Lights is the debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding, released on 26 February 2010 by Polydor Records.

Goulding collaborated with several producers on the album, including Starsmith, Fraser T. Smith, Frankmusik, Richard "Biff" Stannard, Ash Howes, Liam Howe, Fred Falke and Mumford & Sons' Ben Lovett.

[6] Goulding dropped out of a degree programme at the University of Kent after two years in order to pursue her musical career.

[8] However, Goulding opted to release lead single "Under the Sheets" on independent label Neon Gold Records so she would not feel under pressure.

"[7] Goulding worked with producers Starsmith, Frankmusik, Fraser T. Smith, Richard Stannard and Ash Howes.

[20] On 1 December 2011, the singer performed at the White House during the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, alongside the likes of Big Time Rush and will.i.am.

[citation needed] Goulding was a musical guest on Late Show with David Letterman on 18 January 2012, performing "Lights".

[33] In support of the album in Europe, Goulding performed on the first day of Pukkelpop in Belgium, at the Open'er Festival in Poland and at Benicàssim in Spain.

[34] In March and April 2011, Goulding embarked on a tour across North America to support the release of Lights in the United States.

[45] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph praised Starsmith's "lush electro-dance production", stating it "evokes a gushing, breathless rush of heady emotion that might have benefited from at least a dash of restraint and intimacy.

"[47] Camilla Pia of The Fly magazine wrote, "Packed full of sparkling pop with a folky heart and an electronic edge, the debut is ridiculously infectious".

[49] Caryn Ganz of Spin called the album "[s]hiny, wholesome dance-pop" and wrote that Goulding "glides through blippy anthems [...], pumping disco [...], and delicate grooves [...] with a pixie-ish voice that's one notch sweeter than Metric's Emily Haines.

"[2] AllMusic's Matthew Chisling opined that the album "lacks the dramatic crash and bang of Florence + the Machine's Lungs, but is certainly a more restrained, compelling listen than the debut records by Pixie Lott and Little Boots", adding that "Goulding is able to take the best parts of all of her contemporaries' styles and create pleasantly surprising records.

"[52] Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone commented that the album "places [Goulding's] vocals and minor-key melodies against producer Starsmith's club-ready mix of synths and brisk, busy electro rhythms.

"[53] In a mixed review, Claire Allfree of Metro viewed the album as "undeniably pretty aerated synthpop", but felt that "Goulding's girly, heartfelt voice is oddly depthless, while the electronic vapour and four-to-the-floor house beats swoop in a wash of perfectly calibrated bland sound.

It's largely straight-ahead folk-pop dappled with a mild ground-frost of sequenced beats, Auto-Tune, and synth sizzles.

"[4] The Guardian's Alexis Petridis was unimpressed, dismissing the album as "general acoustic singer-songwriter material".

[56] Following the release of Bright Lights in late November 2010, the album re-entered the top 100 at number 24, selling 23,629 copies.

[69] Following the Bright Lights reissue, the album entered the Irish top 10 for the first time, attaining a new peak position of number six on 24 February 2011.