Ellie Goulding: 'I don't mind having fun on TikTok'

TikTok and streaming might have changed the music industry a lot in the past decade, but Ellie Goulding says she enjoys the new challenges.

It was back in 2009 that Ellie was signed, and a year she later she won the BBC's annual Sound Of… poll.

Since then, she's had 11 UK Top 10 singles and three UK number ones.

But, speaking to BBC Newsbeat, Ellie says that the "whole climate of music" has changed since she started out - partly thanks to social media.

"I quite enjoy the challenges what you have to do as an artist now and it's not easy - it's something you have to work at," Ellie says.

"But when you're writing songs close to your heart and you're putting them out there, that's all you can really do, and then everything else is a bonus.

"The music industry is definitely not the same as it used to be when I started out. I'm on TikTok, I'm on socials, I put myself out there and I actually enjoy it. I don't mind having fun."

The singer, 35, was honoured with the President's Award at this week's BMI Awards, which celebrate songwriters, composers, and music publishers.

Even though she's been writing songs since she was a teenager, she says the award is the first time her songwriting has been recognised.

"I think people forget that I write my own music, and it just feels good," she says.

"It's hard work writing songs - especially pop songs, that takes a different kind of dedication.

"With pop music, there's formulas - there's things not to say, there's things to say. And so it's a real art form.

"I'm so lucky that I get to do it as my as my job because I love it so much. I've been writing pop songs since I was a teenager. And so to be recognised by songwriting for the first time, it's very cool."

Ellie wasn't the only winner on the night - Tems was given the Impact Award for rising artists, which has previously been won by RAYE and Arlo Parks. Ed Sheeran also picked up four awards.

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