Exclusive || Ellie Goulding: Sad that I haven’t been able to visit India for longer duration

It was in 2016 that British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding took the stage to perform at a wedding in Udaipur, Rajasthan. However, she regrets not being able to explore the country much at the time, and hence, is going all out to make an India visit a reality soon.

The Grammy-nominated singer looks back at the memory with fondness. “First, I would like to share that I would love to spend some more time in India. I am so sad that I haven’t been able to come for longer than I have,” says Goulding, who has come out with a song, Easy Lover, after two years.

The singer continues, “When I was there, unfortunately, I wasn’t very well. I think I had the flu. So, I wasn’t able to really take in as much as I wanted to. But I remember seeing all these beautiful palaces, including the one on the huge lake. It was mind blowingly beautiful”.

Goulding, with hits such as Love Me Like You Do, Lights, Starry Eyed and Anything Could Happen, and more to her credit, wants to come back to rewrite new memories in the country.

“I would love to come back. I know that a lot of people are influenced by Indian music, and it’s really special and unique and beautiful. I feel by coming and spending more time in India, I would have a truly life changing experience,” she says.

The singer is sad that she still hasn’t been able to meet her fans in India in person. “I would love to see my fans. I haven’t ever been able to meet them in person, unless they come here. I really want to make that happen. I’m honestly going to make it happen soon,” she puts with a promise.

Goulding’s first tryst with music started as a way for her to have confidence. After starting the industry in her early 20s, she got the notes right, catapulting to fame as a rising star, going on to release over 15 million albums. In the past few years, her life has changed drastically, from marriage to baby to the pandemic experience.

“Ever since I had my son, it has made me an emotional person, and even more fragile. At the same time, I think of myself as a feminist, and a strong person at the same time… All of that together helps me keep growing as an artist”.

In fact, she admits that her evolution reflects in the song, Easy Lover, on which she started working five years back. She has collaborated with Big Sean for the single.

“When I recorded the song, I remember thinking that my voice had definitely changed a bit since I had been touring for a long time. I remember Greg Kurstin (producer) saying, ‘I didn’t know your voice was so husky’. But I feel like I got to express myself in quite a big way on that song with my voice… The song is quite timeless. I can still imagine writing that song now, even though I wrote it five years back,” she says, adding, “With the upcoming album. I am celebrating myself more as a pop writer”.