It’s always a fun challenge interviewing people about fashion who aren’t in the business of fashion. They tend to give you unexpected answers and a fresh take on how “non-industry” people think about (or don’t think about) trends and putting together their own special look. Somehow the interviews tend to be a little more raw and a little less predictable.

British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding was no exception. Sipping on a cup of tea when I arrived at her W Hotel suite, she seemed exhausted from touring, but  still managed to rally on the last night of her tour, give me some thoughtful  answers to my battery of style questions for the Chronicle, and later perform an electric set.

I tend to get into hip-hop, R&B, and soul music more than most other genres, so it came as a nice surprise that Goulding’s refreshing mash-up of folk and electronica had me dancing along in the crowd and searching for her debut album “Lights” the following day. Check out this round-up of front-row photos, courtesy of Edric Itchon, featuring Goulding and her fashion savvy fans from that night.