title track went on to reach number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, making her one of the most successful British female artists of her generation. She has released five studio albums and has had four UK number-one singles.

Beyond her own records, Goulding is in demand as a collaborator, working with Calvin Harris on the hits I Need Your Love, Outside and Miracle, and with Major Lazer and Kygo. She has won the Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist twice, in 2014 and 2015, and she performed at the wedding reception of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011. She is also known for her charity work and her environmental campaigning.

Early Life & Background

Elena Jane Goulding was born on 30 December 1986 in Hereford, England, and grew up in the village of Lyonshall in Herefordshire. She attended Lady Hawkins’ School in Kington and began writing songs at the age of 15, learning to play the guitar and the clarinet. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she has spoken about a difficult relationship with her father.

After leaving school, Goulding enrolled at the University of Kent to study drama, but she left after two years to pursue a career in music. She was discovered after posting songs online, and in 2009 she signed to Polydor Records. Later that year she released her debut EP, An Introduction to Ellie Goulding, and she was named the winner of the BBC Sound of 2010 poll, one of the most coveted prizes for new British music.

Career

Goulding’s debut album Lights was released in March 2010 and reached number one in the UK Albums Chart. She also won the Critics’ Choice award at the Brit Awards that year. The album’s title track became a hit in the United States, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2012. Her second album, Halcyon, followed in October 2012, featuring the singles Anything Could Happen and Figure 8, and a reissue the following year produced her first UK number-one single, Burn.

In 2015, Goulding recorded Love Me like You Do for the soundtrack of Fifty Shades of Grey. The song reached number one in the UK and number three in the United States, and it earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance. Her third album, Delirium, was released in November 2015. She has since released Brightest Blue in 2020 and Higher Than Heaven in 2023, both of which reached number one in the UK.

Goulding has also built a successful career as a collaborator. Her work with Calvin Harris includes the hits I Need Your Love in 2013, Outside in 2014 and Miracle in 2023, which reached number one in the UK. She has also recorded with Major Lazer, Kygo and Diplo, and in 2019 her cover of Joni Mitchell’s River reached number one in the UK as a charity single. Alongside her music, she is a global ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme and a prominent campaigner on climate change.

Facts About Ellie Goulding

• She won the BBC Sound of 2010 poll and the Brit Awards Critics’ Choice award in 2010.
• Her single Lights reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2012.
• She performed at the wedding reception of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011.
• She has won the Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist twice, in 2014 and 2015.
• She is a global ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme.

Frequently Asked Questions