Ellie Goulding kicks off her year in music with an eerie, infectious, slightly murderous tune, ‘Worry About Me’ with rapper Blackbear.

By now, we are already used to Goulding wowing us with her scintillating stage persona, the one that thrives off powerful choruses, bold production effects, and a unique voice that’s got enough sass and angst to take our breaths away. Her coarse, raspy voice had earned her some criticism early on in her career, but Goulding has really learnt to lean on it convey the depth of her emotions. This particular earworm has all the classic indications of a pop hit: a thrilling percussion backing, a catchy, irresistible chorus, and a spirited rap verse courtesy of Blackbear. 

The song itself functions as some type of a reckless break-up song, in which Goulding is telling her ex-lover to ‘not worry about [her]’. But the accompanying music video paints a much more shocking picture. In many shots throughout the video, Goulding is seen driving brashly through the streets, a huge devilish laugh expanding across her entire face. At certain points, she is prowling through the woods, her nose bleeding on to her face. These details help to establish a grimmer, a more chilling tone for the tune, perhaps depicting Goulding as a scorned, ex-lover out for revenge. Yet it’s a subtle influence, leaving the viewers to connect the dots on their own. 

Speaking on her sound has evolved in recent years, she said, “My music has really been a direct reflection of me growing as a woman. It started from being a confused teenager, writing songs about how I saw heartbreak and how I viewed humans’ behaviours towards one another – especially with break-ups and falling in love. That was my favourite subject material, so I was particularly observational of my friends, their situations with their boyfriends and even their families..”

Credit also must be given to Blackbear, who jumps on his verse with enough gusto and energy to raise the roof of an entire arena. Blackbear has been working at the industry for years, collaborating with some big names in the pop-rock scene such as Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Childish Gambino.

 Singer-songwriter 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.