We’ve all been sixteen, and Ellie Goulding’s track of the same name serves wistful themes of nostalgia and youth, buttressed by a sanguine beat that will have you playing it on repeat. Having established herself as a top electro pop artist, winning 17 awards ranging from BMI to Brit, and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo for “Love Me Like You Do,” Ellie Goulding has delivered the summer hit that we’ve been counting on––and a music video to match.
The “Sixteen” video cuts back and forth from current Goulding to snapshots of antics from her youth in London, portrayed by Goulding suiting up in school uniform. The video parallels the song’s lyrics, focusing on the relationships of her youth with her mom, her friends, and her love interests, as she remembers the ease of this time.
Though not all of us stole vodka and got tattoos like Goulding’s portrayal of sixteen, the dichotomy of wanting to grow up and longing to be young is a universal feeling. As she leaves us with the note, “don’t lose your head,” Golding’s message resonates in all its listeners, solidifying her place as a singer, performer and queen of the summer track.