Ellie Goulding is an English singer-songwriter from Lyonshall, in England. Goulding got her start playing music at the age of nine, when she first picked up the clarinet. At 14, she picked up her first guitar. Goulding also won a singing competition in college. After two years at college, she took a gap year.In July of 2009, she was signed to Polydor Records. Under Polydor, her debut single, “Under the Sheets” peaked at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart. She toured in 2009 with the artist Little Boots, and made her debut on Later…with Jools Holland. Goulding’s debut album, Lights, was released in March of 2010 and reached the top spot on the UK Albums Chart and number six on the Irish Albums Chart. Three singles from the album, “Starry Eyed,” “Guns and Horses,” and “The Writer” reached the singles chart, with “Starry Eyed” reaching as high as number four.The album has done remarkably well, reaching as high as number 21 on the Billboard 200, and sold 850,000 copies in the UK and 1,600,000 copies worldwide. In August of 2010, she released Run Into the Light, an EP containing remixes of songs from Lights. The EP reached number 102 on the UK Albums Charts. As a result of her success on her debut album, Goulding found herself in support of acts such as Passion Pit and John Mayall on their tours, as well as with major sets at the Dot to Dot Festival and at the Glastonbury Festival.Goulding got her break in America in 2011, performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as well as at Lollapalooza. She also performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Goulding also has the distinction of being the only live performer at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. In October of 2012, Goulding released Halcyon. The album peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and number nine on the Billboard 200 in the United States.Goulding has been nominated for and won a number of awards. In 2010, she was nominated for ten awards, winning BBC’s Sound of 2010 and the Critics’ Choice award at the BRIT Awards. In 2011, she won Glamour Magazine’s award for Pandora Newcomer of the Year. In 2012, she was nominated for Choice Breakout Artist at the Teen Choice Awards.
