BEING tipped as the brightest spark for 2010 carries a certain burden.

But folky pop songstress Ellie Goulding proved the music writers knew what they were talking about when her debut album reached number one.

Last week Fresh reporter Charlotte Strickland met Ellie before her gig at Leeds Cockpit to talk about her rapid rise to the top.

2010 has been a big year for you already. Your album Lights went to number one and you also picked up a Brit as well as topping the BBC’s Sound of 2010 poll. Has it all sunk in yet?

Yeah, I guess it has sunk in but it just kind of sinks in and then dissolves because I don’t really think about stuff like that that much. I think I’m going to get criticised but I’m just quite a simple person and it doesn’t really bother me or phase me much. I just like singing.

Do you feel famous? Do you get recognised now?

No never, especially walking through here [Leeds] definitely not. I hardly ever get recognised, but that’s how I like it really. I definitely don’t feel famous at all.

When you’re writing your songs where do you draw inspiration from?

It’s a bit of a cliché but I kind of go to a dark place when I write my songs. It is a place I don’t really let anyone one in, not even the closest boy, or boyfriend. I just write about my frustrations with things. I used to like writing poetry. English was my favourite subject in the world and I started studying theatre and drama which is why I ended up taking it at university.

Did quitting university kick start your music career?

Something was telling me I needed to leave so I did the course for two years, then all of a sudden I just kind of quit. It was a hard decision really because I was the first person to go to university in my family and I gave up it. I felt like I was giving up on something that could be really good for me but I guess it paid off!

Which artists inspire you the most?

Björk is probably my biggest influence in a sense because I just think she is absolutely unreal. Her lyrics and her performances are dream like and she doesn’t seem to care about anything. Then again, big singers like Beyoncé inspire me because she is unbeatable, unstoppable and I really admire that. I love Kate Rusby too.

You’re doing something called ‘Ellie Runs’ at the moment in which you run around the city you’re gigging in with 10 fans. How did that come about and has it been fun so far?

It’s been really fun and really rewarding. I feel like I went through my rock and roll phase when I was younger when I was doing drugs, smoking and going on benders but that truly feels like an old me. I just really like running and I figure my fans might as well come with me because it’s just a really unique way of interacting with them. Plus, I get to be on their level and they get to be on mine. It’s a positive thing to do and I want to run everyday so they may as well come with me.

Which festivals are you playing this year?

Oh God, like every festival. I am really excited but it’s intense. Everyone just seems to want me to play but the main ones I’m playing at are V Festival, Glastonbury, Great Escape and potentially Reading/Leeds. I’m headlining with people like Tinchy Stryder and people who I don’t really see myself in the same league as really.

Have you got plans for a second album?

Yeah, I think about it all the time. I am just continuously writing down ideas but I think it would be more like a part two of Lights rather than re-launching myself and so, continuing where I left off.

What’s your favourite song from Lights?

Salt Skin is my favourite because it is the last song I wrote so it has a lot of relevance to my mood at the moment and the next album is going to be a continuation of that. It’ll be a lot more experimental and complicated hopefully.