COVER STORY

She's played for Obama at theWhite House, she was Williamand Kate's musician of choice forthe royal wedding celebrations,and her single Lights has beenawarded multi-platinum status.

Now, on the brink of releasing her secondalbum, Ellie Goulding is looking remarkablyunfazed for someone who's been throughsuch a swift rise to success.The 25-year-old is wearing very little make-

up and is casually dressed in a distressedblack top and denim shorts, her hair iscoloured a faded shade of pink and still bearsthe traces of an undercut, and a half-finishedhot chocolate sits next to a empty glass ofCoke, evidence of the fact that she's just beenthrough a gruelling day of interviews.Somehow, she's still energetic.This boundless energy seems to be the key to

Goulding's success; she combines her careerwith a serious passion for running - she does,on average, six miles a day, even when touring.She could even be described as giddy.Being fit has its advantages; for her recent

single Anything Could Happen, she opted todo her own stunts."I was strapped into a harness and a massive

crane lifted me up over a cliff, so I was suspend-ed over a beach in Malibu. It was really scary,but I was determined to do it," she says.Recently, Goulding has been spending more

and more time in America, having previouslydated Greg James, a BBCRadio 1DJ, she is nowin a relationship with the electronic musicianSkrillex, who is based in LA."I'm used to being in a long-distance relation-

ship now. It's given me a type of independencethat I haven't experienced in a long time."It suits me fine because we're both working

really hard."Music may be the driving force in Goulding's

life at the moment, but the singer, who studieddrama at Canterbury, admits that acting is stillsomething that she'd like to pursue. "I've got anacting agent. I just haven't had time to do any-thing, I'd need some more training, but I'veacted my whole life, since I was very young."

6 FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER 2012

Ellie Goulding talks toCatriona Gray abouther love of Dingle,running and herextraterrestial beliefs

And her ideal role? "I'd like to be in a play;ideally something a bit surreal. I'd like to be ina really dark comedy, like Nighty Night [a BBCsitcom]."I'd love to be a really dark character."Goulding clearly has a strong interest in act-

ing: "I love film; I adore it. Braveheart, I'm afraidto say, is my favourite film of all time. There'ssomething about the story that just complete-ly captures me; it's really historically inaccuratebut I could watch it over and over. I know thewhole script."

She's also got a bit of an addiction toperiod dramas. Following her splitfrom then-boyfriend Greg in December,

she went to Thailand over Christmaswith friends, including fellow British singerJessie J."I found The Forsyte Saga in one of the rooms

and I was like 'see you guys' and watched thewhole thing."In Thailand. In beautiful weather. Idiot."Indeed, although it's easy to label Goulding

as a cookie-cutout pop star; with her catalogueof upbeat, radio-friendly hits like Starry Eyedand Under the Sheets, in person, she comesacross as earnest, and surprisingly reflective."I think so hard about the universe and

things, but I don't want to freak people out bybeing too intense."But that's how I am as a writer, I think a lot.

I wouldn't be able to be a writer if I didn't thinka lot. It sounds really simple but it's true:'Ireland is one of Goulding's favourite places,

offering her much-needed space to get somewriting done."I love Ireland. I wrote the majority of the lyri-

cal content for Halcyon in Dingle. I don't knowwhy I haven't mentioned it before, it's such animportant aspect of the album, but I wrote somuch of it in Dingle."I told my manager that I wanted a trip away

and just went. While I was there, I got into rou-tine of going running, then coming back, hav-ing a bit of food, reading a book, writing,

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COVER STORY ELLlE GOULOING

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playing guitar and seeing friends who livedthere. It was the best."I wish I could do that every day of my life and

then write this insanely good album."She breaks off and laughs, pushing a strand

of hair away from her face. "Although I'm pret-ty pleased with Halcyon!"Just last week, Gouiding was in Dubiin, per-

forming a special gig for Arthur's Day, alongsideMika and Professor Green.The singer has spent quite a bit of time in the

capital over the past few years: "I love Dublin.It's my vibe; I love just chiliing in pubs."The city is really beautiful, it's almost like a

non-pressured London. I feel like there's a pres-sure coming down on London, everyone's justcrazy. You're so aware of the rat race and howpeople don't communicate or even look at eachother. Dublin seems really alive."

you get the impression that Goulding isuncomfortable with the trappings offame.

It's clear that she has passion for electronicmusic but admits that she isn't able to go club-bing much: "I'd like to, but I get recognised."Still, she's quick to admit how lucky she is:

"I've got really good fans - they're so nice.They know that I love sweets and tea so they'veturned up at radio stations with stuff."Goulding might seem down-to-earth, but

that may be the wrong phrase to use, given thestar's belief in the extraterrestrial."I'm supposedly Jewish, I'm supposedly

part of the Illuminati, a scientologist, all thisstuff, because I've got a red triangle tattooedon my wrist:'Sowhat is the real meaning of her tattoo? "I'm

not sure yet. When I got it, I thought 'why didI get that doner; but I think it will all make senseeventually. It's also the thing you get whenyou've been abducted by aliens, the mark youcome back with."When asked if she believes in aliens, Gould-

ing is emphatic: "Yes. It's common sense. Ibelieve in extraterrestrial life. I believe it's real-ly ignorant to think that we're the only livingthings in the universe.

"I suppose I did have a rough childhood inmany ways, but I've never seen it negatively, it'salways been something that's made me theperson lam."I have friends who had very privileged child-

hoods and I see things in them that I wouldn'tperhaps want to have."Or perhaps they see things in me that they

wouldn't want to have; I'm very vulgar, I swear,I smoke, things I've picked up from my parents.But I think I've gained qualities like beinggrateful, never taking anything for granted,being careful with money, stuff like that."With her life currently an endless whirl of

recording, promotion, and touring, these qual-ities are certainly coming in useful.One thing's for sure, Goulding's career is

showing no signs of slowing down.Faced with so much uncertainty, the star

seems content to just go with the flow; "My lifeturns corners all the time. I'm travellingthe world for the next year, after that, whoknows? I never know where things are going totake me."

Chilled out: Ellie Goulding performing in Dingle, where she says the majority of Halcyon waswritten and, below, with her new boyfriend, US musician Skrillex

ELTONJOHNThe former chairman ofWatford football club, EltonJohn has always been adedicated follower. He's alsogot a thing for tennis and runsthe annual

1 SmashHitscelebritytennismatch toraisemoneyfor theEltonJohnAidsfoundation.

AUCECOOPERBeating JustinTimberlake with ahandicap of 5.3, therock star hascheerfully citedgolf as replacingalcohol as his drugof choice. Heeven wrote abook on thesubject - AliceCooper,GolfMonster: A Rock'n'Roller's 12 StepstoBecoming a GolfAddict.

"It's just foolish. I've read up on it and Idon't understand why people still don't believe."Maybe it's because the word 'aliens' scares

people."Although now her life is undeniably

glamorous - upcoming plans include a hand-ful of US tour dates and shooting her nextmusic video - it couldn't be more different fromher childhood, growing up in a tiny councilhouse in Herefordshire, England.Her parents divorced when she was five,

and she never got on with her stepfather. HaLcyon is reLeased today

WALK THIS WAY: MUSICIANS WHO LOVE SPORTEllie Goulding is known for her keen interest in running. She's not the only musician to love sport; for many stars, keeping fit is something of an addiction

JUSTINTIMBERLAKEA man of many talents;as if combining musicwith acting wasn'tenough, JT shootshoops for the NBAEntertainment Leagueand has had along-running passionfor golf. Having playedthe sport since he wasa child, he now has a6-handicap and evenowns his own golfcourse inTennessee.

8 FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER 2012

GWENSTEFANIThe NoDoubtsingersays thatshe is'more likeaman'whenit comes toexercise; she's afan of boxing and weightliftingas opposed to yoga and pilates.She's also a keen skier, going onfamily skiing holidays withhusband Gavin Rossdale andsons Kingston and Zuma.

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