Ellie Goulding Biography

Ellie Goulding (born Elena Jane Goulding on 30 December 1986) is an English singer–songwriter and guitarist. She rose to fame after topping the BBC Sound of 2010 poll and winning the Critics Choice Award at the 2010 BRIT Awards. After signing to Polydor Records in 2009, Goulding released her first extended play, An Introduction to Ellie Goulding, followed by her debut full-length studio album, Lights, which will be released 1 March 2010.

Born in Hereford, Herefordshire, England, Goulding was educated at the Lady Hawkins' High School in Kington, Herefordshire. She attended Hereford Sixth Form College before moving onto university.

Goulding learnt to play the guitar and write her own folk-inspired music at the age of fifteen. While attending the University of Kent to study drama, and exposed to electronic music, she developed her sound with the help of Frankmusik, whom she contacted via MySpace. This resulted in her leaving university after two years of study under a gap year arrangement with her tutors, and moving to West London.

Early career: 2009

Signed to Polydor Records in September 2009, her debut single "Under the Sheets" was released on independent label Neon Gold Records rather than Polydor so that she would not be put under too much pressure. Premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 30 September 2009, it has since gained heavy airplay. It was released digitally in the United Kingdom on 15 November 2009 and peaked at number fifty-three on the UK Singles Chart.

In October 2009 she toured the UK supporting Little Boots, and on 30 October 2009 performed "Under the Sheets" and "Guns + Horses" as a guest on Later... with Jools Holland.

She collaborated with Frankmusik on "Wish I Stayed"—which was featured as the Single of the Week on the UK iTunes Store from 22–28 December 2009—and provided vocals for the Starsmith remix of Passion Pit's "Sleepyhead".

Lights: 2010–present

Prior to the release of her debut studio album, it was announced that Goulding topped the BBC Sound of 2010 poll, which showcases the critics, broadcasters and music industry insiders' top choices for rising stars and artists for the coming year. She also won the Critics' Choice Award at the 2010 BRIT Awards which makes her the only artist to top the BBC Sound of... poll and win the Critic's Choice award in the same year.

Goulding's debut album, entitled Lights, will be released through Polydor on 1 March 2010, preceded by its second single, "Starry Eyed", due out 22 February 2010. For the majority of the album, Goulding worked with English producer Starsmith.

Goulding has written two songs for Diana Vickers' upcoming debut album titled "Remake Me & You" (co-written with Vickers) and "Jumping Into Rivers" (co-written with Vickers and Guy Sigsworth).