Trust, loss and spirituality form the basis of Lindsey Stirling's celestial concept album, Artemis. The explosive artist talks about mental health, social media and spirituality, her music, her upcoming US tour, and much more!
Transmission: „Artemis“ – Lindsey Stirling
Ssince the presentation of his lovely workmugwort, virtuoso instrumentalist and performer Lindsey Stirling is in full swing and will now embark on the US leg of the tour, which kicks off in November. Stirling's fifth studio album, released on September 6, 2019 via BMG, features thirteen very cinematic tracks, plus two bonus tracks ("Torch" and "Embers"). Largely a concept album based on the idea of Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon, Stirling delves deeper into character to tell the story of a heroine who rises to become a manifestation of destiny.
Dark side of the Moon
All these new feelings got me so confused
I want to get rid of it
I'm not sure I can do this without you
Now I'm lost and broken
dripping like the ocean
the heart is wide open
change and i know
the other side of you
I tried to get used to it
But you know it's me
Hold on and I'm upside down
I'm on my way now
I'm on my way, on my way out
I don't know if I'm right
I'm head over heels but I won't give up
– “the top“, Lindsey Stirling com Elle King
With high-energy hits like "The Upside" and "Underground" already racking up millions of staggering streams and performances from songwriting giants like Amy Lee and Elle King, this album is full of surprises and thematic wonders.
In true Lindsey Stirling style, these epic soundscapes come to life with sumptuous music videos like "Underground," "The Upside" and title track "Artemis," all filled with immersive, danceable storytelling that weaves imagery from medieval to fantasy. 🇧🇷 how to pass
In a recent interview withAtwood Magazine, the explosive instrumentalist spoke about everything from mental health, social media and spirituality to her music and her upcoming US tour in November.
Read our full conversation below and be sure to listen.mugwort, out now!
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A CONVERSATION WITHLINDSEY STIRLING
Atwood Magazine:Hi Lindsey, where are you calling from today?
Lindsey Stirling:I'm at London Heathrow Airport right now!
Nice! Right, because you did the London Apollo the other day! How have you been?
Lindsey Stirling:We did, it was the last day of the tour so we all dispersed and headed home, which is pretty bittersweet. I love touring, I love the people I'm touring with, I love the show, it's been an amazing experience, but at the same time...my back, my thighs, my body are saying to me, 'You need a break', Do you know? We were doing six shows a week, so we expected a little break, but at the same time I loved it.
And you said you were at the airport, does that mean you're about to catch a flight?
Lindsey Stirling:Yes, soon, so I'm mentally preparing for it. I have my neck pillow... I'm an established traveller.
I can imagine! Well, there's a lot to unpack, let's try to get through it all without being interrupted when boarding a flight! Tell us about the tour, how was it?
Lindsey Stirling:It was wonderful! To be honest, I had high hopes for this tour and I probably worked harder on this show than any other. I put months and months of thought and creativity into it. My team and I worked really hard on it, dancers, stage managers bringing the designs to life, so it wasn't just the “Lindsey show”. When the show was created, it was "our show". It was a huge group effort, so we were really excited to share that with people.
She looked amazing on her social media. What was the highlight of the tour for you? Do you have a favorite place or city?
Lindsey Stirling:You know what, every time we play Paris, there's something really magical. France in general, I don't know what it's about, it's just incredible… this French passion. Another big moment for me was the Strasbourg show because it was my birthday. It was so special that we got on stage ready to put on the show of our lives.
This looks great! It's been an incredible development for you as an artist since coming into the spotlight.america have talent, then worked with Pentatonix and grew exponentially on YouTube. Looking back on this journey, do you think the way you write music has evolved or changed?
Lindsey Stirling:If you have. But it's funny because with this new album I wanted to go back to Lindsey who wrote her first album. Because as an artist you really develop, change and learn a lot. But sometimes I try to go back to that first album, because at that time I knew how to dream non-stop. I didn't understand that what I intended to do was impossible. I was just a girl living in Utah... I didn't know any electronic producers, I didn't know how to dance, I had no connections or experience in the music industry, and yet I was determined to be an international artist. It was impossible but it didn't matter because at that moment I really knew how to dream and nobody could convince me that it wasn't possible. I think you are extremely powerful when you believe in yourself. With this new album I wanted to capture the freedom I felt on the first album.
I think you definitely did that and more. You mentioned that you taught yourself how to dance. How did the idea of combining violin and dance come about?
Lindsey Stirling:Well, it's funny how those little moments in your life change everything. When I was in high school, I was trying to earn money to pay for college, so to everyone's surprise, I had a contest. He had to be talented, and of course he wanted to play the violin, but there were four other really excellent violinists in this particular competition. One was even top violinist in the state in high school. So I asked myself "how could I stand out", so I decided to go in a different direction. I put on this funky outfit and wrote my first song adding a little movement to it. Just a little routine of jumping on stage with my violin and adding some choreography. The audience reacted incredibly well and I won the contest. I remember the feeling and I loved the idea of making violin for fun.
That's great. Was there a violinist who initially inspired you?
Lindsey Stirling:Sure enough, there was a group called Bond who made a Live From London DVD that I watched as a kid when I was fourteen or fifteen. I thought it was cool that they played the violin to rock and jazz instead of just classical music. They definitely inspired me and after that I saw all these people taking the violin and making it their own. So I'm not the first to reinvent the violin, but it was important for me to find my own way. So I really dove into the dance and electronic side.
It all really sets the stage for his rise as an artist, which brings us to this album,mugwort🇧🇷 Can you tell readers a little bit about the story behind the album and whatmugwortmean to you?
Lindsey Stirling:Well, I was really inspired by the concept of "Artemis", the moon goddess, and the symbolism behind her. I love that the moon brings light into the darkness and that it goes through phases. It reminds me of my own life. Sometimes I feel strong and like I can do anything and other times I feel weak or helpless. And I have to remind myself in those moments that just because I'm feeling weak or struggling with depression today doesn't mean I'm not still strong and powerful and happy about it all. Story-wise, the album is about Artemis's battle with Nyx, the goddess of the night, who tries to overwhelm her with shadows and blind her. Artemis has fought this battle alone for millennia. So sometimes I have to fight like the moon to find my light again. Just because the moon is sometimes in shadow doesn't mean it isn't there. I think that's how I see myself now.
Wow! I love the attention to detail in this narrative and the parallels you draw with your own life. What I found really interesting was that a lot of your music comes from a personal and often spiritual background. Does that also apply to this album?
Lindsey Stirling:Yes, spirituality is just a big part of my life. It inspires my music a lot and I pray every day. I pray before every show or studio session. Furthermore, the story of the album has many spiritual elements. I always think of the angels that surround me, guiding me through life. Especially lately since I lost my best friend and my dad. I speak very casually about angels because it is such an important part of my life.
That sounds like an incredible driving force. And given the fast pace of life and the fact that you're so present on YouTube and social media, how do you deal with that attention online? Have you ever had to part with everything?
Lindsey Stirling:Yes, and it is very important for me to hang up. I always joke that I'm bad on social media. If it wasn't part of my job I would rarely post on social media, but as a musician I have to post a lot. At the same time, I pride myself on taking breaks sometimes. I think it's very healthy for your brain and when I do it I always realize what's most important.
That makes a lot of sense. Every time I listen to your music, I feel like I'm about to go into battle. It's so anthemic and cinematic that it really complements the music videos. Where do you get your inspiration when you work on these fantasy music videos?
Lindsey Stirling:Sometimes I think about the music video before writing the song. For the Artemis videos, they were inspired by a comic I made alongside the album I'm releasing next month. To bring the songs to life, I used a lot of characters and stories from the comics and always try to have some kind of uplifting message or theme.
Brillant! Well, we're letting you go now because we don't want you to miss a flight! Thank's for your time!
Lindsey Stirling:Thank you very much!
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