Tonight, Ellie Goulding hits the stage to open for Katy Perry at Madison Square Garden. Instead of shaking out the pre-concert jitters, Ellie sat down to answer some questions, including her top on-stage look, how she feels about all those remixes of her already epic song,
Starry-Eyed, and her most current, rocking playlist. She may have her favorites, but she's definitely one of ours!
Tell us about what's going on with your career right now! Any new projects on the horizon?
"Right now I'm on tour with Katy Perry, which is amazing fun, I've started writing the new album, which I'm excited about, and I will be playing at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo in December. Life is good!"
What are your favorite venues to play in NY?
"Terminal 5 was the best venue I've played so far—it was so exciting to sell out such a prestigious venue. I'd heard about so many other bands before me playing there and never thought I'd play there myself. Cannot wait to play Madison Square Garden tonight."
What are some new artists that you've been listening to lately— any British stars we might not know of?
"Wild Beasts and Anna Calvi are two newer acts that I'm loving, and Burial is an old British favorite."
How does your style differ on and off stage? Explain both.
"It's completely different for me. On stage I like to dress up and that's my time to wear stuff that I usually wouldn't ever wear. There's definitely more freedom on stage, it's your show and your moment and you can express yourself as much as you want. Off stage I tend to be quite a tomboy and sporty because I spend a lot of time keeping fit. I like looking good whenever I can but it's also nice to be as comfortable as possible. I do love lounging in pajamas when I get the chance."
What's your favorite thing to wear on stage?
"A really tight body suit and some cute shorts or hot pants with a good pair of platform heels and maybe a military jacket to top it off."
What artist working today would you most like to collaborate with?
"Drake is one definitely. I would also love to do something with The Weeknd."
How do you feel about all the remixes made from your songs? Is it frustrating or flattering to see people mess with your stuff?
"It's always flattering and really stimulating to see my music used like that. I listen to all the remixes!"
Who would you say are some of your favorite icons, both musically and style-wise?
"Rihanna, Bjork, and Robyn are all amazing style icons and performers."
If you could have a theme song, what would it be?
"It would be the final minute and a half of 30:55 by Ólafur Arnalds—totally epic."
How does the music scene differ from London to New York?
"I think there's a fair bit of similarity between London and New York, but I'd say there's a lot more underground dub-step and bass music in London."
Any pre or post-concert rituals/ superstitions?
"I have to do my 10 press-ups before the show and my band and I do a little chant before we go on, too. Post-concert I have to warm down my voice and drink tea."
What's your current must-know playlist?
"The Weeknd-
What You Need
SBTRKT ft. Little Dragon -
Wildfire (RMX ft. Drake)
M83 –
Midnight City
Active Child –
Hanging On
Robyn –
Call Your Girlfriend
"
Photo: Courtesy of For The Win Media