Much like her predecessors Kate Bush and Imogen Heap, British vocalist Ellie Goulding stands at the forefront of independent-minded mainstream pop. With her unique soprano and knack for writing catchy yet emotionally earnest songs, Goulding quickly rose to the top of the U.K. charts with her breakthrough 2012 debut, Lights. Her folk-inflected electronic pop sound increasingly drew from electronic influences, touching upon dance music and ambient synth pop by her third studio album, 2015's Delirium. It hit the Top Ten in over a dozen countries, including the U.S., and led to collaborations with dance artists including Kygo and Diplo. Born in Hereford, England, Goulding later moved to the country's east coast to study drama at the University of Kent. She had developed a love for folk music as a teenager, and her time at university also exposed her to electronica.
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 blended acoustic and synthesized instruments on her first studio full-length, Lights, which was released in March 2010. The debut 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).