It is a slow night in Austin. I-35 is not as busy as usual and the buzz that normally carries the city along is oddly quiet. As you move closer to Frank Erwin Center, the official venue of The University of Texas at Austin located on the cities iconic Red River Street; there is something in the air.

What that is, in this sense, is an excitement that is clearly overshadowed by the Bruno Mars, who is the evening’s main attraction and replaced by cheers for rising English singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding.

BestNewBands.com followed Goulding pretty closely for the last year. From Hangout Festival to our live review of an intimate roof top show, the British chart-topping 26-year-old has been delivering certified gold. From her debut Lights, which hit the charts at no. 1 in the UK to last year’s Halcyon which received positive reviews and yielded the hit single “Anything Can Happen”, the young dream pop beauty has seen a fair share of success in a short period of time. As a result BestNewBands.com named Goulding our Best New Female Artist of 2012.

From the moment Goulding stepped onto the stage, she’s electric. Her platinum blonde hair is wildly vivid and her voice desperately captivating. When she delivers crowd favorites “Don’t Say A Word” and “Halcyon” it is clear that Mars picked a great opening act.

The audience is enamored and bolster Goulding’s choruses with every song. As she moves into piano ballads “Explosions” and “Joy”, the abrupt change of pace is not only beautifully delivered, but her vocals are pitch perfect.

Goulding is a promising performer. Her contrast between her folk singer past and pop present is what keeps us coming back for more.

As a wizard on stage, Goulding demands the presence of her audience. Well-known for her cover of Elton John’s “Your Song,” she has introduced the teen-bopper generation to an icon through her breathy rendition of the track. (And for the record, we didn’t hate it. It’s not the iconic piano player, but it’s a stellar cover.)

Goulding continued her high energy act, with new single “Burn” and crowd favorite “Lights” before giving up the stage for the main act. I found myself satisfied with the energetic and captivating performance, so much so that I skipped Mars all together and drove that barren interstate all the way home with “Lights” turned up and my memory of the evening illuminated.