Lindsey Stirling

Violinist extraodinaire and YouTube sensation Lindsey Stirling has hit the road for the very first time to sold-out venues across the United States! She also has a few other firsts, too; her self-titled album hit number one the iTunes Electronic chart.

Oh, and she dethroned the reigning Queen of YouTube, Her Royal Higness Taylor Swift, by passing 137 million views on her Lindsey Stomp channel.

Tell us about it, Lindsey!

MS: Hey, Lindsey we meet again. How are you?

LS: I'm great, how are you?

MS: This past month has been huge for you!

LS: Oh my gosh, yes, it's been unbelievable!

MS: You are now the highest-viewed person on YouTube.

LS: No way?! I'm going to have to check that out.

MS: Weighing in at 137 million hits, you kicked Taylor Swift's butt.

LS: I really had no idea that had happened. Wow!

MS: There are a lot of number ones for you, actually. You are the number one electornica album on iTunes, too.

LS: It's doing great! It has been number one for two weeks. I'm so surprised!

MS: You know, I'm not. I mention you to people and they know who you are. You really speak to people.

LS: That's so great. That is the reason I do what I do.

MS: So, your debut album "Lindsey Stirling" is all original material, correct?

LS: Yes, I was so excited to release it. Some of the material I wrote a while ago and some of it I wrote recently.

MS: While I know you must love all the songs you put on there, give me some that are highlights for you personally.

LS: "Zi Zi's Journey" was one I wrote a while back. It was fun for me because "Zi Zi" was my nickname. It has the feeling of an animae film theme song. In fact, I want to do an animae video for it with the character "Zi Zi" resembling me. The other newer one I wrote is a Halloween-esque once called "Moon Trance" which I am shooting the video for soon.

MS: 'Tis the season, so I have to ask, are you a big fan of Halloween?

LS: Yes! I love dressing up in costumes. I make my own for my videos. I made my first Halloween costume when I was eight. I was a kangaroo. I made the ears, the feet, the whole body and, of course, the pouch, so I have people put my candy in it. When I look back I kind of go "wow, that was pretty impressive for an eight year old". (laughs)

One year my friends and I dressed up as Fairy Nerds. We had broken wands held together with masking tape. (laughs)

MS: Do you like scary movies, too?

LS: Oh no, my imagination is way to active. I would lay in bed at night awake and freak out! (laughs)

MS: Mine was like that when I was in my twenties, too. I think you will get over it when you are older. (laughs) What are some of the images and ideas you have for your "Moon Trance" video?

LS: I'd like it to be something like the "Thriller" video with a lot of people dancing looking like creatures. I love that song and think doing something along those lines will look great and be a lot of fun.

MS: Ok, tell us about your first tour. What has that been like for you?

LS: Amazing! The audience response has been phenomenal. My band and crew are awesome and we are playing to shows that are already sold out or do sell out the night the performance.

MS: What are some of the favorites off of YouTube you play for your audience?

LS: "Crystallize," of course, is one of them.

MS: That's one of my personal favorites, too.

LS: "Lord of the Rings" is the most popular with the audience.

MS: Do you like meeting your fans?

LS: I really do. When you look at YouTube all you see are numbers, and then you get out and perform and see the actual people behind them. They have hopes and dreams like everyone else, and you realize you are someone that inspires them. It's very humbling and it puts it in perspective that this is why I do what I do, to communicate and connect with people and to inspire. It's not about the numbers, it's about the people behind them.

MS: However, those big numbers are reflective of how many people you reach and inspire, that in and of itself is an amazing connection, too.

LS: True, but it's really great to put faces and names with those numbers. I love that.

MS: Obviously you are passionate about what you do that is why people respond to your work. What is it that has propelled you to this place?

LS: I love what I do, but I never took being a musician as a living as something tangible. I looked at it as a hobby, something that was fun and that I loved. From there it took off and here I am. I am very grateful to be able to reach out to people and share my love of music and the violin.

MS: Here's the big question: How did it feel for them to need to have a bigger venue to accommodate everyone in your hometown in Arizona?

LS: It was in a smaller venue at first, then I was getting calls from my friends that still live there and they were saying it was sold out already, and I said: "What, you didn't think I would sell out?" (laughs) They changed it to a bigger one and, when that was announced, my friends went and bought tickets immediately. (laughs)

MS: You just do your thing, that's what is so cool about you and why people respond to what you do.

LS: I follow my passion and I have fun!

Keep up with Lindsey, she is busy!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindseystirlingmusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindseyStirling