Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Ellie Goulding
How Ellie Goulding built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Ellie Goulding, born Elena Jane Goulding, is an English singer, songwriter, and activist. She began writing songs at 15 and debuted with "Under the Sheets" in 2009. Shortly after, she signed with Polydor Records and released her debut EP. Her album, Lights (2010), reached No. 1 in the UK and was reissued as Bright Lights, featuring the hit singles "Your Song", "Starry Eyed," and "Lights."
10 hours ago : Ellie Goulding Dazzles in Sequin Gown at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Venice Wedding
Ellie Goulding attended Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's extravagant wedding in Venice, showcasing a stunning sequin burgundy dress and making a surprise appearance among other A-listers.
2010: John Lewis Christmas Advert
In 2010, Ellie Goulding contributed her vocals to an advert for the British department store chain John Lewis, performing "Your Song" for the store's 2010 campaign.
2010: Bupa Great North Run
In 2010, Ellie Goulding participated in the Bupa Great North Run for the British Heart Foundation.
2010: Release of Debut Album Lights
In 2010, Ellie Goulding's debut album Lights was released, experimenting with genres including indie pop, synthpop, folktronica and indietronica.
2011: Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa and Chiddy Bang sample "Fighter Plane"
In 2011, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa and Chiddy Bang sampled Ellie Goulding's "Fighter Plane" (2009) in their song "High".
2011: She Runs LA Event
In 2011, Ellie Goulding ran the She Runs LA event for charity Students Run LA, which aims to increase access to sport for less privileged children across the Los Angeles Unified School District.
2012: Partnership with Pandora Radio
In 2012, Ellie Goulding partnered with Pandora Radio, donating one dollar for each sale of her mixtape to the Free the Children charity.
2012: Release of Halcyon
In 2012, Ellie Goulding released her second album Halcyon, continuing in the same vein as her first, including genres such as indie pop, synthpop and dream pop.
June 2013: Gucci's "Chime for Change" Concert
On June 1, 2013, Ellie Goulding performed at Gucci's global concert event in London. The campaign "Chime for Change" aims to raise awareness of women's issues in terms of education, health, and justice.
2013: "Burn" number-one single
In 2013, "Burn" was one of Ellie Goulding's chart-topping singles.
2013: Release of Halcyon Days Re-issue
In 2013, Ellie Goulding re-released her second album Halcyon with ten new songs under the name Halcyon Days, marking her return to electropop.
2013: Marks & Spencer's 'Womanism' campaign
In 2013, Ellie Goulding was announced as one of several new models for Marks & Spencer's 'Womanism' campaign, subtitled "Britain's leading ladies".
2013: "How Long Will I Love You" as Children in Need single
In 2013, Ellie Goulding's track "How Long Will I Love You" was the official single for the 2013 Children in Need campaign.
November 2014: Focus on Third Studio Album
In November 2014, Ellie Goulding announced that she was focusing on her third studio album.
2014: Charity concerts for "Streets of London"
From 2014, Ellie Goulding performed in the annual charity concerts for the "Streets of London" charity event at the Royal Albert Hall.
2014: "Love Me Like You Do" number-one single
In 2014, "Love Me Like You Do" was one of Ellie Goulding's chart-topping singles.
April 2015: Preview of "Powerful"
On April 23, 2015, a preview of Ellie Goulding's single "Powerful" was revealed.
May 2015: Appearance in Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" Music Video
In May 2015, Ellie Goulding starred in the music video for Taylor Swift's song "Bad Blood".
June 2015: Release of "Powerful" on Peace Is the Mission
On June 1, 2015, Ellie Goulding's track "Powerful," alongside Tarrus Riley, was released with Major Lazer's album Peace Is the Mission.
July 2015: Completion of Recording New Material
On July 27, 2015, Ellie Goulding finished recording new material and posted about it on Instagram from Abbey Road Studios.
August 2015: Unveiling of New Single Title
On August 5, 2015, Interscope unveiled the title of Ellie Goulding's new single, "On My Mind", at the iHeartRadio Music Summit.
September 2015: Preview of "On My Mind" and Album Announcement
In September 2015, Ellie Goulding released a preview of her new track "On My Mind" on Facebook on September 15, and another video teaser revealed the title and cover art for her third studio album, Delirium.
September 2015: AFL Grand Final Performance and Single Debut
In September 2015, it was announced on September 7th that Ellie Goulding would perform at the 2015 AFL Grand Final. On September 17th, she debuted her single, "On My Mind", from the upcoming album Delirium and announced its release date on BBC Radio 1's Breakfast Show. She subsequently performed "On My Mind" at the Apple Music Festival later that week.
October 2015: Appearance on The Australian X Factor & Announcement of "Army"
On October 6, 2015, Ellie Goulding performed "On My Mind" on the Australian X Factor. On October 15, it was announced that "Army" would be the second official single from Delirium.
December 2015: "Love Me Like You Do" Grammy Nomination
In December 2015, "Love Me Like You Do" earned Ellie Goulding a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance.
December 2015: Volunteering at the Marylebone Project
On December 24, 2015, Ellie Goulding volunteered in central London at the Marylebone Project to help end homelessness and assist in eliminating the stereotype associated with the homeless population.
2015: Collaboration with MAC cosmetics
In 2015, Ellie Goulding and MAC cosmetics announced their first collaboration, launching a set of make-up which are described on MAC's press release as an inspiration of Goulding's 'light and dichotomy so present in her artwork and as a performer'.
2015: First artist to replace herself on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart
In 2015, Ellie Goulding became the first artist to replace herself from the top spot on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, with "Love Me Like You Do" dethroning "Outside".
2015: Release of Delirium
In 2015, Ellie Goulding released her third studio album Delirium, a pivotal moment for the artist as it presented a change in musical direction, reaching for a more maximalist pop-oriented sound.
January 2016: "Love Me Like You Do" Brit Awards Nominations
In January 2016, "Love Me Like You Do" was nominated for British Single of the Year, and Best British Video at the 2016 Brit Awards.
January 2016: Launching MAC collaboration make-up
In January 2016, the set of products were made available in MAC's press release as an inspiration of Goulding's 'light and dichotomy so present in her artwork and as a performer'. The set of products were made available, and each cosmetics was named after a song from Goulding's discography.
January 2016: "Army" Music Video Release and "Something in the Way You Move" Release
On January 14, 2016, the music video for Ellie Goulding's song "Army" was released. On January 19, 2016, "Something in the Way You Move" was released as a single.
February 2016: "Something in the Way You Move" Music Video Release
On February 23, 2016, the original music video for Ellie Goulding's "Something in the Way You Move" was released.
March 2016: Pantene Pro-V Endorsement
Since March 21, 2016, Ellie Goulding has been endorsing the Swiss shampoo Pantene Pro-V on television and on the official Pantene website under the tagline "Strong Is Beautiful".
August 2016: Release of "Still Falling for You"
On August 19, 2016, Ellie Goulding released the song "Still Falling for You" for the Bridget Jones's Baby soundtrack, and its music video premiered on August 25, 2016.
2016: Vic Mensa & Skrillex sample "Explosions"
In 2016, Vic Mensa & Skrillex sampled Ellie Goulding's "Explosions" (2012) in their song "No Chill".
April 2017: Release of "First Time"
On April 28, 2017, Ellie Goulding released "First Time," a collaboration with Kygo, which she had previously premiered at the Mawazine Festival.
May 2017: MAC collaboration ranked among best-selling
As of May 2017, Ellie Goulding's collection is included among the best-selling MAC collaborations of all time, placing at number sixteen.
June 2017: "Something in the Way You Move" Music Video Release
On June 21, 2017, a music video for Ellie Goulding's "Something in the Way You Move" directed by Emil Nava was released.
2017: Mawazine Festival Performance
In 2017, Ellie Goulding performed at the opening of the 16th edition of the Mawazine Festival, held in Rabat from May 12 to 20.
2017: Global Leadership Award
In 2017, Ellie Goulding was awarded the 'Global Leadership Award' by the United Nations Foundation for her environmental and social justice activism.
June 2018: Collaboration with Sean Paul on "Bad Love"
On June 29, 2018, Ellie Goulding appeared on Sean Paul's Mad Love the Prequel EP, collaborating on the track "Bad Love".
October 2018: Release of "Close to Me"
On October 24, 2018, Ellie Goulding collaborated with Diplo and Swae Lee on the single "Close to Me".
2018: United Nations Foundation Global Ambassador
In 2018, Ellie Goulding joined the United Nations Foundation as a Global Ambassador.
2018: Charity concerts for "Streets of London"
Until 2018, Ellie Goulding performed in the annual charity concerts for the "Streets of London" charity event at the Royal Albert Hall.
January 2019: Working on Fourth Album
On January 1, 2019, The Guardian reported that Ellie Goulding had been working on her fourth album, set to release in the same year.
April 2019: Release of "Sixteen"
On April 12, 2019, Ellie Goulding released the single "Sixteen", reflecting on her pivotal year at that age and the innocence of youth.
June 2019: Release of "Hate Me" with Juice Wrld
On June 26, 2019, Ellie Goulding released "Hate Me" with American rapper Juice Wrld. It was premiered by Zane Lowe as his 'World Record' on Beats 1.
2019: Celebrity Ally by British LGBT Awards
In 2019, Ellie Goulding received the 'Celebrity Ally' award by the British LGBT Awards, recognising her support for the LGBTQ+ community.
2019: Most song entries by a British female artist in the US
In 2019, Ellie Goulding set the record for most song entries by a British female artist in the US, with "Hate Me" becoming her fourteenth entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
March 2020: Release of "Worry About Me" and Album Details
On March 13, 2020, Ellie Goulding released the single "Worry About Me" in collaboration with Blackbear. In a radio interview the same month, she revealed details about her upcoming album.
June 2020: Delay of Brightest Blue Release
Ellie Goulding's fourth studio album, Brightest Blue, was originally scheduled for release on June 5, 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 2020: Release of Brightest Blue
On July 17, 2020, Ellie Goulding released her fourth studio album, Brightest Blue, which debuted at the top of the UK Album Chart.
2020: Release of Brightest Blue
In 2020, Ellie Goulding released her fourth studio album Brightest Blue, which is divided into two sides; the first side has been compared to her early releases as it recaptures the "simplicity" and "vulnerability" of her first two records, while the second side EG.0 incorporates influences from music genres like Hip-Hop and dance.
2020: French Montana samples "Starry Eyed"
In 2020, French Montana sampled Ellie Goulding's "Starry Eyed" (2010) in his song "I Know".
January 2021: Release of "New Love" with Silk City
On January 21, 2021, Ellie Goulding released a collaboration with electronic duo Silk City, titled "New Love".
June 2021: Stake in SERVED Hard Seltzer
In June 2021, Ellie Goulding acquired a significant stake in premium British hard seltzer brand SERVED for an undisclosed sum. She was attracted to the brand due to its Herefordshire base and eco-friendly ethos.
July 2021: Description of Forthcoming Album
In July 2021, during an interview with Joe Wicks, Ellie Goulding described her forthcoming album as "a dance record. It's electronic pop, a dance thing from outer space".
November 2021: Attending the opening of a 24-hour drop-in centre for homeless women
In November 2021, As a patron of the Marylebone Project, Ellie Goulding attended the opening of a 24-hour drop-in centre for homeless women in London.
June 2022: Rock in Rio Performance and New Music Announcement
On June 19, 2022, Ellie Goulding performed at Rock in Rio in Lisbon, Portugal, and announced that she would be releasing new music in July.
July 2022: Announcement and Release of "Easy Lover"
On July 4, 2022, Ellie Goulding announced the release of "Easy Lover" featuring Big Sean, which was released on July 15.
2022: Ally Award by the Attitude Awards
In 2022, Ellie Goulding was honored with the 'Ally Award' by the Attitude Awards for her support to the LGBTQ+ community.
2022: Humanitarian of the Year
In 2022, Ellie Goulding was named 'Humanitarian of the Year' by the United Nations Foundation for her work raising awareness of fossil fuel-funded conflicts and her support for refugees.
2022: Lil Baby samples "Don't Say a Word"
In 2022, Lil Baby sampled Ellie Goulding's "Don't Say a Word" (2012) in his song "In a Minute". Also in 2022, Fivio Foreign's "World Watching" sampled "Lights" (2011).
2022: Ally Award Acceptance
In 2022, while accepting the Ally Award at the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, Ellie Goulding urged fellow allies to 'step up' and use their platforms to support, and protect the LGBTQ community, placing particular emphasis on transgender individuals in light of the 'exhausting' rising number of targeted attacks and growing hostility toward the trans community.
January 2023: SERVED Partnership with Morrisons
In January 2023, SERVED announced its partnership with Morrisons, part of the supermarket's ‘Growing British Brands’ accelerator programme. SERVED products are now available for sale in 498 Morrisons stores, as well as listings in other parts of the business including Morrisons.com, and wholesale channels like Amazon. That same year SERVED launched a series of Ready To Drink cocktails, including Mojito, Passion Fruit Martini, and Piña Colada flavours.
February 2023: Announcement of "Higher Than Heaven" Release Date
On October 19, Ellie Goulding announced that her fifth studio album, Higher Than Heaven, would be released on February 3, 2023. It was delayed multiple times and eventually released on April 7, 2023.
March 2023: Release of "By the End of the Night" and BRIT Billion Award
On March 10, 2023, Ellie Goulding released the single "By the End of the Night". On May 3, Ellie Goulding was presented with the BRIT Billion Award.
April 2023: Release of "Higher Than Heaven"
Ellie Goulding's fifth studio album, "Higher Than Heaven", was released on April 7, 2023 after multiple delays.
September 2023: Heineken UK Acquires Stake in SERVED
In September 2023, Ellie Goulding announced that Heineken UK had acquired a significant minority stake in SERVED.
2023: "Miracle" number-one single
In 2023, "Miracle" was one of Ellie Goulding's chart-topping singles.
2023: Release of Higher Than Heaven
In 2023, Ellie Goulding released her fifth studio album Higher Than Heaven, which is mainly a dance-pop and nu-disco record, and incorporates tracks with synthpop, R&B and EDM influences.
2023: Future and Metro Boomin sample "Hanging On"
In 2023, Future and Metro Boomin sampled Ellie Goulding's "Hanging On" (2012) in their song "Mile High Memories".
May 2024: Teasing of New Single with Four Tet
On May 8, 2024, Four Tet teased a new single with Ellie Goulding, titled "In My Dreams".
July 2024: SERVED Campaign Launch
In July 2024, It was reported that SERVED was being promoted with its biggest campaign yet, the new four-week campaign consisted on several adverts under the slogan 'Summer's Too Short for Bad Cocktails', those adverts were expected to be seen by over 4.5 million adults and 46% of Londoners, achieving 160 million impressions. The campaign will also focus on advertising throughout social media, including Goulding's own social platforms which have a combined of 30m followers.
July 26, 2024: "Miracle" Certified Two-Time Platinum
As of July 26, 2024, Ellie Goulding's single "Miracle" is certified two-time platinum by the BPI.
September 2024: Release of "In My Dreams"
On September 9, 2024, Ellie Goulding's single, "In My Dreams" with Four Tet was released.
2024: People's Postcode Lottery Advert
In 2024, Ellie Goulding starred and performed "What the World Needs Now" on a new advert for People's Postcode Lottery 2024 campaign, which thanks its players for helping to raise money for many charities in the UK.
2024: The Conservationist of the Year
In 2024, Ellie Goulding was presented with The Perfect World Foundation Award as 'The Conservationist of the Year', becoming the first musician to be recognized with this title.
January 2025: Release of "Hypnotized" with Anyma
On January 10, 2025, Ellie Goulding's song with Anyma, "Hypnotized", was released, receiving widespread critical acclaim.
April 2025: Condemnation of Supreme Court ruling on definition of woman in Equality Act
In April 2025, Ellie Goulding was among the musicians who signed an open letter condemning the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of woman in the Equality Act.
May 2025: Pledge of solidarity with trans community
In May 2025, Ellie Goulding was among the musicians who signed an open letter pledging 'solidarity with the trans, non-binary and intersex communities' and condemning the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the definition of woman in the Equality Act and subsequent EHRC guidance.
2025: Launch of Everystate wellness company
In 2025, Ellie Goulding partnered with wellness executive Gemma Feare, and nutrition entrepreneur Jonathan Relph, launching Everystate (stylised as every•state), a wellness company which develops mushroom supplements. According the press release the supplements will help to relax, have mental health clarity, and better skin.
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