Ellie Goulding: 'People forget I write music'

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 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, and she admits the "whole climate of music" has changed over the years - partly thanks to social media.

"I quite enjoy the challenges, what you have to do as an artist now isn't easy - it's something you have to work at," Ellie tells BBC Newsbeat.

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

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

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.

"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."

"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."

And while the industry is "definitely not the same" as it used to be when she was a teenager, she's still having a good time.

"I'm on TikTok, I'm on socials, I put myself out there and I actually enjoy it. I don't mind having fun," she says.

Ellie wasn't the only winner on the night at the BMI Awards - 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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