GOULDING ON HER INSECURITIES
I thought I had a big nose, weird hair, not a great figure.. and my voice was odd
“When I was a kid, I was just a nerd and I would play guitar every single night. I’d download tabs off the internet and just play.” It certainly paid off – she’s now best pals with Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran and counts Wills and Kate as friends.
Now she’s looking forward to the release of a new album in June and says her favourite song on it is about learning to accept yourself as you are.
“New Heights is about finding a place in your life where you’ve reached a level that you have a lot of love for yourself and realise you don’t need to rely on other people for your own happiness.
“It’s about reaching a state of euphoria where you’re like, ‘Wow, there’s a whole other world out there if I change the way that I think.’ I’m really proud of that one.”
In the past she’s written songs about relationship break-ups and her own experiences, but this album is different.
“Right now I just want to release music for fun – songs I really enjoy singing,” she says. “It gives me a different personality that I like. It’s like I’m acting. I can sing in a way where I don’t get insecure about my lyrics or the way I’m performing, I don’t get too over-emotional, I’m just enjoying it.
“It’s kind of like an alter ego and it’s really fun. It’s like actors playing crazy characters when they’re actually just normal people.”
Back in the real world, Ellie does quizzes with Caspar to pass the time, plays with their cat Wallace, listens to classical music for inspiration and – just like most of us – eats a lot. She says: “I just can’t stop,” she says. “I ate so much yesterday I’m doing a fast day today.”
The fitness-mad singer has also been working out daily, and says: “I find it really hard to have a good day unless I have training in the morning.”
Now she’s looking forward to the end of lockdown. She says: “I was really unsociable before this. As lovely as my friends are, I was just keeping to myself.
“Now I want to eat out. I want to go to a thousand concerts. I want to go and mingle. I just want to hug everyone.”
Marriage is fun. If you find someone you are going to be with for life, then get married
ELLIE ON LOVING HER NEW LIFE WITH CASPAR WHO KEEPS HER GROUNDED