Lindsey Stirling American violinist, dancer, stage performer and composer Date of Birth: 21.09.1986 Country: USA

Content:

1. Lindsey Stirling: A Multifaceted Artist
2. America's Got Talent and Solo Career
3. YouTube Breakthrough and Collaborations
4. International Tours and Album Releases
5. Dance and Musical Diversity
6. Recognition and Awards

Lindsey Stirling: A Multifaceted Artist

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Lindsey Stirling, an American violinist, dancer, performance artist, and composer, fuses the art forms of violin playing and choreography both onstage and in captivating music videos on her popular YouTube channel. Born in Santa Ana, California, she grew up in Gilbert, Arizona, where she attended Mesquite High School. Stirling then moved to Provo, Utah, to study at Brigham Young University, and later served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York City. Upon returning to Provo in 2009, she continued her studies until relocating to Arizona with her family in 2012. Stirling currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Inspired by local symphony orchestra concerts her father took the family to, Stirling expressed interest in learning the violin at the tender age of 5. Despite financial constraints at the time, she began taking lessons at age 6. She received instruction through private and orchestral lessons for 12 years. At 16, she joined the rock band Stomp on Melvin. Drawing from her experiences in the band, Stirling wrote a solo rock composition for violin that helped her win the 2005 Miss Junior Arizona pageant and the National Jr. Miss Pageant talent competition. Stirling also briefly performed with the band Charley Jenkins. Tragically, her father, Stephen Jay Stirling, a religious educator and author, passed away in 2017 after battling cancer.

America's Got Talent and Solo Career

In 2010, Stirling gained recognition on America's Got Talent, wowing audiences with her unique performance style. However, her attempt to enhance her dance moves during the quarterfinal performance was deemed insufficient by the judges, who acknowledged her talent but questioned her technical skill. Undeterred, Stirling embarked on a solo career and released an EP later that year.

YouTube Breakthrough and Collaborations

In 2011, shortly after her America's Got Talent appearance, she was approached by filmmaker Devin Graham (DevinSuperTramp) to collaborate on a YouTube video. The result was a video set to Stirling's song "Spontaneous Me," which launched her YouTube stardom. Most of her videos have been directed by Graham, and her channel has quickly amassed a massive following. As of June 2020, Stirling's YouTube channel boasts over 12.5 million subscribers and nearly 3 billion views. In September 2012, she launched a new YouTube channel, LindseyTime, where she shares personal vlogs, behind-the-scenes footage, and more.

Stirling's compositions seamlessly blend genres, incorporating violin with dubstep, hip-hop, and more. She has collaborated with a wide range of musicians and vocalists, including Shawn Barrow (The Decemberists), Jake Bruhn and Frank Sacramone (LMFAO), Temecula Road, Peter Hollens, Aliah Po'lat, John Allred, Aimée Proal, Megan Nicole, The Piano Guys, Debbie Gibson, Samuel Shue, Tyler Ward, Kurt Hugo Schneider, John Legend, and Pentatonix. She has also performed with the Salt Lake Pops Orchestra and Alex Boyé.

International Tours and Album Releases

Stirling's debut album was released on September 18, 2012, followed by her first North American concert tour that ran from September to November. She embarked on a second U.S. tour and a "test tour" in Europe. Her third tour kicked off in Moscow, Russia, on May 22, 2013, and concluded in Norrköping, Sweden, on June 29, with stops in 26 cities.

In December 2012, YouTube named "Crystallize" the 8th most popular video of the year, with over 42 million views. Stirling's participation in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' "I'm a Mormon" campaign in 2013 highlighted how her faith helped her overcome anorexia. In July 2013, she announced an Asian, Australian, and Russian tour. In November 2013, she won the YouTube Music Award for Response of the Year for her collaboration with Pentatonix on "Radioactive."

Stirling's accomplishments continued in 2014, when her debut album earned gold status in Poland, platinum in Germany, and later platinum in Austria. Her second album, "Shatter Me," was released on April 29, 2014, and debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200. Stirling commenced her second world tour on May 13, 2014, with 77 shows in total: 48 in North America and 29 in Europe. This tour featured Jason Gaviati, Drew Steen (both from her first tour), and two new dancers: Stephen Jones and Peter Styles, as well as choreographer Anze Skrube.

Dance and Musical Diversity

Stirling has always been passionate about dance, but had to prioritize violin lessons as a child. As she later stated in an interview with NewMediaRockstars, "Even when I was a little kid, I always dreamed that I would dance, but my parents were like, 'You can do either violin or dance. Not both,' and I chose violin. So this is kind of the fulfillment of that dream—it’s funny, it’s what I always wanted to do."

Beyond her unique fusion of hip-hop and classical music on violin, Stirling impressed America's Got Talent judges with her ability to seamlessly incorporate dance into her performances, a feature she showcases in her tours and music videos. In an online chat, Stirling explained, "It's very unnatural to dance while playing the violin. It took me a lot of practicing to learn how to do it, and it's sort of second nature now. I have to know the song really well before I can start moving around. Once I know the music really well, then I can just enjoy the dancing." Her dance background influences not only her performances but also her music: "I love dance music, which is why I started with that and wrote 'Transcendence,' 'Electric Daisy,' and 'Spontaneous Me.'"

In October 2013, Stirling announced her participation in Season 3 of Dance Showdown, a web series dance competition hosted by DanceOn, with the winner receiving $50,000. Stirling placed in the top three but did not win the grand prize, despite receiving critical acclaim for her three performances with dance partner Anze Skrube. One of the three judges, Laurieann Gibson, called Stirling's second performance "one of the best" in Dance Showdown, and her final performance the best she had ever seen.

Stirling's musical repertoire spans from classical to pop, rock to EDM. Her discography includes both original works and covers of other artists' songs and soundtracks. Her "Crystallize" video was the 8th most-viewed YouTube video in 2012, and her Pentatonix collaboration on "Radioactive" won Response of the Year at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards in 2013.

Recognition and Awards

In 2015, Stirling was named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list in the Music category. Forbes highlighted her fifth-place finish on America's Got Talent in 2010, her Billboard 200 debut of Shatter Me at number 2 in 2014, and her 12.7 million YouTube subscribers. Stirling's self-titled debut album achieved commercial success in Europe: it sold over 200,000 copies in Germany, earning platinum certification; and received triple platinum certifications in Austria, Switzerland, and Poland. Her debut album was nominated for Top Dance/Electronic Albums at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards. Stirling's second album, Shatter Me, won Top Dance/Electronic Album at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.

Electronic

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