THE INSIDE STORY
ELLIE GOULDING
STARRY NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
There was an iconic venue, orchestral backing, a winning set list and incredible vocals – in fact, the only thing missing from Ellie Goulding’s The Brightest Blue Experience, a concert live-streamed from inside London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, was the audience. Pulling off such a feat in the midst of a pandemic might seem ambitious, but when you are Ellie Goulding, it seems Anything Could Happen.
The one-off, pay-per-view performance featured tracks from Ellie’s new album Brightest Blue – her third release to top the UK album charts – along with fan favourites. There were also guest performances from Diplo and Blackbear.
“It was always going to be a very visual album, and it’s been my dream to make it come to life at the V&A,” Ellie (who wore a bespoke outfit, left, by sustainable-fashion designer Ronald van der Kemp) told Billboard. “The museum is a real pride of London that holds so many beautiful artefacts. It’s really special.”
Taking to Instagram afterwards, Ellie (right) told fans: “I can’t believe I just did my first show of 2020. what a rush.”
Ellie, 33, is in a great place professionally and personally, having found love with 28-year-old art dealer Caspar Jopling, who, she said lockdown had taught her “how patient and resilient I can be”.
