In support of her fifth studio album, Higher Than Heaven, Ellie Goulding brought her songs to life at the O2 Institute in Birmingham.
As her fans made their way through the doors and eventually filled the entire room of the venue, they were there in full force, ready to enjoy a fun evening filled with new material, as well as throwback Goulding tracks including “Starry Eyed” and “Anything Could Happen”.
Before Ellie took to the stage, Canadian Pop singer Olivia Lunny entertained the almost packed room for half an hour with her relatable, catchy and upbeat tracks. The enjoyment she was having on stage translated into the crowd and it was evident from the huge smile on her face after every track that she too was taking in every moment.
She also mentioned how being on a tour with Ellie Goulding who had been one her inspirations growing up was an honour. She had a captivating and confident stage presence as she made the most out of the space on stage, as well as being able to capture the attention of the audience by explaining the meanings of some of her songs including “Time Zone” and “Secrets”.
Her tracks were made up of the components of a true pop hit song, this includes catchy choruses that the crowd can sing along to, high energy tempo and strong vocals throughout. After each song, the Birmingham crowd gave Olivia a well deserved round of applauses and cheers.
She did not take that for granted as she showed her thanks to the people who were there early to check out her set. Olivia created a warm atmosphere the minute she took to the stage and that continued throughout her set. She left a lasting impression on the people of Birmingham and that is the sign of a true pop star.
Now it was time for Ellie Goulding to make her entrance and give the crowd an evening to remember. As the lights went down, they gave her the biggest cheer and applauses coming from every corner of the room. From the balcony, to the barricade, there were smiles all around as fans held up their phones ready to capture the moment Ellie made her way to the stage.
She kicked the show off with “Better Man” from the latest album and the crowd sang back ever word. The wait was over and so every person in that very room was going to make this a night to remember, for themselves and for Ellie.
Mixing up the set with newer tracks, as well as some of her older material including “Lights” and “Anything Could Happen”, keeping the energy high throughout the entire show. The atmosphere throughout was electric.
Her powerful vocals had the crowd singing and dancing to every song. As well as this, it was the visuals on stage that made the show even more appealing for everyone in the crowd and it tied everything together. The foil backdrop, with the blue and red lights were mesmerising and added another layer of excitement to the performance.
It was also the connection that Ellie had with her fans that allowed the warm atmosphere to continues throughout. It was evident that every single person in the room were having fun, as well as Ellie. She made everyone feel like they were a part of something special.
Whether there were fans there to see her live for the first time or multiple times, it felt like one big family. The experience of attending an Ellie Goulding show was enhanced by the friendly and lively vibe of the crowd.
Ellie continued to reel off hit after hit, including “I Need Your Love”, “Midnight Dreams” and “Animal”, a setlist full of catchy, fun and uptempo tracks, along with her backing singers and band who were flawless.
There was an encore towards the end of the set where Ellie performed her last two tracks of the night, “Love Me Like You Do” and “Burn”. The crowd gave it their all throughout the set, but especially with these two songs that brought the evening to a close.
Ellie Goulding knows what it takes to be a true performer and delivers, not just through her stage presence but with her song writing abilities and delivering these hit tracks to her adoring fans over the years.
Words + Photography by Sarah Akomanyi
