It’s not often that you see violist captivate the mainstream but ever so often, a musician breakthroughs and is able to capture the same emotional connection as any vocalist has with their audience. One person for whom this tale rings true is Lindsey Stirling. Lindsey Stirling is one of the biggest artist development breakthrough stories in recent years. A classically trained violinist from Gilbert, Ariz., Lindsey has entered a futurist world of electronic big beats and animation, leaping through the music industry with over 9 million YouTube subscribers, over 1.7 billion views on her YouTube channel, Billboard chart-topping hits and sold-out tours worldwide.  

Her successes don’t only live on the internet either, her Crystalize album reached Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Chart and Classical Album Chart once more cementing Lindsey’s place within the music industry. With a new album entitled “Warmer In The Winter” featuring collaborations with Sabrina Carpenter, Becky G, Trombone Shorty, and Alex Gaskarth, the album features ten Christmas classics as well as three original songs. We caught up with Lindsey to discuss the above, and so much more! 

 

Being classically trained in violin, was it an organic transition to incorporate electronic production into your music?

It was a gradual, experimental yet natural process that brought my music to where it is today. After playing classical music my whole life I realized I didn’t want to just play what was on a page; I didn’t want to play songs that had been played for hundreds of years, exactly the way they had been played for hundreds of years. I wanted to be a creator. So I started to experiment with tons of different styles. I joined an indie rock band, toured with a country band, dabbled in hip-hop, played in a Celtic fiddle group, and finally was ready to create my own sound.

You’ve been very open with your writing process and discussing the dark experiences you had to draw from to create Brave Enough. How did it feel to lay so much of yourself bare on the record?

There is a fine line between being vulnerable and oversharing and it is a hard line to draw. How much is inspiring and how much is too much? I had so much that I was feeling when I wrote Brave Enough and in a way it felt inauthentic to write about anything else. These were the thoughts and emotions that weighed heavy on my heart. I decided that if I thought these emotions, songs and stories could inspire or help others, it was worth sharing.

I have been given such an amazing gift; when I share a piece of art, it will be seen or heard by millions of people. That is extremely humbling but also it is a big responsibility. So I figure, if I’m going to say something, I should say something that I believe will help someone.

Was it made any easier because of your large following of younger fans who could benefit from your experience or was it harder because you were shattering the previous perception of your well being?

I don’t want to be seen as the perfect happy girl who hides behind filters and edited photos. I think it is so important to show that everyone struggles. Everyone feels lonely sometimes, everyone has times of low self-esteem, I think every woman has looked in the mirror and disliked what she saw in the reflection. I’m not saying these are good things, but they are real and if these feelings make you feel broken or different then it is harder to have hope that we can move past them. I have always tried to be open about my struggles. I’ve shared my history with anorexia and depression and my heart breaks that came from the passing of my father and best friend. When I was at my lowest points, I found hope and courage knowing that I wasn’t alone so I shared my stories to hopefully give courage to others.

Your music videos are so in tune with your cinematic violin arrangements – when you’re writing a piece are you always considering which direction the visuals will take or does that come after the composition is complete?

It goes both ways, sometimes I get the video idea before I even have a song for it and then I write the song just so I can make the video. That is how I wrote shadows, lost girls, mirage, and others. Sometimes I get the video idea while I’m writing the song. That happened while I was writing Master of Tides, roundtable rival, etc. And sometimes I figure out the video idea later.

Where do you draw musical inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from my music from my faith, I write about the person I was, and the person I am trying to become, I write about the times I fell down, and I write a lot about what it feels like to persevere through trials.

What is your favourite tour story?

We went riding Segways in Prague. It was the coolest thing ever.

What’s been your career highlight so far?

Honestly, the highlight is that I still get to plan new adventures for my musical journey. I am currently planning my Christmas tour and I walked onto the stage set today for the first time. I drew the set on a lined piece of scratch paper months ago, and yet there was in front of me, filling the stage and looking amazing. We fitted the costumes that my stylist and I had meticulously designed, we worked on choreography. I am just so full of gratitude. I can’t believe that my dream came true; that I continuously get to dream big and create music, shows and videos that I am extremely proud of. That is the continuous highlight of my career.

What is your FAULT?

My fault is that I’m a perfectionist and workaholic – I need to learn to take more time to myself!