Lindsey Stirling is an American violinist, dancer, performance artist, singer, and composer. The twenty-nine-year-old sensation is well-known for her choreographed electronic violin performances worldwide, and also as seen in her music videos which can be found on her popular YouTube channel which has amassed over 7.5 million subscribers, and more than 1.3 billion views, since its beginning on 20 May 2007. According to Forbes, Lindsey is the 4th highest paid YouTuber, earning approximately $6 million a year. Her playful, yet precise, performances bring excitement, laughter, and joy to her audiences. Her fun sense of humor shines through in each piece she performs.
Lindsey served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York City, and she is also a graduate of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. She records under the record label “Lindseystomp Music” and has three albums to her credit – Lindsey Stirling (2012), Shatter Me (2014), and Lindsey Stirling: Live from London (2015). Her album Shatter Me reached no. 2 on the Billboard 200.
About her success as a YouTuber Lindsey commented in an interview, “I was told I was too far outside the box from what was marketable. . .. The same reason I was told I would fail was the reason why I succeeded. It was different and intriguing.” In her new memoir titled “The Only Pirate at the Party” which was released on 12 January 2016, she shares her out of the ordinary journey mixed with the energy, persistence, and humor that have helped her to successfully seek after a passion “outside the box.” The book was co-written by her sister, Brooke S. Passey, and covers such topics as her early childhood and her parents’ financial difficulties, and her years of trying to succeed in the music industry while being rejected repeatedly, all the while dealing with other personal issues, like anorexia. In their review of her book, Amazon.com wrote:
Lindsey is not afraid to be herself. In fact, it’s her confidence and individuality that have propelled her into the spotlight. But the road hasn’t been easy. After being rejected by talent scouts, music reps, and eventually on national television, Lindsey forged her own path, step by step. Detailing every trial and triumph she has faced until now, Lindsey shares stories of her humble yet charmed childhood, humorous adolescence, life as a struggling musician, personal struggles with anorexia, and finally, success as a world-class entertainer. Lindsey’s magnetizing story—at once remarkable and universal—is a testimony that there is no singular recipe for success, and despite what people may say, sometimes it’s okay to be The Only Pirate at the Party.
Prior to the release date of her memoir, Entertainment Weekly published an exclusive excerpt on their website. On 21 June 2015, in an announcement about her book on her official website, Lindsey commented, “I want it to make you smile, I want to make you cry (or maybe just a little teary) and if you LOL at least four times, I will consider it a success. And when you’re done with the emotional roller coaster I want you to buy the kindle edition for your grandma. (I really think she would love it.) But more than anything I wanted to share my journey and hopefully help you realize the significance of your own.”
Some people may wonder why Lindsey chose such a strange title for her book. In the first three pages of the book she clears up any confusion that a reader might have. At the end of second grade, her struggle with reading led to a diagnosis of cross dominance, which is a condition that causes “mental health, language and scholastic problems.” The recommended treatment included the wearing of an eye patch. She was not in favor of having to wear the patch, until she began to view the situation in a totally different perspective, and began imagining herself as a pirate. From that moment on, she developed a keen interest in pirates, in particular their attitudes toward life.
According to a 15 January 2016 online Deseret News article, Lindsey writes in her book, “Pirates don’t take orders or ask permission. They do what they want. Allow me to clarify. If your mom asks you to do the dishes, do not pull out your pirate attitude. But if someone tells you you’re not good enough, says your dreams are too lofty, or claims there is no room in showbiz for a dancing violinist — well then, by all means, pull out your eye patch, my friend, and take to the high seas.”
Lindsey also told Deseret News that it is her hope that people will realize that no matter how hard life may seem at times, it is perfectly OK to be different. She wants people to realize that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being The Only Pirate at the Party.
