Ellie Goulding has encouraged young people to protest against climate change

Speaking to the Mirror's special Next Gen edition - which has seen a group of teenagers take over the publication both in print and online - she said: "I am for it. Young people are angry that their future is being dictated by older people in power.

"It must be very frustrating and I'd have been exactly the same at 15 or 16... Once you become aware of the facts and the science, it's quite hard to not be [an activist].

"I live in the real world. You can see things around you - the extreme weather, the forest fires. A lot of people are not accepting it."

Ellie, 32, also opened up about the impact social media has on young people, and she admitted she's glad platforms like Instagram and Snapchat "weren't around" when she was a teenager.

She added: "I used to go on MSN Messenger. It was just about conversations. I was quite shy and I do believe [Instagram and Snapchat] would have made me feel even less confident. I'm grateful they weren't around."

Meanwhile, it was recently revealed the star has teamed up with Classic FM in a bid to reduce exam stress for students across the UK.

The 'Army' hitmaker has paired with the radio station to host two shows as part of Revision Hour, with one airing at 9:00pm on Saturday June 1 and a second on June 15.

She said: "I've been a big fan of classical music ever since my grandfather gave me a classical album, when I was 11-years-old.

"At school, I found exams quite stressful and put myself under a lot of pressure, but music helped me relax and unwind.

"I'm looking forward to being behind the mic for Classic FM's Revision Hour and I hope everyone enjoys the music as much as I enjoy presenting it."