It's no secret that women can rock just as hard, if not harder, than men. But there seems to be a disparity when it comes to their representation in the music industry. They are topping the charts but barely getting any slots at big name festivals (this years Coachella lineup is 90 percent male). To do what we can to celebrate these women and give them the positive recognition they deserve, each week Music Times will introduce you to a female in the music industry whom we love.
Singer-songwriters, rappers, DJs, producers, filmmakers, and any woman who is part of the music industry is fair game for this segment. So read on, and get to know the women who continue to wow us. This week we'd like to show off...
Name: Ellie Goulding
Age: 27
Profession: Singer-Songwriter
From: Lyonshall, Herefordshire, England
Why We Love Her: Well, first and foremost, Goulding is one of the few women solo acts chosen to perform at Coachella this year. She also played the festival in 2011. That makes her a stand out and definitely someone to keep an eye on as her career is taking off. Relatively new to the industry (getting signed to Polydor Records in 2009), Goulding has made a huge impression in her native England but also in the U.S. She released her debut album Lights in 2010 and most recently Halcyon in 2012. It's an interesting venture to combine sounds from folk and country with synthpop and electronica, but Goulding has done so and essentially made a unique genre to call her own.
Background: Ellie Goulding was born and raised in Lyonshall, a small village near Kington, Herefordshire. She started songwriting at the age of 15 and began entering talent competitions. When she entered college at the University of Kent she was introduced to electronic music, which inspired her music in a new way.
Fun Fact: She performed at the wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April, 29 2011, singing her rendition of Elton John's "Your Song" for the couple's first dance.
What Now: Goulding is heading out on tour in Europe at the end of January and will start the U.S. portion of her tour with a sold out show at New York's Madison Square Garden. She will appear at 2014's Lollapalooza Festival in Argentina, Chile and Brazil and will hit the stage at Coachella Music Festival in April.
Watch: "I Need Your Love," Grammy nominated Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Goulding
