Lindsey Stirling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lindsey Stirling
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Stirling in January 2018
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| Born | September 21, 1986 Santa Ana, California, U.S.
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| Years active | 2007–present |
| Genre | Music |
| Subscribers | 14.3 million |
| Total views | 4.24 billion |
| Subscriber and view counts updated as of 3 May 2025. | |
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Lindsey Stirling (born September 21, 1986) is an American violinist, songwriter, and dancer. She is famous for performing with her violin while dancing. She shares her music videos on her official YouTube channel, which she started in 2007.
Stirling plays many styles of music, from classical to pop and electronic dance music. She writes her own songs and also covers music from other artists and movie soundtracks. Her music video "Crystallize" was the eighth most-watched YouTube video of 2012. Her cover of the song "Radioactive" with the group Pentatonix won an award at the first YouTube Music Awards in 2013.
By 2023, her YouTube channel had more than 13 million subscribers and over 3 billion views. Forbes magazine named her one of its "30 Under 30 in Music" in 2015. Her second album, Shatter Me, reached the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 chart.
Contents
Early Life and First Band
Lindsey Stirling grew up in a family that did not have a lot of money. Her parents could only afford short, 15-minute violin lessons for her each week. Even though teachers said this was not enough time, her parents believed in her. She began playing the violin when she was five years old.
When she was a teenager living in Gilbert, Arizona, she joined a rock band with her friends called Stomp on Melvin. She wrote a solo violin rock song for the band. Her performance of this song helped her win the title of Arizona's Junior Miss.
Stirling always loved to dance but had to choose between dance and violin lessons as a child. She chose the violin. Later, she decided to combine her two passions by dancing while playing the violin.
Career Beginnings
America's Got Talent
In 2010, at age 23, Stirling competed on season five of America's Got Talent. The show called her a "hip hop violinist." She impressed the judges by mixing different music styles and dancing while she played.
However, in the quarter-finals, some judges were not sure about her act. Judge Piers Morgan told her she wasn't "good enough" to play the violin while "flying through the air." Judge Sharon Osbourne said she should be in a group. Stirling was very disappointed by these comments.
But she didn't give up. She decided to stay true to her unique style and began sharing her work online. She later said, "The only reason I'm successful is because I have stayed true to myself."
YouTube Success
After the show, a filmmaker named Devin Graham asked to make a music video with her. Their video for her song "Spontaneous Me" became very popular. This encouraged Stirling to make more music videos for her YouTube channel, Lindseystomp.
Her channel grew quickly. She became known for mixing violin with hip hop and dubstep. She also worked with many other artists, including The Piano Guys, Pentatonix, and John Legend. Her video for "Crystallize" was a huge success, getting over 42 million views in 2012.
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On September 18, 2012, she released her first album, Lindsey Stirling. It was a big hit, especially in Europe, and won awards in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Rise to Fame
First World Tour and Shatter Me
In 2013, Stirling went on her first world tour, performing in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Her fan base grew even larger. Her YouTube channel reached three million subscribers that year.
In 2014, she announced her second album, Shatter Me. The title song featured singer Lzzy Hale. The album was a major success, selling 56,000 copies in its first week in the U.S. and reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It later won a Billboard Music Award for Top Dance/Electronic Album.
She went on another world tour to support the album, performing 77 shows in North America and Europe.
Brave Enough and Dancing with the Stars
In 2016, Stirling released her third album, Brave Enough. It included the song "Something Wild," which was featured in the Disney movie Pete's Dragon. The album won another Billboard Music Award.
In 2017, Stirling competed on season 25 of Dancing with the Stars. Her partner was professional dancer Mark Ballas. During the show, she suffered a rib injury but continued to compete. She and Ballas finished in second place.
That same year, she released her first Christmas album, Warmer in the Winter. It featured singers like Becky G and Sabrina Carpenter. She has since gone on several popular Christmas-themed tours.
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Recent Work
Artemis and Duality
Stirling's fifth album, Artemis, came out in 2019. The album was inspired by the Greek goddess of the moon. She also released a comic book series with the same name. She toured the world for the album, performing in Mexico, Europe, and North America.
In 2022, she released her second Christmas album, Snow Waltz. She followed this with more holiday tours in the U.S. and Europe.
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Her newest album, Duality, was released in June 2024. She described the album as exploring different sides of her personality. She went on a major tour across the U.S. and Europe to support it.
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Personal Life
Stirling attended Brigham Young University (BYU) and studied recreation management. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served a mission for her church in New York City.
She has openly talked about her past struggles with an eating disorder. She said her song "Shatter Me" tells the story of how she overcame this challenge. The album cover, which shows a ballerina inside a cracked glass ball, represents this journey. She hopes her story can help others who are facing similar difficulties.
Charity Work
Stirling often uses her fame to help others. In 2013, she worked with the Atlanta Music Project to help children learn music. She also performed at a charity event for Cirque du Soleil to support clean water projects around the world.
In 2020, she started The Upside Fund, a charity to help people who were struggling financially. She has auctioned many of her famous performance outfits to raise money for the charity.
Her Violins
Stirling uses several different violins. For live shows, she often uses a Yamaha electric violin or a carbon fiber violin named "Nero." In the studio, she usually records with a classic acoustic violin made in the early 1900s, which she calls "Roth."
She also has violins with fun names and designs, including:
- Steampunk: Her first electric violin.
- Violumpet: A violin with a horn attached, seen in her "Roundtable Rival" video.
- David Bowie: An electric violin with a crossbow attached for her "Artemis" video.
- Crystallize: A special edition violin she designed with Yamaha.
Discography
- Lindsey Stirling (2012)
- Shatter Me (2014)
- Brave Enough (2016)
- Warmer in the Winter (2017)
- Artemis (2019)
- Snow Waltz (2022)
- Duality (2024)
Images for kids
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Lindsey Stirling in Guadalajara, Mexico, in April 2015
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Stirling performing in 2018
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Stirling (center), with band members Ryan Riveros (left) and Drew Steen (right) in 2024
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See also
In Spanish: Lindsey Stirling para niños
