GOULDING PICKS TAP

After a bidding war, U.K.-based Tap Management has signed Ellie Goulding, according to our sources.

You might remember us reporting back in February that Goulding was a free agent after splitting with management firm First Access. She is joining Tap, who have recently had roaring success with the multi-BRIT Award winning Dua Lipa.

Tap is run by Ed Millett and Ben Mawson, who have also steered the career of Lana Del Rey. They have a label arm that has developed London artist Col3trane, who has signed to Interscope; other projects this year include Grace Carter and Dermot Kennedy. Goulding is their first management signing who has arrived already established.

Goulding joined First Access, which was then Turn First, right at the start of her career where she was developed by Jamie Lillywhite. Across the 10 years since, she’s signed to Polydor and released three albums, the first two of which hit #1 in the U.K. Her last, Delirium, reached #3 in Blighty in 2015 and was her best performing yet in the U.S. where it charted at #3.

Millett and Mawson were battling with a U.S. manager for her signature who we hear can now be found drowning his sorrows in a pub.