Ellie Goulding says she felt 'more equipped' to return to work after the birth of her second child Iris after feeling 'like a robot' recording music when she became a mother to her first son Arthur

Ellie Goulding has revealed she felt 'more equipped' to return to work after the birth of her second child, following struggles with feeling 'like a robot' trying to record an album when she became a first-time mum.

The singer has kickstarted promotions for her new album I Know Too Much after welcoming her daughter Iris with boyfriend Beau Minniear in March.

As part of her music comeback, with her new album set for release in September, Ellie performed her new song Black Prada Dress on Sunday's Later... With Jools Holland.

Speaking on the show, the star admitted that struggling in the 'postnatal phase' helped to inspire her 2023 album Higher Than Heaven, which was released a year after her son Arthur was born.

The star also confirmed that this new record will be her most honest yet, confirming it will cover the breakdown of her marriage to husband Caspar.

She said: 'Music and performing is the thing that keeps me going. I have two children now so the first time I went back in the studio, I was kind of a robot.

'I made this 2023 album called Higher Than Heaven and I don't remember it.

'Any woman that's had a baby can relate to that postnatal phase of, "What the hell just happened to me?". So I wrote all this music.

'Someone heard a song from it the other day and was like, "I thought this was AI, that's the new thing". And I was like, kind of, because I was like a robot and didn't know what I was doing for a time.

'Now I'm much more human and I have done it already, so this time around I'm a lot more equipped to get back into that mindset.'

Reflecting on the album's title track, Ellie added: 'It's probably the most honest song I've written.

'It is what it is. I know too much. It's tongue in cheek, but it's also some kind of comment on my life so far, and music.

'I couldn't think of a more apt title for everything I was singing about. I do know too much. Way too much.'

The star has previously spoken about the fact that her new record is 'a divorce album', having penned a number of the tracks at the time of her split from ex-husband Caspar in 2024.

She said last year: 'When I married my ex-husband, I thought it was for life. That will never go away and that will always stay with me. There are some songs that are necessary for me to acknowledge that time in my life and to be respectful of it...

'Then there were some songs that were extremely reactionary and sad that I felt were good to do in the moment but don't serve me long-term.'

Elaborating on the idea of a 'divorce album', she said: 'I asked my friends about this. I sent them a folder of the songs and was like, 'What do you guys think?' I trust my friends, and they're real music lovers...

'One person said, "Wow, this is the divorce album". And then most of the others were like, "This just sounds like you're a new woman. It sounds like growing and rediscovery. It doesn't feel like divorce".'

Ellie and Caspar finalised their divorce in January last year and the two remain on good terms as they co-parent Arthur.

Caspar has moved on with actress Olivia Wilde, 42, with the two spotted enjoying a romantic Valentine's Day weekend in Mexico City in February.

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