Ready to take flight, Joker 1?
Celebrate the release of ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE with this exclusive rendition of "Hortus Regis Alti" by Lindsey Stirling.
Lindsey Stirling
Electronic Violin Pioneer, Choreographed Performer & Classical Crossover Innovator
Biography & Career Overview
Born September 21, 1986, in Santa Ana, California, and raised in Gilbert, Arizona, Lindsey Stirling is a violinist, dancer, composer, and producer who pioneered the fusion of classical violin mechanics with modern electronic dance music (EDM), dubstep, and theatrical choreography. Beginning classical violin training at age five, she spent over a decade studying classical technique while actively exploring Celtic fiddle, pop music, and rock arrangements.
After competing as a quarterfinalist on Season 5 of America's Got Talent in 2010—where judges questioned whether a dancing violinist could sustain a mainstream career—Stirling bypassed traditional industry gatekeepers by building an independent media powerhouse on YouTube. Her viral cinematic video for "Crystallize" in 2012 catapulted her into global prominence, generating hundreds of millions of views. Her eponymous 2012 debut album earned Platinum certifications, followed by Billboard Music Award-winning records like Shatter Me (2014) and Brave Enough (2016). Stirling has headlined world tours across major arenas and amphitheaters, performed with international symphonies, and collaborated with diverse rock, pop, and electronic luminaries including Lzzy Hale, Amy Lee, John Legend, and Walk off the Earth.
Musical Instrumentation & Performance Mechanics
- Kinetic Performance & Aerial Choreography
- Possesses an unmatched ability to execute precise classical and modern violin fingerings, shifts, and bowing while performing full-body ballet leaps, modern dance routines, backbends, and high-altitude aerial silk acrobatics without pitch degradation.
- Electronic / Dubstep Classical Crossover
- Pioneered a distinct modern vocabulary adapting aggressive dubstep synth drops, heavy sub-bass beats, and EDM stabs to fast spiccato, staccato bowing, and Celtic-inspired arpeggio ostinatos.
- Expressive Vibrato & Glissando Articulation
- Combines wide, emotive classical vibrato with dramatic fingerboard slides, pitch shifts, and dynamic phrasing to voice soaring vocal-like lead lines across orchestral and synth textures.
- Violin Rig & Hardware
- Performs primarily on custom Yamaha SV-250 / YEV-series electric violins, bridge-pickup-equipped acoustic violins by Roth and modern luthiers, and custom carbon-fiber and light-up acrylic instruments designed for stage mobility, paired with Line 6 wireless systems and Kemper/Axe-Fx digital processing.
Touring Ensemble & Production Profile
- Live Touring Ensemble
- Her high-octane stage production is anchored by a dedicated live band, notably featuring longtime drummer Drew Steen and keyboardist/guitarist Ryan Riveros, complemented by a world-class troupe of professional touring dancers and aerialists.
- Genre & Aesthetic
- Classical Crossover, Cinematic Dubstep, Electronic Dance Music (EDM), Synth-Pop, Progressive Celtic Folk.
- Collaborative Roster
- Featured recordings and live performances with Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Amy Lee (Evanescence), Royal & the Serpent, Walk off the Earth, ZZ Ward, Andrew McMahon, and Derek Hough.
Selected Discography & Releases
Full-Length Studio Albums
- Duality (Concord Records, 2024 / Deluxe 2025)
- Her seventh studio album exploring inner tension, personal transformation, and dual identities. Side 1 leans into expansive, organic cinematic productions ("Eye of the Untold Her," "The Scarlet Queen"), while Side 2 erupts into modern EDM and pop-rock collaborations, including "Inner Gold" (feat. Royal & the Serpent) and "Survive" (feat. Walk off the Earth).
- Snow Waltz (2022 / Deluxe Edition 2024)
- Her second holiday release, fusing theatrical dark fantasy, whimsy, and heavy dynamic arrangements on tracks like "Ice Storm," "Snow Waltz," and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."
- Artemis (2019)
- A dystopian, anime-inspired concept album chronicling the goddess of the moon, featuring high-energy cuts like "Underground," "Artemis," and "Love Goes On and On" (feat. Amy Lee).
- Warmer in the Winter (2017 / Deluxe 2018)
- Holiday crossover hit album that topped the Billboard holiday charts, blending big-band swing, jazz chords, and classical violin arrangements.
- Brave Enough (2016)
- Billboard Top Classical and Dance/Electronic chart-topper exploring resilience and vulnerability, featuring "The Arena," "Something Wild," and "Mirage."
- Shatter Me (2014 / Deluxe 2025)
- Her landmark sophomore LP that won Top Dance/Electronic Album at the Billboard Music Awards, featuring the platinum-certified title track "Shatter Me" (feat. Lzzy Hale) and "Roundtable Rival."
- Lindsey Stirling (2012)
- The groundbreaking self-titled debut featuring her breakout worldwide hit "Crystallize," "Shadows," and "Moon Trance."
Key EPs & Landmark Singles
- Lindsey Stomp (EP) (2010)
- Her formative independent EP marking her earliest self-released compositions.
- Lose You Now (EP) (2021)
- An intimate, emotive EP exploring grief and remembrance, highlighted by collaborative tracks with Mako.
- "Surrender" / "Evil Twin" (2025–2026)
- Dynamic post-Duality live showpieces and alternate vocal editions showcasing high-speed technical violin trades.
indsey Stirling – Hortus Regis Alti: ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE