Ellie Goulding sees Amy Winehouse as ''a massive inspiration''.

The 28-year-old singer never met the late star - who passed away in 2011 from alcohol poisoning - but has learnt lessons from Amy's life and is hoping she doesn't suffer similar media hounding.

She explained: ''I've learned from Amy. She's a massive inspiration. She lived here [in London]. She worked here. Her friends were here. And I don't see why that can't be my life and I can still do my art without letting that [celebrity] stuff [interfere].''

The 'Burn' hitmaker - who is dating McBusted hunk Dougie Poynter - continued to say despite the fact the 'Back to Black' singer only released two albums before she passed away, she believes she is ''one of the greatest'' British artists to have ever lived.

She gushed to Billboard magazine: ''We had mutual friends, but I didn't know her and I'm so sad that I never got to meet her and I'm so sad about how it ended because she was just an unbelievable talent. Unbelievable. She's one of the greatest artists to ever come out of this country and to come out of London.''