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]
Joy
Ellie Goulding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel a lump in my throat
And this is far from joy, ooh, ooh, hey
I never seemed to learn
That high makes things harder
That high I get from you, ooh, ooh, oh
I know I'll always ache with an empty heart
I think it's time to run 'cause I'm seeing stars
I'm seeing stars, watch me fall apart
I think of dying all the time
But I've got joy to take my side
Fear is my favorite ride, ooh, hey, oh
I've figured out that joy is not in your arms
I know I'll always ache with an empty heart
I think it's time to run 'cause I'm seeing stars
I'm seeing stars, watch me fall apart
Oh, and then you'll see, ooh
I've figured out that joy is not in your arms
I know I'll always ache with an empty heart
I think it's time to run 'cause I'm seeing stars
I'm seeing stars, watch me fall apart
Ooh, hey
Ooh, oh, yeah
Hey, ooh
The lyrics of Ellie Goulding's song "Joy" express the complexities of a turbulent relationship. The opening lines of the song paint a forlorn image of the singer standing in the rain and watching her lover leave, which brings her to the brink of tears. The use of the phrase "far from joy" in this context suggests that while she may have once believed that being with this person brought her happiness, now she realizes that it only leads to heartache.
The chorus accentuates this realization, as she acknowledges that "joy is not in your arms" and that being with this person only results in emptiness and pain. However, she also confesses that, despite the hurt, she is unable to let go of the "high" that she gets from being with them. The second verse further reveals the inner turmoil of the singer, where she admits to contemplating death, yet finds solace in the feeling of fear that accompanies it, which is contradictory to what the song's title suggests, "Joy".
Overall, "Joy" is a poignant expression of love, loss and emotional turmoil, where the singer acknowledges the struggles involved in letting go of the high brought on by the intensity of her passionate emotions. It reflects a universal experience of navigating the complexities of love and trying to find joy while battling with the pain of heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Stood in the rain and watched you go
I was sad and heartbroken when I watched you go in the rain.
I feel a lump in my throat
I have a tight feeling in my throat that is making it hard to breathe or speak due to the pain of you leaving.
And this is far from joy, ooh, ooh, hey
Contrary to what should bring me happiness, i.e., being with you, I'm suffering and it's very far from joy.
I never seemed to learn
Despite my past experiences, I never seem to learn how destructive being high is for me.
That high makes things harder
The euphoria or high I experience in your company leads to difficulties and severe heartache when you're not around.
That high I get from you, ooh, ooh, oh
The high I experience is due to being with you and it's addictive, but it's not good for my emotional health.
I've figured out that joy is not in your arms
I now understand that my happiness doesn't lie solely in being with you.
I know I'll always ache with an empty heart
I understand that even when I'm with you, I'll still feel emotionally empty inside.
I think it's time to run 'cause I'm seeing stars
The emotions you evoke in me are overwhelming, and I need to get away from you.
I'm seeing stars, watch me fall apart
The intensity of these feelings is causing me to lose control and fall apart.
I think of dying all the time
My emotional pain is so unbearable that I'm constantly thinking of death or ending it all.
But I've got joy to take my side
Despite my struggles, I have inner strength and happiness to draw on to help me through.
Fear is my favorite ride, ooh, hey, oh
I thrive on fear, and it's become almost enjoyable for me to feel it, even though it's harmful.
Oh, and then you'll see, ooh
One day, you'll understand the pain that I'm going through, and how much you've contributed to it.
Ooh, hey
An exclamation of emotion indicating that she's feeling strong emotions due to the pain she's experiencing.
Ooh, oh, yeah
An emotional interjection showing acknowledgment and agreement with her internal feelings.
Hey, ooh
An emotional interjection showing emotional intensity due to the pain being experienced.
Lyrics © Global Talent Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Elena Jane Goulding, James Christopher Eliot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Milena Donis
on Love Me Like You Do - From "Fifty Shades of Grey"
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