Higher Than Heaven

Higher Than Heaven is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, released on 7 April 2023[3] by Polydor Records.[4] It was preceded by the singles "Easy Lover", "Let It Die", and "Like a Saviour".[5] It is her first album in three years, since Brightest Blue (2020).

This article is about the Ellie Goulding album. For the song by the German power metal band Powerwolf, see Blessed & Possessed.
Higher Than Heaven
Standard edition artwork
Studio album by
Ellie Goulding
Released7 April 2023 (2023-04-07)
Genre
Length36:42
LabelPolydor
Producer
Ellie Goulding chronology
Brightest Blue
(2020)		 Higher Than Heaven
(2023)
Singles from Higher Than Heaven
  1. "Easy Lover"
    Released: 15 July 2022
  2. "Let It Die"
    Released: 19 October 2022
  3. "Like a Saviour"
    Released: 1 February 2023
  4. "By the End of the Night"
    Released: 22 March 2023

Background and development

The album was written in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Goulding: "There was definitely a darkness about [the past two years] that was palpable in the studio, with everyone having gone through it differently. I think for that reason, nobody wanted to sit and agonise over some relationship or some drama. So that's how this album came together.[6]

Goulding expressed that in contrast to her previous 2020 album Brightest Blue, the album is her "least personal album." She elaborated "...I think it’s the best album because I got to just explore other things about myself. I just really, really enjoy writing, really enjoy being a singer. [It] was such a relief and really refreshing to not be sitting in the studio going through all the things that happened to me and affected me. Because I feel things very deeply."[7]

Release & promotion

On 19 October 2022, Goulding announced the album's title and revealed its artwork cover, with an initial release date of 3 February 2023.[8] However on 9 January 2023, Goulding announced an initial delay to 24 March, stating "...we’ve had some exciting opportunities appear behind the scenes."[9][5] On February 28, she announced a second delay to 7 April; stating issues with sourcing eco-friendly material for the album's physical formats.[10][11]

On 31 March, Goulding released the songs "Midnight Dreams", "Cure for Love", "Love Goes On" and "Higher Than Heaven" on digital platforms in conjunction with her appearance on the Amazon Freevee series Monumental; making the first 8 tracks of the album available.[12][13][14][15]

On 7 April, the day of the album's release, Goulding released a music video for "Better Man", directed by Tom Sandford.[16][17]

Tour
Higher Than Heaven
Tour by Ellie Goulding
LocationEurope
Associated albumHigher Than Heaven
Start date16 October 2023 (2023-10-16)
End date7 November 2023 (2023-11-07)
Legs1
No. of shows12
Ellie Goulding concert chronology

In support of the album, Goulding announced European dates for the Higher Than Heaven Tour:[18]

Date City Country Venue
October 16, 2023 Dublin Ireland 3Olympia Theatre
October 18, 2023 Glasgow Scotland Barrowland Ballroom
October 19, 2023 Newcastle England O2 City Hall Newcastle
October 20, 2023 Manchester Manchester Academy
October 23, 2023 Birmingham O2 Institute Birmingham
October 24, 2023 London The Roundhouse
October 27, 2023 Paris France Bataclan
October 30, 2023 Utrecht Netherlands TivoliVredenburg
October 31, 2023 Brussels Belgium Cirque Royale
November 2, 2023 Milan Italy Fabrique
November 6, 2023 Cologne Germany E-Werk
November 7, 2023 Berlin Huxleys Neue Welt

Track listing
Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Midnight Dreams"
3:12
2."Cure for Love"
2:57
3."By the End of the Night"
  • Goulding
  • Campbell
  • Kozmeniuk
Koz3:08
4."Like a Saviour"
  • Goulding
  • Mann
  • Rossomando
  • Wells
3:40
5."Love Goes On"
Kurstin3:52
6."Easy Lover" (featuring Big Sean)
Kurstin3:35
7."Higher Than Heaven"
  • Goulding
  • Campbell
  • G. Garth
  • P. Garth
  • Kozmeniuk
  • Koz
  • The 23rd
3:29
8."Let It Die"
  • Goulding
  • Mann
  • Andrea Rocha
  • Peter Rycroft
Lostboy2:46
9."Waiting for It"
Shatkin3:19
10."Just for You"
  • Goulding
  • Kurstin
  • Michaels
Kurstin3:06
11."How Long"
  • Watt
  • Happy Perez
3:38
Total length:36:42
Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Temptation"
  • Goulding
  • Mann
  • Rossomando
  • Wells
Wells3:03
13."Intuition"
  • Goulding
  • Kurstin
Kurstin3:12
14."Tastes Like You"
  • Goulding
  • Mann
  • Rossomando
  • Wells
Wells3:12
15."Better Man"
2:52
16."All by Myself" (with Alok and Sigala)
2:52
Total length:51:53

Notes

  • ^[p] signifies a primary and vocal producer
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer

Personnel

Musicians

  • Ellie Goulding – vocals (all tracks)
  • Glen Garth – background vocals (1, 7); bass guitar, drums, synthesizer (7)
  • Phil Garth – background vocals (1, 3); bass guitar, drums, synthesizer (1)
  • Stephen Kozmeniuk – bass guitar, drums, synthesizer (1–4, 7); guitar (1–4)
  • Maurie Kaufmann – drums (1, 7)
  • Andrew Wells – bass guitar, drums, guitar, synthesizer (2, 4, 12, 14); piano (2, 4), flute (4), percussion (12, 14), programming (14), keyboards (16)
  • Claude Vause – programming (2)
  • Todd Clark – background vocals (3)
  • Trey Campbell – background vocals (3)
  • Greg Kurstin – bass guitar, drums, keyboards, percussion, synthesizer (5, 6, 10, 13); electric guitar (6, 10)
  • Lostboy – bass guitar, drum programming, keyboards, programming (8)
  • Big Sean – vocals (6)
  • Jesse Shatkin – bass guitar, drums, keyboards, percussion, programming, synthesizer (9)
  • Andrew Watt – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, programming (11)
  • Happy Perez – keyboards, programming (11)
  • Freddy Sheed – drum programming (12)
  • Charley Bagnall – synthesizer (12)
  • Marco Parisi – bass guitar, keyboards, programming, sound effects (15)
  • Giampaolo Parisi – drums, percussion, programming, sound effects, synthesizer (15)
  • Ohyes – bass guitar, drums, keyboards, programming (16)
  • João Cruz – guitar (16)
  • Bruce Fielder – keyboards, programming (16)

Technical

  • Randy Merrill – mastering (1–15)
  • One Mix Mastering – mastering, mixing (16)
  • Matty Green – mixing (1, 7, 9, 14)
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (2–6, 10–13)
  • Lostoy – mixing (8)
  • Clem Cherry – engineering (1, 3, 7)
  • Jesper Kragh Nielsen – engineering (1, 3, 7)
  • Kristian Donaldson – engineering (1, 3, 7)
  • Andrew Wells – engineering (2, 4, 12)
  • Alex Pasco – engineering (5, 6, 10, 13)
  • Greg Kurstin – engineering (5, 6, 10, 13)
  • Julian Burg – engineering (5, 6, 10, 13)
  • Matt Tuggle – engineering (5, 6, 10, 13)
  • Tom Kahre – engineering (6)
  • Jesse Shatkin – engineering (9)
  • Samuel Dent – engineering (9)
  • Andrew Watt – engineering (11)
  • Happy Perez – engineering (11)
  • Joe Kearns – vocal engineering (6)
  • Bryce Bordone – mixing assistance (2–6, 10–13)
  • Claude Vause – engineering assistance (2, 4, 12)
  • Jon Yeston – engineering assistance (2, 4, 12)
  • Dominic Ganderton – engineering assistance (2, 4)
  • Luke Gibbs – engineering assistance (12, 14)

Release history
Release history and formats for Higher Than Heaven
Region Date Format(s) Edition(s) Label Ref.
Various 7 April 2023
Standard Polydor [19]
  • CD
  • digital download
  • streaming
 Deluxe [20]

References
  1. Potton, Ed (7 April 2023). "Ellie Goulding: Higher Than Heaven review — sex, drugs and no personal revelations". The Times. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  2. McCormick, Neil (7 April 2023). "Ellie Goulding brings us dance-floor delight, HMLTD is as eccentric as ever – the week's best albums". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2023. 11 tracks of gleaming nu-disco, upgraded '80s synth pop and sleek electronic dance-music concocted with teams of established hitmakers
  3. "Ellie Goulding pushes back release date of new album Higher Than Heaven due to sourcing issues". Official Charts Company. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  4. Clarke, Naomi (19 October 2022). "Ellie Goulding reveals release date for her fifth studio album". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  5. Bowenbank, Starr (10 January 2023). "Ellie Goulding Delays 'Higher Than Heaven' Album Release". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  6. Skinner, Tom (20 October 2022). "Ellie Goulding announces fifth album 'Higher Than Heaven'". NME. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  7. Tomás Mier (23 March 2023). "Ellie Goulding Spills Secrets Behind Her New Album, Motherhood, and Her Best Unreleased Songs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  8. "ELLIE GOULDING ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM "HIGHER THAN HEAVEN" OUT 3rd FEBRUARY 2023". Universal Music Canada. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  9. Aubrey, Elizabeth (10 January 2023). "Ellie Goulding delays release of new album 'Higher Than Heaven'". NME. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  10. Goulding, Ellie [@elliegoulding] (28 February 2023). "... so we've worked really hard to stick to that promise. As a result and due to delays in sourcing these products, we have to push back the release ever so slightly to April 7 just so we can get these beautiful products to you as soon as possible" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 February 2023 – via Twitter.
  11. "Ellie Goulding's new album Higher Than Heaven will arrive two weeks late". Official Charts Company. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  12. "Midnight Dreams". Spotify. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  13. "Cure For Love". Spotify. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  14. "Love Goes On". Spotify. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  15. "Higher Than Heaven". Spotify. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  16. "Ellie Goulding - Better Man". YouTube. 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  17. "Better Man by Ellie Goulding on TIDAL". TIDAL. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  18. Krol, Charlotte (30 March 2023). "Ellie Goulding announces 2023 UK and Ireland 'Higher Than Heaven' tour". NME. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  19. Higher Than Heaven standard release formats:
  20. Higher Than Heaven deluxe release formats:
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