I just can't believe it, I feel so so blessed. Performing live at BBC Maida Vale Studios for Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show, I was one of just 20 or so guests in the studio audience fortunate enough to have won places to witness Ellie Goulding make magic, and from just a few feet away.
The whole experience was absolutely surreal, from the moment I woke up to a congratulatory email to right now as I recall the events of last night and type up this blog entry. My body was tingling all day yesterday as I could barely contain my sheer excitement at the opportunity of seeing my number one favourite artist live (let alone in such a unique, intimate setting). As massive a fan as I am of Ellie – and I fucking am – I've had the huge black mark of not having attended a gig of hers for one reason or another and I've been gutted to have missed out on multiple occasions. And I've made it my duty to watch whatever I possibly can of her performances, and the internet has been highly kind in that aspect, with live streams and video footage available from her various shows (iTunes Festival, O2 Academy Brixton, HP Connected Music, Big Weekend, Chime For Change, Troubadour, Pinkpop, Lollapalooza, the list goes on...) – point is I've watched her sets well over a hundred times and thus every lick, every trick and every rearrangement of hers I know inside out and it's been painful to have not yet experienced it first hand.
Which, of course, makes it even more special that this event was to be offered to me and words cannot describe how incredible it was. Being so close to the action was overwhelming and the sense of occasion brought goosebumps and a racing heart throughout the show, I was more nervous than she was. We were gifted to a full hour's set, all aired live on Radio 1, with a repertoire including numbers from "Bright Lights" and "Halcyon" to a couple tracks from the newly repackaged "Halcyon Days" record for the first time. The show is available to play back in its entirety on the Radio 1 website for the following week, just FYI and FYR (for your recommendation, I just made that up). And click here to see the official gallery from the event, in one of which you will find myself perched on the balcony amongst the rest of the audience, probably mesmerised in shock and awe.
I'm a fan of Ellie Goulding first and foremost because of her musical ability. Her voice is like nothing else, with its airy, sultry qualities and gorgeous tone, comparable only to a living angel; her songwriting and poetry so meaningful, an enriching expression of genuine emotion and message; and finally the ability and creativity she holds to entertain and so deeply understand the underlying 'music', as showcased via her live performances (enhanced too by her growing confidence and maturity on stage) – she is an incredible artist, it's beautiful.
To really cherish something I believe is rightly quite rare in life, but that last night is well up there with my best ever moments. And I am so grateful. You see, it's these feelings that I wanted to record on this Blog of mine and I'm going to be reflecting on this for years to come. Thanks Ellie.
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