Lindsey Stirling: Dynamic, inspirational, passionate.
She may be relatively new, but she’s bringing some killer music to the table. Lately, pop music has begun to feel more and more formulaic. As cliché as it is to say this (at least it fits with the subject matter, right?), every time I turn on the radio it feels as though I’m listening to the same few, incredibly similar songs over and over. Enter Lindsey’s blend of modern classical music and whatever style she wants to go with it, and all at once you’ve found diversity again. Her music (covers and originals), is refreshingly simple, while maintaining the complexity found in classical music. It even takes on African music for songs like We Found Love, with vocals and drums recorded in Kenya.
The video for her one of her originals, Crystalize, got the #8 highest number of views on Youtube in 2012. Considering the popularity of bands and musicians like One Direction and Taylor Swift, this is quite a feat.
Is classical music finally making a comeback? Sure, we don’t all need to be pulling out the cantatas and concertos of old, and while many feel classical music to be restrictive, the greats like Bach and Beethoven had to have gotten something right. Who are we to say that their influence isn’t needed to, ironically, bring back some life into today’s music scene?
Is classical music finally making a comeback? Sure, we don’t all need to be pulling out the cantatas and concertos of old, and while many feel classical music to be restrictive, the greats like Bach and Beethoven had to have gotten something right. Who are we to say that their influence isn’t needed to, ironically, bring back some life into today’s music scene?
This is where my appreciation for Lindsey comes in. While she does compose her own music, her classical training is apparent. The complexity and grace with which she plays, and the success she has found, shows a dedication to excellence, even though she was told that her music was unmarketable. I’ve seen few like her who are able to fuse classical with other styles and actually get acclaim. There are those who collaborated with the likes of Kanye West, like Miri Ben Ari. There’s Mark Wood, the guy who started his own line of electric violins and takes rock classics like Purple Haze to a whole new level. There are others who are not as well known but who have talent that far exceeds that of quite a few top charting artists. One example that I found recently was Paul Darth, who’s cover of Kanye West’s New Slaves left my jaw dropped.
So, long story short, the classical style seems to be making a comeback. Hopefully this is not just a passing trend, and modern classical music will leave a lasting impression on the music scene. One can only hope.
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If you appreciate the work of Lindsey Stirling, here is a free download of Rosaline, a song by The Last City that is a great fusion of classical violin and pop.
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