IN CONVERSATION WITH ELLIE GOULDING

interview by JANA LETONJA
photography by RONAN PARK

Global pop powerhouse Ellie Goulding returns with her mesmerising new single Destiny, marking a new era for her with first solo release since her chart-topping 2023 album Higher Than Heaven. Produced by Jack Rochon and co-written with Kurtis Wells and Livvi Franc, the track is a sultry, cinematic piece of pop that merges ethereal vocals with lush, atmospheric production. Fifteen years after her debut Lights introduced her as one of pop’s most distinctive voices, Ellie continues to evolve, delivering music that’s as emotionally resonant as it is sonically adventurous. With Destiny, she steps into a new chapter defined by strength, surrender, and the power of letting go. We caught up with her behind the scenes while filming the Destiny’s music video. 

‘Destiny’ feels like such an intimate yet expansive song. What inspired you, and where were you emotionally?

When I wrote ‘Destiny’, I was caught between heartbreak and emancipation. I knew I was on the cusp of something new, an elevation of sorts, because I’d been through so much pain at the end of my marriage. That kind of experience forces you to grow. The song became an expression of surrender, not sadness or violence. It felt like falling, but falling toward something greater.

You've described the track as a catharsis and a triumphant moment of freedom. Please. Can you tell us more about that feeling of liberation behind it?

It’s the first time I’ve truly used music to lift myself out of pain. I needed creativity more than ever, I was desperate for expression. But this time, it wasn’t about sobbing through a song or escaping into a dance track like I’ve done before. It was about feeling exactly what I needed to feel. Writing ‘Destiny’ felt like smoking through pain. Not avoiding it, not attacking it, just existing with it. It helped me use that energy to elevate myself. As an artist, it feels like the beginning of a new chapter and a new way of expressing myself in pop. I think it's the first time. 

The addition of the choir and the strings at the end is absolutely stunning. How did that idea evolve during the creative process?

I've always had an affinity for classical music since my granddad gave me a classical 2d when I was ten or eleven. I'd only really listened to electronic music growing up, because my mum and my uncle were just into rave and electronic music growing up, a lot of mixtapes. I'd already heard those classical elements in the electronic songs, but to then discover classical, and to hear it raw for the first time, I just truly didn't know anything about classical music. It awakened something in me and then it started. It really was like the beginning of my journey as a musician. 

So naturally, I've always wanted to use those elements in my music and for me, it's like one of the oldest styles of music. When I hear choirs, when I hear orchestras, there's something about that combination of elements that feels so cathartic and powerful. So, I really believe that even in pop music, that's really important. 

You've said that destiny sounds like surrender. How does that sense of acceptance show up in your life right now?

There’s really no other option but acceptance when you’re moving through grief. You can’t get rid of it, you carry it. The only thing to do is use it, as a tool, as fuel.

It’s freeing to put that into my music in a way I hadn’t before. I’m not avoiding heavy topics anymore, I’m embracing them. At this point, I don’t feel I have much to lose artistically. I’ve always experimented, and I think this album shows that I’ve surrendered the need to be “cool” or “relevant.” I don’t put as much weight on criticism now, and that’s its own kind of peace.

You mentioned in the song the prize was me all along. That's such a powerful statement. What do you hope fans take away from that message?

It’s about knowing you deserve something great, because we all do. There’s this British tendency to downplay our achievements, to avoid celebrating ourselves in case it makes others uncomfortable. But I think we need to celebrate each other, especially as women. After everything I’ve been through — as a woman, a mother, a wife, a partner — I’ve realized it’s okay to believe that I deserve good things too. That lyric is about reclaiming that feeling, and at this point in my career, I know one of those prizes is me.

You've worked with the visionary director Floria for the video. What was your vision for bringing destiny to life visually?

I wanted it to feel wild and charged, exactly how I felt at the time. I trusted Floria completely. Once she understood that I’d written ‘Destiny’ at the end of my marriage and during the beginning of a sexual awakening, she just got it. I wanted sensuality, honesty, and intensity. Something memorable. My boyfriend stars in the video, though we weren’t together when we filmed it. He’s a brilliant actor and made me feel completely at ease, which let me be fully myself on set.

How involved were you in the creative process around the destiny video? As you've shot many videos. At this point in your career, is it something that you enjoy doing?

I enjoy them now more than ever. At the start of my career, I was so self-conscious, worried about how I looked, what I was wearing. I couldn’t bear to see my own face on camera. Over time, I stopped caring in the best possible way. I learned to play a character, to sink into the performance like I do on stage. I’m an anxious person day-to-day, but when I’m performing, nothing can touch me.

My rule now is simple. Don’t care how people perceive you. Just honor yourself as a performer. There’s no room for self-consciousness in art. Once you let go of that, you become unstoppable.

You've spoken in the past about your love of visual art and how it inspires your music. Did you feel inspired by any particular visual artist when planning this video? And the visuals around destiny?

I’m constantly inspired by the art around me. In my bedroom alone, I have works by Rachel Kneebone, Tracey Emin, Raymond Pettibon, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Elisa Breyer. Their presence reminds me of strength, sensuality, and honesty, all things I wanted reflected in ‘Destiny’. This era has also been inspired by incredible contemporary female artists like Louise Giovanelli and Ileana Szasz. Their work carries a kind of feminine energy and freedom that I wanted to capture visually.

Fans are already speculating this could be the start of a new era. Can you share a hint about what's coming next musically?

For this album, I went back to guitar and bass, back to being a musician first. Every song was built from that foundation, which gave the record a real sense of honesty and structure. The sound is shaped by my collaboration with Jack Rusch, who I first found on Instagram when he was making trap beats in Toronto. Now he’s working with Beyoncé. We’ve both evolved so much, and this album feels like the culmination of that shared growth.

And finally, destiny represents this moment in your life. What do you hope your next chapter of sound feels like?

I started a classical project a couple of years ago with two great friends, and I’d love to finish it. I want to make film soundtracks and train my voice further. I’ve always flirted with operatic styles in songs like ‘Explosions’ and ‘My Blood’, and that influence shows up again on ‘Destiny’. I think I have the potential to explore that world properly, and it excites me. It feels like the next step, a new challenge that ties everything together.