[28] Before the release of her debut album, Goulding won the BBC Sound of 2010 poll, which showcases the music industry's top choices for rising stars.

On 10 July 2012, Goulding released a cover of Active Child's song "Hanging On", featuring Tinie Tempah, as a free download on her SoundCloud page.

Goulding contributed a track titled "Bittersweet" (produced by Skrillex) to the soundtrack of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, released on 13 November 2012.

[74] The re-release, featuring ten additional tracks, was preceded by the single "Burn", which had been uploaded to Goulding's SoundCloud page the previous day.

[81] On 28 October 2013, Goulding posted an alternative video of "How Long Will I Love You" on her Vevo channel for the short film Tom & Issy, in which she also stars.

[83] On 5 January 2014, Goulding premiered the music video for her song "Goodness Gracious" on her Vevo channel, later confirming that it would be her sixth single released from Halcyon Days.

[84] On 22 January 2014, Goulding confirmed through her Facebook page that she had contributed the song "Beating Heart" to the soundtrack for the film Divergent, based on the novel of the same name by Veronica Roth.

[85] On 3 February 2014, Goulding released a cover of the James Blake song "Life Round Here" featuring rapper Angel Haze through her SoundCloud page.

[94] Having finished recording new material on 27 July 2015, Goulding tweeted a link to an Instagram post of her leaving Abbey Road Studios captioned, "That's a wrap!".

[125] In a radio interview with Heart the same month, she revealed that the album "kind of comes in two parts", adding that "the first side is something written entirely by me which was fun and I wrote most of it in New York when I was living there a few years back.

[154] On April 28, during a one-night-only concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Goulding performed a brand new song titled, "Easy To Love Me", and hinted that it would be part of her upcoming sixth studio album as she stated that she was working on new music.

[171][172] On December 29, Goulding joined DJ and producer Anyma as a surprise guest to perform on his Sphere residency in Las Vegas to debut an unreleased song, titled "Hypnotized".

[186][187] In a review for Halcyon, Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph described her voice as "something special", continuing; "Her tremulous vibrato and slightly hoarse timbre have the feel of something primal and folky, her birdlike high notes conveying a childlike wonder while darker tones imply ancient depths of sorrow.

He then continued in regards to her vocal layering stating, "producer Jim Eliot puts her voice front, back and centre, banking up choral walls of vibrato, fashioning hooks from cut up samples of chirrups and chants, and creating unusual textures from trills and warbles".

[189]Will Hermes of Rolling Stone compared her voice to that of Dolly Parton, stating that her upper register was dazzling whilst also complementing her skill in vocal multi-layering.

[185] Goulding has listed Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, and Björk as influences, as well as contemporaries such as Amy Winehouse, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Burial, Taylor Swift, Bon Iver, and Rihanna.

[199] The album incorporated "acoustic guitar" and "retro-synthpop" compared to that of Little Boots and La Roux, while the production contained "folkie origins under a welter of busily cycling synths and programmed beats".

[201] Its re-issue Halcyon Days (2013) which features ten brand-new songs, marked the return of Goulding's electronic music style, with the singer-songwriter embracing her electropop sound.

Some artists that have spoken highly about the singer includes: Halsey,[211] Bridgit Mendler,[212] Lauv,[213] Camila Cabello,[214] Normani,[215] Lil Nas X,[216] Alex James of Blur,[217] Chappell Roan,[218] Ally Brooke,[219] BUNT.,[220] Taylor Swift,[221] Aaron Paul,[222] DJ Fresh,[223] Olivia Lunny,[224] Rhea Raj,[225] Calvin Harris,[226] Selena Gomez,[227] and Lorde.

[235] In the same year, after collaborating on a song called "Bittersweet" for the Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part Two soundtrack, Goulding started dating DJ Skrillex.

[258] Goulding's personal life has been highly subject of intense media scrutiny, as well a victim of constant false rumours spread by British tabloids, which has affected her public image and her mental health.

[267] Goulding also opened up about becoming a "paranoid wreck" after being constantly stalked "over, and over" by an older man, as well having to deal with a male paparazzi with "a long lens camera wrapped on a towel".

[275] In July 2022, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a series of Facebook posts from Goulding promoting SERVED hard seltzer.

[277] Later that year, SERVED also launched a series of Ready To Drink cocktails, including Mojito, Passion Fruit Martini, and Piña Colada flavours.

[289][290] On 1 June 2013, Goulding performed at Gucci's global concert event in London whose campaign "Chime for Change" aims to raise awareness of women's issues in terms of education, health and justice.

[292] On 15 November 2014, Goulding joined the charity group Band Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording a new version of the track "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Subtitled "Britain's leading ladies", the campaign saw Goulding appear alongside British women from various fields, including the actress Helen Mirren, double Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Nicola Adams, and writer Monica Ali.

[304] Goulding starred and performed "What the World Needs Now" on a new advert for People's Postcode Lottery 2024 campaign, which thanks its players for helping to raise money for many charities in the UK.

[329] In 2024, Goulding was presented by Sarah, Duchess of York, as the eleventh recipient of The Perfect World Foundation Award, becoming the first musician to be recognized with 'The Conservationist of the Year' title, by the environmental organization.

[354] English comedian and actress Lucia Keskin portrayed a fictionalized version of Goulding on the first-season finale of BBC Three comedy series, Things You Should Have Done.