HEREFORDSHIRE singing sensation Ellie Goulding is proving to be a smash hit across the pond.

The Lyonshall artist is currently number two in the Hot 100 Billboard chart – the biggest music chart in the US – with her single Lights.

The song has already gone double platinum in the States, selling more than two-and-a-half million copies, and comes on the back of her performing in front of Barack Obama at the White House in December as part of the national Christmas tree lights ceremony.

The 25-year-old is currently recording her second album Halcyon, which is due to come out in October.

Her debut album Lights went straight in at number one in the UK charts and featured the Elton John cover song Your Song, which was used as the soundtrack to the John Lewis Christmas advert last year.

Ellie, a former Lady Hawkins’ School student, signed to Polydor Records in 2009. She was tipped by industry experts in the BBC Sound of 2010 list and just a few months later won the Critics’ Choice award at the Brit Awards.

Last April she was invited to perform at the wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Buckingham Palace.

However, Ellie hasn’t forgotten her roots and in May this year returned to the Jailhouse, the Hereford club where she regularly played before making her name.