Welcome back to Additive Noise, your #1 source for new and interesting music!
Imagine the upbeat, modern feel of dub
step, but played by a classical musician. It’s beautiful, engaging, but
somewhat intimidating. Unusual music like that couldn’t really exist, could it?
Ladies and gentlemen, it does.
Today’s explosive discovery is none
other than the semi-famous “hip hop violinist” of America’s Got Talent. If you
haven’t heard of Lindsey Stirling, then you are missing one of the most
intrepid and gifted musicians of our age.
A talented violinist since the age
of five, Stirling caught the world’s attention when she made it to the
quarter-finals of the fifth season of America’s Got Talent.
After being told that her music was
unmarketable due to her overly eclectic style, she left the competition and
turned her attention to marketing herself via her YouTube channel, lindseystomp.
Her first few singles flew under
the radar, but she really hit the map with her interpretive cover of LMFAO’s
“Party Rock Anthem,” which she jokingly tag lined “Violinists can shuffle too!”
Since that time, Stirling’s
original and cover work has skyrocketed. She takes classical instruments and
uses them for modern, exciting instrumentation.
A few of her most famous pieces
such as “Elements” and “Crystallize” are a mixture of violin and dub step. She
also releases cleverly staged covers of famous musical collections, such as the
Legend of Zelda soundtrack, the Phantom of the Opera musical and music from The
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim video game.
Furthermore, the vast majority of
Stirling’s YouTube releases are in professional music video format. Most of these
are filmed by Stirling’s friend and cinematographer, Devin Graham.
One of Stirling’s other trademarks
is her love of working with others. She often brings other artists to star in
her songs and videos as vocalists and musicians.
Lindsey Stirling is more than a
simple violinist, she is a full-blown performer. Her ability to create, adapt
and mold music the way a potter would clay is what really makes her special.
So next time you’re looking for
something new to add to your playlist, think about Stirling. Her music is
available on iTunes and Spotify, or on her personal website, lindseystirlingviolin.com.
