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Starting 2014 as she means to go on, our favourite Hereford born singer-songwriter is back with “Goodness Gracious”, the third single lifted from her album re-release Halcyon Days.
Straying away from the balladry of Children In Need’s “How Long Will I Love You” and taking influence from the worldwide hit “Burn“, Goulding’s new single is sheer pop bliss: bubbly and playful synth paired with her layers of eclectic vocals make for a satisfying result. The video for Goodness Gracious, dropped January 5th, is riddled with trippy effects and neon lights: when sparklers, blacklights or illuminated shoes aren’t lighting up beaches and parties, her sequins certainly are. This Goulding feels a million miles away from penning Halcyon’s very own “My Blood” but is equally as impressive. She’s proving her versatility and craft as an artist, something which is crucial to stand the test of time.
Her new single was co-penned by Fun.’s very own Nate Ruess, who offered up rather strategically manipulated backing vocals throughout. The song spins a tale of Goulding’s inability to shake off an ex-lover: it’s honest, it’s tried & tested and it’s commercial but simultaneously manages to be “kooky” and different enough to stand out amongst the hoardes of potential chart toppers. She looks and sounds a million dollars right now and, given her recent string of successes in America, she’s probably not far off. With bigger budgets comes better production and this is the kind of video you want to watch on a big screen and hear very, very loudly.
Gone are the days of Ellie sitting in fields, lamenting the mistakes of her relationships. 2013 brought her every success – awards, recognition, her biggest single to date, the announcement of a UK arena tour as well as plenty more overseas. Her hard work is finally paying off and it looks as though she’s set to let her hair down and have some fun. Halcyon finally reached the #1 spot at the end of last year, sixty five weeks after its release, and remained in the charts as 2014’s first number one album. With Lights debuting at #1, and her sophomore record now selling just shy of 700k copies on these shores, Goulding was named as the best selling UK female artist of 2013. Her accolades have been extended to this year as she lassoed two impressive Brit Award nominations for Best British Female and Best British Single. She stands in good stead to take home both awards against tough competition.
“Goodness Gracious” is a well-chosen, if not slightly predictable, next single to be taken from Halcyon Days. It’s fun, it’s well produced, it’s good pop and, arguably most importantly, it’s accessible. Ellie Goulding will undoubtedly go from strength to strength in 2014 so if you’re not already on this packed bandwagon then hop on, find a space and hang on for your life. I intend to.
Halcyon Days is out now. Tickets for her remaining shows are available here.
