Ellie Goulding reimagined her Diplo-produced single “Close to Me” as a spirited folk sing-along on The Late Show Monday.
Goulding teamed with house band Jon Batiste and Stay Human, who crafted a delicate arrangement of intertwining acoustic guitars, tender piano and simple percussion. Throughout the performance, Goulding found new pockets in this mix to push her vocals, all the while receiving back-up from a trio of singers who harmonized as she sang, “And I don’t wanna be somebody without your body/Close to me/And if it wasn’t you, I wouldn’t want anybody/Close to me.”
“Close to Me” – which also features a guest verse from Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee – was released last October. In February, Goulding shared another new track, “Flux.” The singer has reportedly been prepping her new album, though a title and track list have yet to be announced. The LP is expected to arrive later this year. Goulding’s last album, Delirium, was released in 2015.