Interview: Lindsey Stirling

Violinist, dancer and all-round icon of the stage, Lindsey Stirling is back in the UK this week with a brand new show for fans, a year after her last which saw the entertainer sell-out London’s Eventim Apollo as part of her festival stop in the capital. This time the musician is filling up the prestigious Royal Albert Hall and bringing her expansive catalogue to the UK in a new stage show that has so far received widespread acclaim. Along with the catalogue hits, Stirling is also bring with her some brand new songs, taken from her most recent studio album, Duality, which saw its release earlier this year and contains singles Inner Gold (with Royal & the Serpent), Eye Of The Untold Her and most recent single, Survive.

Having already swept through most of Europe, upcoming dates also include shows in Dublin, Manchester and Glasgow before she sets off back home to deliver another Christmas touring spectacular to close out the year. Ahead of her debut performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall, we caught up with the string superstar to talk about her recent album, non-stop touring and her return to the capital and the grand Royal Albert Hall. Here is what she had to tell us…

Brendon Veevers: Hi Lindsey – how are you doing and where does this interview find you today?

Lindsey Stirling: I’m currently on my bus, watching Love Is Blind with my dancers. We just got off stage in Paris, and it was a magical show.

BV: Earlier in the year you released your seventh studio album, Duality. For those that have not yet heard the record, what can you tell us about the album and what would you say sets it apart from your previous records?

LS: Duality is about how we all have multiple sides to us, and often these different sides are in direct conflict. Sometimes I feel so powerful—like I can accomplish all my dreams. Other times, I doubt myself and question if I can do anything at all. Every day, we get to decide which part of ourselves we want to be. This album is a peek into my soul. It expresses my magic, my joy, and my inner conflict.

BV: When it comes to putting together a new album, as principal writer of the works included on your albums, where would you say you drew the most inspiration from when putting together the songs that form Duality?

LS: I draw a lot of inspiration from reading—especially self-help books. These books empower me and help me understand where I’m at in the moment of writing. They also help me find themes of empowerment to write about. The book Untamed inspired me a lot for this album, as did Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself.

BV: You don’t just perform the songs on your records but you also play other integral roles in the recording of your albums including producing and engineering. How important is it for you to have this level of control and involvement when it comes to the recording process of your music?

LS: I have to say, I don’t produce any of my music myself, but I work very closely with the talented producers who do. I love recording at home and taking charge of the engineering process. It allows me as much time as I need, and I can pause, listen back, and figure out the best feel for the performance by listening to my different takes. Sometimes, music sounds very different when you listen back versus when you play along with it. Once I listen, I might suddenly realize that I want it more staccato or legato than the way I’d been practicing it.

BV: Most people when they think of a violinist will think of classical music or someone that forms part of an orchestra perhaps. Not many would immediately think of a violinist as the headlining act performing sold out spaces all around the world that would normally host the likes of mainstream pop and rock acts. While there have been a few in the past, you seem to have really broken that mould on an entirely different level for headlining string instrumentalists. How does it feel to be regarded as such a ground breaker for your craft and your instrument?

LS: I feel so lucky to have parents who have always encouraged my creativity. My dad was a quirky, unique man, and he showed me that the things that made me unique and made me special. Thanks to the encouragement of my parents, my mentors, friends, and sisters, I was brave enough to try something different. In the beginning, most people in the industry called what I did “too different and unmarketable.” Now that I’ve become successful, people call it “groundbreaking.” I hope that gives others confidence to keep going when no one sees the vision of what they’re doing. As Jamie Kern Lima says, “You’re not crazy; you’re just first.”

BV: As part of your performance and your stage shows you incorporate so many elements – from singing and playing the violin to dancing and delivering so much drama and theatrics that anyone would be forgiven to think they had just seen the latest Cirque du Soleil. What’s your favourite part of performing?

LS: Ooo, I love performing. I love taking people on a journey with my shows. I want them to feel surprised, thoughtful, to laugh, and to feel powerful. I want people to leave my show feeling entertained, but I also want them to leave believing they can become whatever they want in life.

BV: Watching your shows and the high energy you give to your performances, your audience can’t help but feel exhausted for you by the time the final note is played. But you master your performances night after night. Where do you get your stamina from?

LS: My stamina comes from taking care of myself as best I can. I try to eat healthy, work out a lot before going on tour to make sure I’m physically strong enough to handle the show. And it helps that I don’t party or drink haha.

BV: From what we have seen so far of the tour, you have now introduced aerial performance to your shows. We can’t help but assume that you really do love to challenge yourself with it comes to delivering a live performance experience and pushing things as far as they will go for your fans. Is that safe to say?

LS: Yes, I love to challenge myself. It keeps me on my toes as a performer, but I’ve also always loved theatrics. Over the last decade, I’ve gradually learned the skills to create the show of my dreams. When I first started performing, I could barely move while playing the violin. There’s nothing wrong with that, but that wasn’t the kind of show I wanted to do. So I continue to work to be the most engaging and theatrical performer I can be.

BV: You have played some performance spaces over the course of your career including Coachella, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Hammerstein Ballroom and so many more around the globe. Are there any venues, festivals or spaces that you would most love to tick off your bucket list?

LS: I would love to play the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden.

BV: Of all of your achievements over the course of your career, what would you say has meant the most to you or that you are the most proud of and why?

LS: I’m most proud of the team I’ve built around me. I’ve provided jobs and a sense of community for a small group of people, from my management team to my touring family. They’re like family to me. I hear that working with people for over a decade is really rare in this business, so I’m proud of my dedicated team and grateful to provide work for them.

BV: We were lucky enough to see you perform your second Snow Waltz tour in London last year and we were blown away. You are currently touring Europe and will make a stop here in London on October 31st at the iconic Royal Albert Hall as part of your Duality tour. Have you ever played the Royal Albert Hall before?

LS: I’m so, so, so excited to play the Royal Albert Hall for the first time! That’s definitely a bucket list venue.

BV: What are you most looking forward to about being back in the UK and back in London?

LS: I’m beyond excited to be back in the UK! There’s incredible energy here, and London has always felt like such a creative hub for me. The UK audience has this way of making every performance feel electric, and it’s so inspiring for me on stage.

BV: You seem to be such a busy performer – going from one tour right into the next. As soon as you wrap up the UK Duality tour dates, its straight back to the US to start the next Snow Waltz Christmas Tour in the US. Do you get many opportunities to relax and take all of the success in?

LS: As much as I love performing, I do have seasons when I need a break. By the end of the year, I’ll have been going for almost five months straight, with five shows a week. So I’ll be really excited to spend time playing board games with my family over the holidays and relax with friends, watching RuPaul’s Drag Race every Friday night.

BV: Outside of being an entertainer, what are the things that you most enjoy doing in the rare spare time that you do get?

LS: I love crafting, scrapbooking, riding bikes, hiking, and potluck dinners with friends.

BV: When someone attends your show, what is the single thing that you hope they leave the venue feeling or remembering from the night?

LS: I hope people leave the show knowing they are magical.

Lindsey Stirling will be performing at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Thursday 31st October. Tickets HERE. She will then be taking the tour to Dublin. Manchester and Glasgow. More information HERE.  

Brendon Veevers

::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.