www.GilbertSunNews.com
Arts
August 2015
Stirling shatters pop music’s expectations
43
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
When a young Lindsey Stirling shared to choose one. Stirling chose the violin, that she wanted to meld the sound of her but slowly incorporated dancing in her violin with electronic music, others tried performance. to dissuade her. She explained that it’s “unnatural” But the 2005 Mesquite High School to play violin and dance; it took a lot graduate soon learned that being different of practice to nail that part of her has been “a great thing.” performance. “When I started, I kept being told that Pursuing a career in music since just I was too different and there wasn’t a after high school, Stirling says she’s glad market for what I was doing because it was that she went in with her eyes shut. too outside the box,” she said. “I found “I had no idea what was ahead,” Stirling that what people thought would be my explained. “I had no idea it was going to greatest demise is my greatest advocate. be an up and down journey. I was naïve as I’m the only one who’s doing what I’m to how hard it would be. The naivete kept doing and it’s worked out well.” me excited and going. Every single step Thanks to her talents, Stirling has been was a big and exciting step. Rather than included in Forbes magazine’s 30 Under just looking up to see how far the climb 30 In Music: The Class Of 2015. Her song was, I was just excited about every little with Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale, “Shatter Me,” foot hole that I found—every bit. In a way, hit No. 2 on The Billboard 200 album it was a blessing in disguise that I didn’t chart, and she has more than 6 million know what was ahead.” subscribers on YouTube. “I think it’s cool doing things the YouTube way,” she explained. “It allows you to become connected to the fans on a personal level. They feel like they’re part of my journey more so, rather than just relying on label or radio to make things happen for me. By watching my videos and sharing them, they’re a part of my story.” Her list of accolades grew when she was given the Billboard Music Award for the collection “Shatter Me” for Top Dance/Electronic Album against such Lindsey Stirling. Photo by Kate sZatmari stiff competition as Avicii, Calvin Harris, Disclosure and Skrillex. Her road to stardom included “It was very exciting,” Stirling said. “I was collaborations with The Piano Guys, nominated with some of my idols. I love Pentatonix, John Legend, Owl City, Jessie J. Skrillex, he introduced me to dub step in and—her favorites—Josh Groban and The the first place. I love Calvin Harris. To be Muppets. nominated with them was a huge honor. “It was fascinating to watch them work,” When I won I was so shocked and excited.” she said of The Muppets. “They’ve done Due to her busy schedule, she hasn’t had it for years. While I was there, one of the time to really cherish her award. guys celebrated his 30th anniversary of “I’ve been on tour ever since I got it,” she working with The Muppets. They’re such exclaimed. “I had to send it home with my pros. It was really cool to watch them. The manager, but I’m definitely going to put it moment they became these puppets, it on my little mantle next to my bed. It’ll came to life. It went from this puppet to keep me motivated and excited.” this character. It was so cool to watch that While she was at the Billboard Music transformation happen within a second.” Awards in Las Vegas, Stirling joined Wiz Among the most popular collaborations Khalifa and Charlie Puth on stage to is the aforementioned “Shatter Me,” which perform the former No. 1 song “See You debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard Adult Again” from the “Furious 7” soundtrack. Pop Songs chart for the week ending Nov. “It was a huge honor,” Stirling said. “That 8, 2014. The tale of empowerment was her whole day was mind blowing. It felt so first single to enter an American airplay surreal. I never thought I’d be playing with chart. Wiz Khalifa on stage, let alone on the No. 1 “That song is almost therapeutic to song in the country at the moment. It was perform every night,” she said. “It’s my a surreal day. I couldn’t believe anything story and it’s about me learning to love that happened. Luckily, my sister was with myself again. I hid myself behind this me, so she could help me remember that shell and that’s the reason I called it it actually did happen and it was real.” ‘Shatter Me.’ The hardest walls to break through are the ones that we build around Following her dream ourselves. That’s what I learned. I built Stirling has always been fascinated with some pretty thick walls around myself. dance and violin. She told her parents So I had to shatter what I thought was me she wanted both, but they said she had and discover what I had underneath.”
Coming home Stirling will reunite with her family when she performs a hometown show at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix on Thursday, Aug. 13. “I can’t wait to come back,” she said. “It’s so fun. I get to have my parents come Mesquite High School graduate Lindsey Stirling plays and my friends come. There’s something a hometown show at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at Comerica Theatre. GSN photo by Kimberly Carrillo special about going to your hometown and playing in front of friends, peers and “Firefly,” which will offer a surprise for family members.” fans. Performing in Phoenix or Provo, Utah, “It’s really different,” she said. “I actually where she attended Brigham Young sing on it. I never sing. My fans have been University, is stressful for Stirling. asking me to sing for forever. They wanted “Whenever you have family or friends me to write a song that I can sing. I decided coming out, there’s definitely extra to give the people what they want.” pressure. You want to do your best in front She admitted that it was nerveof the people you care about or people wracking. you love or love you.” “I was so nervous before the first show,” Stirling plans on indulging in the she said. “Nobody’s expecting this. I comforts of home while she’s in the Valley. never sing live. So it was definitely scary. “I love to go to Café Rio,” she said My fans are so supportive, though. They with a giggle. “That’s one of my favorite cheer me on every single night when I places. I love to go home and go to my sing. It’s cool.” parents’ house. They still live in the house where I grew up. I love to sleep in my old Lindsey Stirling performs with Lights at bedroom, have my mom’s home cooking, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at Comerica play games. I get to see the family dog. I Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. love that.” Tickets are $38.50 and $48.50. For more Like the rest of her tour, her Phoenix information, call (800) 745-3000 or visit show will include a premiere of the song www.comericatheatre.com.
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