Ellie Goulding Talks Ultra Fest: "I Want to Be at Ultra, But I Guess I Have to Be a DJ"

Is it nice when you hear from fans that they can relate to these things that you're going through?
Yeah, I like it. I like the idea that girls, even particularly teenage girls will see that it's kind of OK to feel like they are in love with someone. Or it's OK to feel like their heart's broken. Or it's OK to feel like they hate someone. I like making my music to sort of help with that stuff.

Before making this album, you were experiencing some massive writer's block. How did you overcome that?
I think when I met Jim Elliot and he caught the way that I wrote and he kind of eased me back into it. I didn't feel judged. I suppose he just made me feel really comfortable and I felt like I could write what I wanted to write. And slowly but surely, it kind of came back to me.



This record is a little sadder in its sound than your debut, and though it comes out positive, what do you think it is about trying emotional times that seem to open creative floodgates.
It's a way of alleviating the pain by writing it out and it makes you feel better that you've kind of validated it. When you write things down, you can just figure it out a bit more. And sadness really does make the best songs.

So, you must have been to Miami at least for vacation before, right?
Yeah, I've never played. But I've done radio stuff and I did actually do two random things: I performed for Richard Branson at his Virgin birthday party and I did this documentary a couple of years ago for Sobe, a drink like Vitamin Water, and I did a documentary about the beach and fitness and tattoos and all of this sort of, like, plastic Miami stuff. And yeah, it was good fun.

What was it like at Branson's party? That sounds crazy.

Yeah, it was insane. I thought that they were the best fireworks I'd ever seen in my life, but then I performed in Dubai on New Year's Eve and I realized that nothing was ever going to beat those ever again.

What do you think of Miami? You mentioned our plastic culture, for sure. But what about the music scene?
I don't know. When I was at the beach there were these dudes handing out CDs and like rapping in the street and stuff. I thought that was pretty cool. Something you wouldn't see in London, anyway. It's cool, like, Miami's got a really nice side. I spent time there during Ultra with some good friends of mine and, I guess, now ex-boyfriend, we hung out there. And actually, it was an amazing time. I want to be at Ultra, but I guess I have to be a DJ.

Nah, they've been incorporating more live acts. You should get at them.
Yeah, maybe. I'd like that. I'll ask my manager and see what he says. "I want to DJ Ultra, I want to be on the big stage." And he'll be like, "No, everyone will think you're like Paris Hilton all over again."

Well, what can we expect from your show at the Fillmore?
I guess a combination of old and new songs is all I can say really, but it's pretty energetic show. We don't like to let anyone down. We go for it. My shows are always fun in some shape or form, something always happens. It's a different show every night. I'm excited.

Ellie Goulding. Wednesday, January 16. Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. and tickets cost $28 plus fees via livenation.com. Call 305-673-7300 or visit fillmoremb.com.

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