ELLIE GOULDING'S DELIRIOUS YEAR

Polydor U.K. artist Ellie Goulding looks set to release the biggest album of her career with the recently announced Delirium, out on 11/6 and via Martin Kierszenbaum’s Cherrytree/Interscope in the U.S. Credits for the set read like a who’s-who of pop songwriting royalty, with names like Max Martin, Ryan Tedder and Greg Kurstin involved. Polydor chief Ferdy Unger-Hamilton is hoping Delirium will transform Goulding into a global pop artist.

It’s looking good so far, the LP’s first single “On My Mind”, written with Martin, is the greatest gainer on Shazam in the U.S. and U.K since being released on Friday. At U.K. radio, the single has had over 850 plays and is in the top 25 airplay charts. Over here, the track has had over 1,500 spins in its first two days of release. On the streaming side of things, the single has had 3 million streams worldwide in three days and is in the Top 20 most streamed tracks in the world on Spotify. The accompanying Emil Nava directed video has had over 2.6m views. Pre-orders for Delirium debuted at #5 on U.K. iTunes on the day of launch.

Unger-Hamilton has once again taken the A&R reins for Goulding’s ambitious new 22-track set. Her prior two albums, 2012’s Halcyon and 2010’s Lights, hit #1 in the U.K., the latter certified triple platinum there and the former double platinum. Halcyon also cracked the Top 10 in the U.S., where it was certified gold. The British siren has had two #1 U.K. hits, 2013’s “Burn” and “Love Me Like You Do” from this year’s Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack.

“It’s always about artist development for Ellie, and she’s going to go from being a secret star to a global star with this record." — Ferdy Unger-Hamilton

Goulding signed to Polydor in 2009 after her manager, Turn First’s Jamie Lillywhite (who co-manages alongside Cassandra Gracey), took her in to see Unger-Hamilton. She’d already written around half of her first LP, including second single “Starry Eyed” which charted at #4 and has since been certified gold. Announced as the Brits Critics Choice winner in 2010, Goulding hit it off in Blighty but didn’t quite connect in the same magnitude as fellow female contemporaries Adele, Lily Allen and Jessie J. 2011 single “Lights” was a turning point, which became one of the biggest records of the year in the U.S. reaching #2. Starring in the far-reaching John Lewis TV Christmas ad campaign in 2010, singing a cover of Elton John’s “Your Song” also helped take Goulding to another level, bolstered by the reissue of her debut under the name Bright Lights.

Halcyon took on more of an electronic vibe thanks to Calvin Harris collab “I Need Your Love”, followed up by “Anything Can Happen”. The Ryan Tedder and Greg Kurstin track “Burn” was Goulding’s next big hit, taken from the reissue of Halcyon, Halcyon Days, which reached #1 on the Official U.K. charts and #13 in the U.S. The next aim was to translate the success of Goulding, who was largely known for ballads in her home country, to U.S. radio and along came the song for box office smash Fifty Shades of Grey, “Love Me Like You Do”, written by Martin.

Recording for Delirium started early this year and Lillywhite and Unger-Hamilton teamed Goulding with a host of collaborators including Kurstin, Guy Lawrence from electronic duo Disclosure, Robyn writer Klas Ahlund and Jim Eliot, while waiting for Martin to finish his work with The Weeknd. When the Swedish mastermind showed up at the end of August, “On My Mind” was written during their first day working together.

Promo wise, Goulding opened the Apple Music Festival on Saturday, has been interviewed on BBC Radio 1 and Capital FM and has a Live Lounge session coming up. TV slots are booked but not yet announced. In the U.S., Goulding performed at the NFL kick off on 9/10.

“It’s always about artist development for Ellie, and she’s going to go from being a secret star to a global star with this record,” Unger-Hamilton tells HITS. Watch this space for the more on the U.S. picture.