Born in Hereford, England, she later moved to the country's east coast to study drama at the University of Kent. Goulding had developed a love for folk music as a teenager, and her time at university also exposed her to electronica. After two years, she took a break from her studies and moved to West London, where she pursued a career as an alternative singer/songwriter and befriended producers like Starsmith and Frankmusik, who gave her songs an electro-pop twist. In 2009, Goulding began building an audience via the Internet, where early tracks like "Starry Eyed" and a cover of Sam Sparro's "Black & Gold" were posted on tastemaking MP3 blogs such as Discodust. Goulding soon graduated from the blogosphere to print media, gaining praise from mainstream publications like The Guardian and fielding offers from record labels. She ultimately signed a major-label deal with Polydor Records and began making preparations to release her debut album. In the meantime, she penned songs for Diana Vickers, Gabriella Climi, and others.
During the final weeks of 2009, Goulding topped the BBC's Sound of 2010, a poll conducted by British music critics and industry insiders to identify new talent. Building on that momentum, she released Lights -- a sparkling debut album that splashed Goulding's vocal flutter across a landscape of acoustic and synthesized instruments -- in March 2010. Lights topped the U.K. charts during its first week and spun off "Starry Eyed" as a Top Five single (it also charted well in Ireland and New Zealand). Later that year, the album was re-released as Bright Lights, featuring seven new recordings (including a cover of Elton John's "Your Song," which peaked at number two).
In 2012, Goulding returned with her sophomore album, Halcyon, which showcased an even more sonically adventurous, electro-pop-infused sound. In 2013, a deluxe reissue featuring ten extra songs was released; entitled Halcyon Days, it acted as a supplement to the original release. Two of its new songs, "Burn" and "How Long Will I Love You," were among her biggest hits. The following year, she was featured on Calvin Harris' Top Ten U.K. hit "Outside," participated in Band Aid 30's update of "Do They Know It's Christmas?," and entered the U.K. Top Ten once more with "Beating Heart," a song released on the soundtrack for Divergent. Another soundtrack single, "Love Me Like You Do," added to the success of Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015.
That same year, Goulding released her third studio album, Delirium, which featured collaborations with Max Martin, Greg Kurstin, and others. The pop-leaning Delirium included the single "On My Mind" and peaked at number three on the U.S. and U.K. charts. Goulding returned in 2017 on "First Time," a collaboration with electronic producer Kygo.
In 2018, Goulding joined Tap Management after almost a decade with First Access Management.[107] She appeared on a collaboration with Sean Paul on his Mad Love the Prequel EP titled "Bad Love", released on 29 June 2018.[108]
Goulding collaborated with Diplo and Swae Lee on the single "Close to Me", which was released on 24 October 2018.[109] On 1 January 2019, The Guardian reported that she has been working on her fourth album, set to release in the same year.[110] On 1 March, she released the next single "Flux".[111] She said regarding the album, "It's very much written by me".[112]
On 12 April 2019, Goulding released the single "Sixteen".[113] Goulding said of the single, "...That age was such a pivotal year for me in many ways and this song is so close to my heart. It takes me back to the reckless days of being a teenager and I hope it reminds us all about the innocence of youth."[114]
Goulding released "Hate Me" with American rapper Juice Wrld on 26 June 2019.[115][116] It was premiered by Zane Lowe as his 'World Record' on Beats 1.[117] In July, Goulding stated that her next material to be released would be the songs "Woman I Am" and "Start".[118] In November, she released her rendition of Joni Mitchell's Christmas song "River", which topped the UK Singles Chart, becoming her third UK number one single and the last UK number one song of the 2010s.[119]
On 13 March 2020, Goulding released the new single "Worry About Me" which was created in-collaboration with Blackbear.[120] In a radio interview with Heart the same month, she revealed that the album "kind of comes in two parts", adding that "the first side is something written entirely by me which was fun and I wrote most of it in New York when I was living there a few years back. I play the guitar and I play the bass and piano and then I'm singing a lot of vocals. It's very classically influenced because I love classical music. There's a lot going on, it's a big soundscape and one big film. The second half is my kind of alter ego songs."[121] On 21 May she released single "Power" and on 30 June single "Slow Grenade" with Lauv.
Goulding released her fourth studio album, Brightest Blue, on 17 July 2020. Originally scheduled for 5 June 2020, the album's release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The album debuted at the top of the UK Album Chart, becoming Goulding's third album to do so,[122] as well as at No. 2 in Scotland.[123] It reached the top 10 in Ireland[124] as well as the top 40 in over ten countries including Australia, Germany and the United States.
Goulding announced on an Instagram Q&A that she would be releasing new music which was not part of the Brightest Blue era at the end of January 2021.[125] On 21 January, she released a collaboration with electronic duo Silk City, titled "New Love".[126] On 30 September, Goulding performed "Anything Could Happen" as part of the opening ceremony for Expo 2020, held in Dubai.[127]
On 19 June 2022, Goulding performed at Rock in Rio in Lisbon, Portugal. After the concert, she announced that she would be releasing new music in July. The following day, she blacked out all her social media profiles.[128] Back in July 2021, during an interview with Joe Wicks, she described the forthcoming album as "a dance record. It's electronic pop, a dance thing from outer space".[129] On 4 July 2022, she announced the release of "Easy Lover" featuring Big Sean, which was released on 15 July.[130] The single did not enter the UK Singles Top 100, but peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart Top 100.[131] It was followed by "All by Myself", a collaboration between Goulding and producers Alok and Sigala, on 7 October.[132] Goulding released the single "Let It Die" along with its video on 19 October and announced the same day that her fifth studio album Higher Than Heaven would be released on 3 February 2023.[133][134]
On 22 March 2023, Goulding released the single "By The End Of The Night".[135][136]
Flashlight
Ellie Goulding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you played the thief and I played the fool
And I, I'll make you move, I'll make you move, I'll make you move
Spent so long crying over you, now I'm coming your way
Gonna make you move
Gonna make you move, I'll make you move, make you move
Tracing faces in the sand
I'll make you move, I'll make you move
I'll make you move
I'll make you run faster, faster, faster
Flashlight, flashlight
Get outta my way, get outta my way
'Cause I can't lose
I'll make you run faster, faster, faster
Flashlight, flashlight
Get outta my way, get outta my way
I'm coming through
I'll make you run, oh, I'll make you run, oh
I'll make you run, oh, I'll make you run, oh
Coming down on you with a flashing light
There's nowhere to run, baby, you can't hide
Gonna make you move, make you move, make you move
It's too late now the table's turned
There's no going back and you'll never learn
Unless I make you move
I'll make you move, I'll make you move
And you think I'm still broken hearted
But you will never win the war you started
You better open your eyes
Faster, faster, faster
Flashlight, flashlight
Get outta my way, get outta my way
'Cause I can't lose
I'll make you run faster, faster, faster
Flashlight, flashlight
Get outta my way, get outta my way
I'm coming through
And you think I'm still broken hearted
But you will never win the war you started
You better open your eyes
I'll make you run, I'll make you run, I'll make you run
I'll make you run, I'll make you run, I'll make you run
Faster, faster, faster
Flashlight, flashlight
Get outta my way, get outta my way
'Cause I can't lose
I'll make you run faster, faster, faster
Flashlight, flashlight
Get outta my way, get outta my way
I'm coming through
I'll make you run faster, faster, faster
Flashlight, flashlight
Get outta my way, get outta my way
'Cause I can't lose
I'll make you run faster, faster, faster
Flashlight, flashlight
Get outta my way, get outta my way
I'm coming through
Get outta my way, get outta my way
I'm coming through
The song Flashlight by Ellie Goulding is about a past relationship where the singer was hurt and left broken-hearted by her ex. The lyrics show a strong determination and desire for revenge as the singer seeks to make her ex-partner move and run faster as she comes at him with a flashing light, a metaphor for her own power and strength. In the beginning of the song, the singer reminisces about the time when her ex-partner played the thief and she was the foolish one who cared for him. She describes how she spent a long time crying over him, but now she is ready to turn the tables and make him move instead.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer wants to prove her ex-partner wrong as he thinks she is still broken-hearted and weak. She implies that he has started a war, and unless she makes him move, he will never learn. The music video shows Ellie Goulding as an all-powerful superhero figure shooting beams of light and using her strength to overpower her enemies. This further emphasizes the theme of empowerment and strength.
The song is uplifting and empowering, providing inspiration for anyone who has been hurt in a past relationship to take control of their own lives and move on. It is a message of hope for those who have been broken-hearted, reminding them that they are strong and can take control of their own future.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you remember boy when you were so cruel?
Do you recall how you mistreated me in the past?
When you played the thief and I played the fool
When you deceived me and I foolishly fell for it
And I, I'll make you move, I'll make you move, I'll make you move
I will compel you to act and react to me
Spent so long crying over you, now I'm coming your way
I have wasted a lot of time mourning our relationship and now I'm taking charge
Tracing faces in the sand, Now your dagger is in my hand
I have been reminiscing about our past while at the same time gaining power over you
I'll make you run faster, faster, faster, flashlight Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way 'cause I can't lose
I will force you to move faster and I won't let any obstacle stand in my way because failure is not an option
Coming down on you with a flashing light, There's nowhere to run Baby you can't hide and I'll make you move, I'll make you move, I'll make you move
I am descending on you with a symbolic flashlight and you cannot escape as I force you to take action
It's too late now the tables turned, There's no going back and you'll never learn Unless I make you move, I'll make you move, I'll make you move, I'll make you move
The tables have turned and there's no way back for you. You won't learn anything unless I force you to act
And you think I'm still broken hearted, But you will never win the war you've started You better run, run, run
You may believe that I am still heartbroken, but you cannot win this battle that you initiated. It's best you run and hide
I'll make you run oh, I'll make you run, oh
I will make you run, and there's no stopping me
Faster, faster, faster, flashlight Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way 'cause I can't lose
I need you to move faster, and I won't let anyone stand in my way because I cannot fail
And you think I'm still broken hearted, But you will never win the war you've started, You better open your eyes!
You're under the impression that I am still hurt from our past, but you shouldn't underestimate my power
I'll make you run, I'll make you run, I'll make you run, I'll make you run, I'll make you run, I'll make you run
I cannot emphasize enough how I will make you run until it's engraved in your mind
Get outta my way, get outta my way, I'm coming through
Move aside because I'm taking control
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Edward Stein, Elena Jane Goulding, George Astasio, Jason Andrew Pebworth, Jonathan Christopher Shave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@monie9605
Do you remember boy when you were so cruel?
When you played the thief and I played the fool.
Gonna make you move, I’ll make you move, make you move
Spent so long crying over you, now I’m coming your way
Gonna make you move
Gonna make you move, I’ll make you move, make you move
Tracing faces in the sand
Now your dagger is in my hand
I’ll make you move, I’ll make you move, I’ll make you move
I’ll make you run faster, faster, faster, flashlight
Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way
Cause I can’t lose.
I’ll make you run faster, faster, faster, flashlight
Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way
I’m coming through.
I’ll make you run oh, I’ll make you run oh
I’ll make you run oh, I’ll make you run oh
Coming down on you with a flashing light, there’s nowhere to run
Baby you can’t hide
Gonna make you move, make you move, make you move
It’s too late now the table’s turned, there’s no going back and you’ll never learn
Unless I make you move
I’ll make you move, I’ll make you move, I’ll make you move
And you think I’m still broken-hearted, but you’ll never win the war you started
You'll never open your eyes
I’ll make you run faster, faster, faster, flashlight
Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way
Cause I can’t lose.
I’ll make you run faster, faster, faster, flashlight
Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way
I’m coming through.
And you think I’m still broken-hearted but you will never win the war you started,
You'll never open your eyes
I’ll make you run, I’ll make you run, I’ll make you run, I’ll make you run, I’ll make you run, I’ll make you run
Faster, faster, faster, flashlight
Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way
Cause I can’t lose.
I’ll make you run faster, faster, faster, flashlight
Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way
I’m coming through.
I’ll make you run faster, faster, faster, flashlight
Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way
Cause I can’t lose.
I’ll make you run faster, faster, faster, flashlight
Flashlight, get outta my way, get outta my way
I’m coming through.
Get outta my way, get outta my way,
I’m coming through.
@TheGoldenApple115
Doesn't matter how old it is its still a great song:)
@samjeremy7028
true
@omgthedonny
This song is amazing !!!! DJ Fresh really did it on this one and Ellie's touches are simply perfect chemistry here
@SteveMatic
Serious pity this song hasn't got more views. This track out plays some of the biggest names, no doubt! 10 000 000 at LEAST! For shame. Sick track Fresh. keep 'em coming!
@Slenderwood
Still so incredible in 2021!
@Briansimon2
Finally more DnB! The previous stuff was good as well but I was really missing DJ Fresh's DnB.
@LindsayHands
Unfortunately this is a bit of an old track as it was featured on Halycon Days which was released about a year ago, and before Fresh started making those infamous "vs." tracks
@AugmentDJ
Ellie Goulding! Such a beautiful voice!
@aseltalantbekova05
I've been searching for this song for an eternity... Great song 👌
@tylertroughton
Love it 😍