Ellie Goulding recalls performing at Coachella with food poisoning during early career peak

Ellie Goulding says she performed at Coachella while suffering from food poisoning, reflecting on industry pressures

Ellie Goulding has reflected on one of the most physically challenging moments of her career, revealing she once performed at Coachella while suffering from severe food poisoning.

In a cover interview with NYLON for its January issue, the 39-year-old singer discussed the incident candidly, recalling the circumstances surrounding the performance. “Coachella one year, I had food poisoning. I was s***ting my pants, and I still went,” Goulding said.

Despite her condition, she proceeded with the set, later admitting she regretted her outfit choice. She recalled wearing leather shorts with zips running up the front and back, adding, “I thought, ‘These are the worst thing for my situation right now.’”

Goulding linked the illness to an intense touring schedule in South America, where she was travelling alongside Lorde. She attributed the episode to a meal shared shortly before the festival. “I remember having dinner with Ella, and I had some kind of wrap and it all went wrong,” she told the magazine.

The singer also used the interview to reflect on the sudden shift in her life during the early stages of her career. She described moving rapidly from relative anonymity to high-profile global appearances.

“I went from never taking a flight, never being photographed, to singing at the royal wedding,” she said, explaining that the pace took a toll on her health. “I don’t think my body knew how to process the contrast between my old life and my new life.”

Goulding noted that, at the time, there was limited consideration for artists’ physical wellbeing. She recalled frequent illness and being warned her career could be affected if she prioritised her health. “If you don’t do this, you will get repercussions,” she said.

Now preparing for her next musical chapter, following her November single Destiny, Goulding said she has learned to listen to her body, acknowledging that industry support structures have since improved.