Ellie Goulding at The Wiltern Los Angeles, CA

As a big fan of pop music, I was more than ecstatic to see Ellie Goulding headlining at The Wiltern last week.  As it was a sold out show, I assumed the seats would be packed with pop music enthusiasts and dancers, but many of the upper level seats were empty while the floor was only half filled compared to the usual Wiltern chaos.  I had front row seats in the Loge and shared my row with a bunch of 16 year old French girls – all of us jumped to our feet (that were decorated with flat ankle boots and gladiator sandals) as soon as Ellie Goulding’s touring band members – Joe Clegg, Chris Ketley, Maxwell Cooke – walked on stage.

The dance pop princess calmly walked on stage and opened with my personal favorite, Under the Sheets; she immediately dominated the stage with passion, spectacle, and rhythmic dance-moves that instantly set the mood for the audience.  Although Ellie had the staple characteristics of a pop artist, I was most impressed with her vocal performance – it was her loud and vibrant pipes that moved us more than anything else.  And while the audience danced to her greatest hits, Lights and Starry Eyed, we were also completely captivated by her beautiful ballads like The Writer.

One of the artist’s most amiable qualities was her connection to the audience and her humble gratitude – Ellie was quick to call out her favorite dancers in the audience and was beaming with excitement to play to an American crowd.  It seems to me that Ellie Goulding is the full package.  With her full vocal capabilities, her passionate beats, and that signature blond look, it’s only a matter of time before she is dominating the US market the way she has reached the charts to fame in the UK.