Brightest Blue
Brightest Blue is the fourth studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding. It was released on 17 July 2020 through Polydor Records. Originally scheduled for 5 June 2020, the album's release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The album was preceded by three singles: "Worry About Me", "Power" and "Slow Grenade", and features guest vocals from Blackbear, Diplo, Juice Wrld, Lauv, serpentwithfeet and Swae Lee. It is Goulding's first album since Delirium (2015). Brightest Blue received generally positive reviews from music critics and debuted at number one in the UK, number two in the Scotland and in the top ten in several other countries. To promote the album, Goulding is set to embark on the Brightest Blue Tour, beginning on April 28, 2021.
Brightest Blue | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 17 July 2020 | |||
Recorded | 2017–2020 | |||
Genre | Pop[4] | |||
Length | 56:35 | |||
Label | Polydor | |||
Producer |
| |||
Ellie Goulding chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Brightest Blue | ||||
|
Background
In January 2017, Goulding announced that work on new music had begun.[5] In April of the same year, producer BloodPop revealed on social media he was in the studio with Goulding.[6] That same month, Goulding released a collaboration with Kygo entitled "First Time".[7] On 24 October 2018, she released "Close to Me" with Diplo and Swae Lee.[8] She told The Guardian in early 2019, "It's very much written by me." She further discussed three new songs: "Flux", "Love I'm Given" and "Electricity".[9] "Flux" was released on 1 March of the same year.[10]
In July 2019, Goulding stated that her next material to be released would be the songs "Woman I Am" and "Start".[11] In November, she released her rendition of Joni Mitchell's Christmas song "River", which topped the UK Singles Chart, becoming her third UK number-one single and the last UK number one song of the 2010s.[12] In a March 2020 interview with Heart, Goulding revealed that the album "kind of comes in two parts," adding that she plays the guitar, bass and piano on the project.[13] During an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, she described the album as having two sides, revealing that the first side will features songs written entirely by her, while the second is described as being "like an alter ego" and contains the majority of singles released from 2018 to 2020.[14]
Release and promotion
On 27 May 2020, Goulding announced Brightest Blue as the album's title, alongside its cover artwork, release dates and formats, and track listing. The album's pre-order was made alongside the announcement.[15] The first side, Brightest Blue, features 13 total tracks, while the second EG.0, features the previously-released "Close to Me", "Hate Me" and "Worry About Me", as well as two new tracks.[16] Originally scheduled for release on 5 June 2020,[17] it was later delayed to 12 June, and later to 17 July of the same year.[18] On 13 July of the same year, she released a trailer for the album on YouTube.[19] In support of the album, Goulding will embark on the Brightest Blue Tour, beginning on April 28, 2021.[20]
For the album's physical release, Goulding and her team opted to have copies manufactured with as many environmentally-friendly materials as possible. According to Goulding's official digital store, a regular single-disc CD is packaged in a Digisleeve manufactured with FSC-certified recycled cardboard and is sealed in a "plant-based" wrap.[21] Variations of formats such as cassette tapes and vinyl records have also been manufactured with minimised or recycled plastic materials and packaging. Goulding added “[...] great progress has been made on this and I’m pleased we've been able to push the industry forwards, but we are still pushing to do more.”[22]
Singles
On 13 March 2020, Goulding released "Worry About Me", a collaboration with Blackbear, as the first single from the album.[23][24] The accompanying music video, directed by Emil Nava, was released the same day.[25] Upon the song's release, it received generally positive reviews from music critics.[26][27] Commercially, the song debuted at number 78 on the UK Singles Chart.[28] On 21 May 2020, "Power" was released as the album's second single.[29][30] The accompanying music video was directed by Imogen Snell and Riccardo Castano, and was released later the same day.[31] It peaked at number 86 in the UK.[32] The Lauv-assisted "Slow Grenade" was released as the third single off the album on 30 June 2020.[33][34] "Love I'm Given" was released as the album's fourth single on 19 August 2020, along with a music video.[35]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 6.7/10[36] |
Metacritic | 74/100[37] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
musicOMH | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork | 6.4/10[40] |
Slant | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Brightest Blue received generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from professional critics, the album received a weighted average score of 74, based on ten reviews.[37] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave the album a 6.7 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[36]
Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung called the album, "a powerful reclamation of self that recaptures the simplicity of her debut and the vulnerability of Halcyon", as well as a statement that "has growth and maturity at its core".[38]
Commercial performance
Brightest Blue became Goulding's third number-one album in the United Kingdom, debuting with sales of 14,820 units.[42]
Track listing
Track listing and credits adapted from Apple Music and Tidal.[1][43]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Start" (featuring serpentwithfeet) |
|
| 5:07 |
2. | "Power" |
|
| 3:11 |
3. | "How Deep Is Too Deep" |
| 3:25 | |
4. | "Cyan" |
| 0:57 | |
5. | "Love I'm Given" |
|
| 3:29 |
6. | "New Heights" |
|
| 4:12 |
7. | "Ode to Myself" |
| Kearns | 1:51 |
8. | "Woman" |
|
| 3:47 |
9. | "Tides" |
| Starsmith | 3:51 |
10. | "Wine Drunk" |
| Kearns | 0:48 |
11. | "Bleach" |
|
| 3:17 |
12. | "Flux" |
|
| 3:50 |
13. | "Brightest Blue" |
|
| 4:49 |
Total length: | 42:34 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
13. | "Overture" | James Wyatt |
| 1:17 |
14. | "Worry About Me" (featuring Blackbear) | Ilya | 2:59 | |
15. | "Slow Grenade" (featuring Lauv) |
|
| 3:37 |
16. | "Close to Me" (with Diplo featuring Swae Lee) |
|
| 3:02 |
17. | "Hate Me" (with Juice Wrld) |
| 3:06 | |
Total length: | 56:35 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
18. | "Sixteen" |
|
| 3:21 |
Total length: | 59:56 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
19. | "Close to Me (Red Velvet Remix)" (with Diplo featuring Red Velvet) |
| 3:09 | |
Total length: | 63:05 |
Notes
- ^[a] signifies an additional producer
- ^[b] signifies a vocal producer
- "Power" interpolates "Be the One", as performed by Dua Lipa and written by Lucy Taylor, Nicholas James Gale and Jack Tarrant.[48][49]
Charts
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[50] | 25 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[51] | 29 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[52] | 17 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[53] | 37 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[54] | 38 |
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[55] | 58 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[56] | 94 |
French Albums (SNEP)[57] | 101 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[58] | 12 |
Irish Albums (OCC)[59] | 9 |
Italian Albums (FIMI)[60] | 86 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[61] | 19 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[62] | 30 |
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[63] | 24 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[64] | 2 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[65] | 47 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[66] | 9 |
UK Albums (OCC)[67] | 1 |
US Billboard 200[68] | 29 |
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[69] | 12 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[70] | Gold | 40,000![]() |
United States (RIAA)[71] | Gold | 500,000![]() |
|
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | 17 July 2020 | Polydor | [1][2][3] | |
Japan | 26 August 2020 | CD | Universal Music Japan | [47] |
References
- "Brightest Blue by Ellie Goulding". Apple Music. United States. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding Store". Official Website. United States. 27 May 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue (Target Exclusive, CD)". Target Corporation. United States. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Ellie Goulding plans to drop new music when she gets the urge". MnNews. 1 March 2017. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- "Summer 17 @elliegoulding". Bloodpop. 27 April 2017. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2020 – via Instagram.
- Meadow, Matthew (27 April 2017). "Listen to Kygo and Ellie Goulding's New Collaboration, "First Time"". Your EDM. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- Bein, Kat (23 October 2018). "Ellie Goulding Teases 'Close To Me' Collaboration With Diplo and Swae Lee". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- Beamont, Ben (1 January 2019). "Interview Ellie Goulding: 'I'm finally myself again'". Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding Debuts Melancholy New Song and Music Video, 'Flux'". KBFF. United States: Alpha Media. 1 March 2019. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- Gannon, Louise (20 July 2019). "Ellie Goulding on swearing off men – and then finding The One". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
- "Ellie Goulding scores third UK Number 1 single". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
- "Ellie Goulding's new album will be split between classical and her 'alter ego' pop". Official Charts Company. 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding: Worry About Me". YouTube. United States. 8 May 2020. Archived from the original on 9 May 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
The album, there's two sides to it, and the first side is entirely written by me and I play most of the instruments, and I produced it and did everything. And then, the second half is kind of like — the best way to describe it is like an alter ego where I'm putting the songs on it that I've released, basically, all the songs that have ended up on the radio and the songs that I’ve written with other people, and perhaps not quite as serious and not quite as heartfelt, but still my songs. So, I had to separate them because it's just not the same.
- Copsey, Rob (27 May 2020). "Ellie Goulding unveils details of new double album". Official Charts Company. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- Monroe, Jazz (27 May 2020). "Ellie Goulding Details New Album Brightest Blue". Pitchfork. United States: Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding's new album, coming this summer, is about "becoming a woman"". News Break. 2020. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- Lars Brandle (28 May 2020). "Ellie Goulding Sets New Album 'Brightest Blue,' Featuring Juice WRLD, Swae Lee, Lauv & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- Martin, Annie (15 July 2020). "Ellie Goulding: New album Brightest Blue has 'hopeful' message". United Press International. United States: News World Communications. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- Richards, Will (29 June 2020). "Ellie Goulding announces 2021 UK and Ireland tour". NME. United Kingdom: Bandlab Technologies. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- "Brightest Blue Recycled Cardboard Digipack (0886454)". Ellie Goulding Store. Archived from the original on 21 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- Iahn, Buddy (27 May 2020). "Ellie Goulding details double-sided 'Brightest Blue' album". The Music Universe. Archived from the original on 21 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding Releases New Single "Worry About Me" Featuring Blackbear". Pressparty. 13 March 2020. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- Claire Shaffer (13 March 2020). "Ellie Goulding Hunts Down Blackbear's Clones in 'Worry About Me' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding, blackbear – Worry About Me (Official Video)". YouTube. United States. 13 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- Wass, Mike (13 March 2020). "Ellie Goulding Asserts Her Independence on 'Worry About Me'". Idolator. United States: Hive Media. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- Nunes, Caian (13 March 2020). "Escute 'Worry About Me,' novo single de Ellie Goulding em parceria com Blackbear" [Listen to 'Worry About Me,' Ellie Goulding's new single in partnership with Blackbear]. POPline (in Portuguese). Brazil. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. United Kingdom. 21 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- Wass, Mike (20 May 2020). "Ellie Goulding Announces New Single 'Power'". Idolator. United States: Hive Media. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding Releases 'Power' from Forthcoming New Album". Pressparty. 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 30 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding – Power". YouTube. United States. 21 May 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- "UK Singles (Official Charts Company)". Official Charts Company. 1 June 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- Romack, Coco (30 June 2020). "Ellie Goulding and Lauv Surprise-Drop 'Slow Grenade' After Adorable Twitter Exchange". MTV News. United States: ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- Legaspi, Althea (30 June 2020). "Ellie Goulding Details Messy Relationship in 'Slow Grenade' featuring Lauv". Rolling Stone. United States: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding Unveils Stunning New Music Video For 'Love I'm Given'". ET Canada. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- "Brightest Blue by Ellie Goulding reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- "Brightest Blue by Ellie Goulding". Metacritic. United States: CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- Yeung, Neil Z. (17 July 2020). "Brightest Blue - Ellie Goulding | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- Smith, Nick (16 July 2020). "Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue | Album Reviews". musicOMH. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- Jocelyn, Hannah (July 22, 2020 ). "Ellie Goulding: Brightest Blue Album Review". Pitchfork. Check date values in:
|date=
(help) - Lyons-Burt, Charles (21 July 2020). "Review: Ellie Goulding's Brightest Blue Trades the Garish for the Merely Palatable". Slant. United States. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- "Polydor breaks record with No.1 run on albums chart". Music Week. 24 July 2020. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- "Brightest Blue by Ellie Goulding". Tidal. United States. 17 July 2020. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- "Brightest Blue (Apple Music Film Edition) by Ellie Goulding". Apple Music. New Zealand. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding的《Brightest Blue》" [Ellie Goulding Brightest Blue]. Apple Music (in Chinese). Hong King. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- "エリー・ゴールディングの「Brightest Blue」" [Brightest Blue by Ellie Goulding]. Apple Music (in Japanese). Japan. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- "ブライテスト・ブルー [CD]". Universal Music Japan. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
- Mahjouri, Shakiel (21 May 2020). "Ellie Goulding Drops 'Power' Music Video Interpolating Dua Lipa's 'Be The One'". Entertainment Tonight Canada. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- Dua Lipa (Media notes). Dua Lipa. Warner Records.CS1 maint: others (link)
- "Australiancharts.com – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Austriancharts.at – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Ultratop.be – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- "Ultratop.be – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 202030 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- "Lescharts.com – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- "Italiancharts.com – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Charts.nz – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 30: del 17.7.2020 al 23.7.2020" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- "Swisscharts.com – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- "Ellie Goulding Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
- "Canadian album certifications – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue". Music Canada. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- "American album certifications – Ellie Goulding – Brightest Blue". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 9 October 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.