Ellie Goulding and Ed Sheeran were among the top winners at this year’s BMI London Awards.
Goulding was honoured with the prestigious president’s gong, while Sheeran was presented with the European Song of the Year Award for his global hit, Bad Habits, alongside co-writer Johnny McDaid.
During her acceptance speech at The Savoy hotel in London on Monday, Goulding said it “means the world” to be able to continue a career she “truly loves”.
The 35-year-old, who was recognised for her contributions to music and song-writing, said getting to release music with a team who believe in her as an artist “will always be an inexplicable honour”
She follows in the footsteps of music stars such as Noel Gallagher, Jay Kay, Kenny Chesney, Pink, Willie Nelson, Adam Levine, and Gloria and Emilio Estefan in receiving the award.
“It means the world to me that I continue to have a career that I truly, truly love,” she said.
“It’s been 12 years since my debut album, so to have continued success, and to get to release new music with a team of people who believe in me as an artist, will always be an inexplicable honour.
“To reach new milestones and be respected with incredible accolades like the president’s award tonight means everything and I couldn’t do it without you.”
In her speech, she also singled out singer Tom Mann, whose fiance died on what was meant to be the couple’s wedding day, as an artist she had been “lucky enough to work with” and who did not get “nearly enough credit”.
Goulding, who topped the charts in 2010 with her debut album Lights, said that in the UK “particularly as a woman” ambition is ingrained as a “bad, uncool thing”. (Standard)