Listen to Ellie Goulding’s Lights on Apple Music and Spotify. No one’s doubting the talent and hard graft that got her there, but the events that led to the release of her debut album, Lights, are characterized by determination and a hefty dash of good fortune – as befitting, perhaps, for this era’s first-in-line princess of pop.

Brightest Blue brings out the best in Goulding with vulnerability, experimentation and cross-genre collaborations.Sometimes a journey to stardom appears to be a thing of storybook magic, and, while there’s no doubt Ellie Goulding has more than paid her dues, her rise to the top does have a hint of the fairytale about it. There’s a reason Ellie Goulding is always playing on the radio her unmistakable voice, memorable lyrics and synth-pop infused sound make for incredible music. The main part of the album ends pleasantly on its namesake and the song flows and feels like sung poetry, with emotional and striking lyrics like “ I was lost and now I’m found/ Fell off the merry-go-round/ I was in the politics/ Obsessed with things I couldn’t fix” and “Even in the calmest seas/ Now it’s all I wanna be/ A semi-precious mystery/ Yeah I love me more than you/ Doesn’t mean I can’t be true” accompanied by a simple, yet entrancing melody. Both singles reached pop chart status and have more of that infectious sound and unique voice that is distinctly Goulding. A couple more notable moments on the project include the previously released singles “Hate Me,” featuring the late rapper Juice Wrld, and “Close To Me” featuring DJ Diplo and rapper Swae Lee. Most of the features on the album showcase that style, including the bright and bubbly song “Slow Grenade” featuring American producer and singer Lauv, and moody track “Worry About Me,” which features up and coming hip-hop artist Blackbear. People get a taste of Goulding’s signature style on songs like “Tides” that offer an upbeat tune with some experimental EDM thrown into the mix. Later in the album listeners get more of that slowed-down soft pop on “New Heights” with lyrics such as “Reaching these new heights/ Love without someone else feels right/ Love for myself in this new light/ There’s something much deeper inside” that explore the sensitivity and strength it takes to reach self love.

It’s a quiet, more ballad-like tune with a pretty piano melody and some hypnotic background vocals and noises.

The project opens on a track frankly titled “Start” and features experimental musician Josiah Wise, known by the stage name serpentwithfeet.

Best ellie goulding albums