Ellie Goulding Finds 'Euphoria' in Running and Cocktails -- Top 100 Acts at SXSW

Nominated for two BRIT Awards this year, including Best Female Solo Artist, Ellie Goulding had an amazing 2010 in her native UK. Now she's ready to repeat her success in the US, starting with an appearance at SXSW this March. Spinner spoke to Goulding about some of her New Year's resolutions, how she mixes Beyonce, Bjork and Ani DiFranco into her sound, and why she badly wants male listeners.

In a video interview on your website, you talk about learning about the opposite sex through your writing. What are some of the things you found out about?

I find male singers and what they sing about fascinating. It makes me realize how little we know about ourselves and how little I know about myself. It's interesting to see the male perspective. I'd like a male to listen to my music and find it kind of fascinating, what a girl goes through when they get heartbroken or get sad or get hurt by something.

You're a big runner. What's on your workout playlist?

At the moment I like a new drum-and-bass guy called Nero. He's got this really good club track called 'Me and You.' And then I listen to Bjork a lot when I run. She's got a lot of running songs. I listen to Arcade Fire. I've been listening to Starsmith, who produced my album. He's got some really good running tracks. Rihanna I've been listening to a little bit, and then there are some smaller bands I like, like a band called Middle East I quite like. I did a play list for Nike -- it was like remixes of my songs, people like Alex from Metric, Jakwob, so that was a good running play list.

Besides running, another New Year's resolution of yours was to drink good cocktails. Have you found any good ones yet?

I had some amazing ones in Sri Lanka. I had a Burnt Almond. I love almonds, and it was really creamy, so it was perfect. I had a peach one the other night, and I just saw a cocktail that involves milk and cereal, like Kellogg's Corn Flakes. I'm really tempted. It's an alcoholic's dream really -- you can have it for breakfast.

Was there a first album or show that set you on the path towards music?

When I heard Bjork's debut, that was when I first realized that I could be a singer, even with my unusual voice. I also loved Destiny's Child, Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill. I liked soulful voices in the beginning, but then I started listening to Feist, Bjork, Imogen Heap, Ani DiFranco, Patty Griffin and all kinds of stuff like that, more kind of folky stuff, Stevie Nicks. I went from listening to stuff that was slightly more mainstream maybe, the R&B, then I started listening to stuff that was perhaps a little bit more obscure.

That's a lot of styles. How do you feel they come together in your music?

There's a little bit of them in me because obviously I've listened to them so much. It would be impossible for there not to be a slight imprint in there. Lauryn Hill is quite political and is very bold and isn't afraid of wearing her heart on her sleeve, and same with Bjork, except she is a little bit more kind of fragile. So yeah, there are definitely elements of all of those singers on my album.

Tell us about the song 'Starry Eyed.'

It's a mixture of things, little memories from my childhood, and it's [about] having intimacy with someone or sharing something like an experience and being in a euphoric state. 'Starry Eyed' is just everybody feeling the same thing, nothing else really matters. Everything goes out the window when you're in this state that I'd like to be in all the time. It's a feeling of euphoria, really.

Catch Ellie Goulding's SXSW Set on Wednesday, March 16 at The Bat Bar (218 E 6th St.) 12AM, and Thursday, March 17 at Klub Krucial (614 E 6th St.) 11PM.



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