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"My Blood" is a song by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding from her second studio album, Halcyon (2012). Goulding and Jim Eliot produced the song, and they wrote it with Mima Stilwell.[2]
"My Blood" is a baroque-inspired song that blends folk and electronic elements.[3] The lyrics explore emotional devastation and the process of healing through pain.[4][5] In 2014, the song was included as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of the Divergent soundtrack and was also featured in the movie.[6][7] Although a non-single track, 'My Blood' became a fan-favorite from Goulding's discography. During the 2020s, the song gained popularity on the TikTok app which contributed to its resurgence on streaming.[8] As July 2025, the song has over 170 million streams on Spotify alone, and earned a certification from the British Phonographic Industry, thirteen years after its release.[9][10]
Background and release
Ellie Goulding conceived her second studio album, Halcyon, during a time when she was working through a heartbreak.[11]Polydor Records released Halcyon on October 5, 2012. Halcyon consists of 12 tracks, and "My Blood" is track number 2. Goulding and Jim Eliot wrote and produced the song, with additional writing from Mima Stilwell. The song appears as track number 2 on the album reissues Halcyon Days (2013), and Halcyon Nights (2021).[12][13]
Composition
During an interview with David Winograd of Time Magazine, Goulding told Winograd that "My Blood" was another favorite song of her from Halcyon, explaining that the track was an accompaniment to her, explaining that the song reflected a time when someone took so much from her emotionally that she felt she had nothing left.[14][15]Billboard said about the lyrical content, "All fire and brimstone, Goulding laments a love lost, her soul shattered as she contemplates the fallout of what once was."[16]
Writing for AllMusic, music critic Matt Collar described "My Blood" as a baroque song,[3] that fuses Goulding signature folk sound with electronic beats.[3] Geoff Nelson of PopMatters stated that on Halcyon‘s second track, "Goulding is back at her most carnal", describing her voice with the production, Nelson noted that the "chorus has the singer near the top of her range and backed by a full choir."[4] Meanwhile Pablo Pocar of Binaural opined that "the second track of the album seamlessly blends Ellie’s characteristic pop frenzy with a mystical undertone".[17]
"I really enjoy singing it. I’ve been singing it in rehearsals already and I really enjoy the lyrics. It creates a real powerful image."[18]
—Goulding talking about "My Blood", to Examiner[19]
Reception
In their 2012 reviews of Halcyon, critics praised 'My Blood' for its storytelling and Goulding's vocal performance. Luisa Mercier of Indie Zone Reviews named it one of the albums highlights, praising "its ethnic percussions, the paced beat and the pathos til the catchy chorus".[20] Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times dubbed the song as "beautiful".[21] Debbie Talbot of What's Good to Do called the song a standout on the album, highlighting its lyrical content.[22] Kat Mortram of The Edge predicted "My Blood" would become a hit due to "how catchy it is and by its unusual sound."[23] Critics from Pitchfork, Paste Magazine and The Independent likened the track to the work of fellow Brit, singer-songwriter Adele.[24][25][26]
In a 2017 retrospective review, Billboard magazine ranked "My Blood" as the 55th best deep cut by a 21st-century pop star, describing it as a song that "showed a darker glimpse of corporeal angst" from Goulding.[16]
On September 16, 2012, Goulding performed "My Blood" for the first time at the iTunes Festival in London, with the live performance released for digital download on iTunes.[27] She also performed the song on television during Later... with Jools Holland on November 16, 2012.[28] In 2013, Goulding revisited the song at the iTunes Festival in London and during a private iTunes session, both performances being released for digital download on October 17 and December 10, respectively.[29][30][31]
Goulding did not perform 'My Blood' between 2020 and 2022, as it was absent from the setlist of her Brightest Blue Tour. However, in 2023, she surprised fans by performing an acappella version of the song during her Higher Than HeavenTour in Glasgow on October 18.[32][33] She went on to perform it again on some subsequents shows.[34] Goulding included the song on the setlist for her concert at the Royal Albert Hall in April 2024.[35]
American singer-songwriter Greyson Chance praised the song on his Twitter account in 2012, which Goulding subsequently acknowledged.[37][38]
"My Blood" was featured in the 2014 dystopian film Divergent and included as a bonus track on the movie’s soundtrack.[39]
"My Blood" was featured in the trailer for the Disney's live-action version of Cinderella in 2015.[40][41]
"My Blood" gained popularity within DracoTok, a community of fans dedicated to Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter universe, after fans created edits and content using the song and the lyrics "And God knows I'm not dying, but I bleed now".[42][43] Remixed versions, including a sped-up version and a mash-up with Lana Del Rey's "Ride," further contributed to the track’s rise in popularity in the 2020s.[8][44][45]
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