5. Ellie Goulding
Debuting in 2009 with her first EP titled An Introduction to Ellie Goulding, Goulding caught the attention of many with her breathy tone and high vibrato. Whereas previous entries Jessie J and Adele are known for their loud and powerful voices, Ellie manages to keep it simple - and unique - with a more soft-spoken but still emotive vocal range. Goulding's version of Elton John's Your Song offered a unique spin on the classic and managed to reach number two in the UK. She even performed the song at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in April 2011. Her biggest single from her freshman album Lights, however, was the song of the same name. Combining Goulding's ethereal vocals with a distinctive electropop riff was pure genius and the song stayed on the US Billboard charts for thirty-three weeks before eventually climbing to number two. Lights became one of the few songs to accomplish such an amazing feat. Goulding followed up with the beautiful, upbeat, and once more unearthly vocalized Starry-Eyed. One of her best songs, however, is one that was not released as a single - Salt Skin. The track is an incredible display of both lyrical aptitude and vocal resonance managing to hold its own against Lights. Outside of her vocals, Goulding makes the list due to her multi-instrumental capabilities. She often plays the drums while performing and is trained in both the clarinet and guitar as well. With so many talents possesses by Ellie Goulding she certainly has a lot more to offer us in the future.