With the stroke of her bow, violinist Lindsey Stirling creates her own multilayered worlds.

Lindsey Stirling first stepped into the national spotlight in 2010 on the TV show America’s Got Talent where she impressed the judges with fast-paced violin playing and choreographed dancing, both done simultaneously. It was not something the judges, nor much of America, had ever seen before. Although she only made it to the quarterfinals of the show before being eliminated, Stirling was determined to keep going with her unique style of performance and started regularly making music videos to share on her YouTube channel.

Those music videos gained millions of views and gave her a following of steadfast fans, prompting the music industry to take notice. In 2012, she released her eponymous first album, which charted on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums and stayed there for 80 weeks. Today, she has four additional records under her belt.

For each album, Stirling aims to create a multilayered fantasy though music, elaborate costumes, detailed visuals and striking choreography—it’s her world and she’s pulling the strings. Her latest record, Artemis, which debuted this past September, continues this practice with Stirling embodying the Greek goddess for which the album is named.

However, it’s her Christmas record, Warmer in the Winter, that is bringing her to Orlando on Dec. 19 for a festive holiday performance, one that will transport audience members to a winter wonderland of Stirling’s making.

Stirling talked with Orlando Family Magazine just before starting her tour to tell us about her newest album, collaborating with Evanescence singer Amy Lee and why each winter she continues to bring back her holiday show.

Your style of performance was so unique when you first started doing it. Today you have an audience that really seems to get it, but was it difficult selling this type of performance to people when you first started out?
Absolutely. Part of me wondered if I was being delusional or crazy, because I had very little reason to hope that my talents would be appreciated on a large scale. If you watch my last performance with America’s Got Talent in 2010, you can see and hear the kind of resistance I was experiencing from so many in mainstream media. No manager would work with me. No label was interested in me either. I was told over and over again that I needed to blend, join a band, come back to reality or alter my dreams to fit social normalcy. But I just couldn’t shake the notion that what I had to offer was awesome, and I felt almost—a divine calling? In other words, I felt like God was telling me to keep trying, that I was almost there and that he wanted me to succeed. I guess I figured that, if God was on my side, I couldn’t possibly fail. And it was that hope that gave me the confidence and tenacity to believe in myself and to move forward and promote my dream until others started believing in it too.

You released your fifth studio album earlier this year. What inspired you during the creation of the album?
I first considered calling this album The Upside of Down as a metaphor: We all go through difficult times, but ultimately there is always a silver lining to any bad situation. When we can anchor ourselves to this reality and press forward with faith, realizing that everything that happens is not necessarily happening to us but for us—that perspective can change everything. Having that knowledge—the understanding that I have the power to be content and happy in any given situation—it’s a liberating reality and a truth I hold fast to. As I pondered on this concept, I started thinking about my personal identity and how, as I’ve grown closer to and accepted my destiny, this has given me the ability to unlock doors and conquer demons I once thought impossible.

How would you say your music and dancing have evolved from your first album to this latest album?
One of my life’s passions is personal growth. I’ve spent a tremendous amount of energy and time researching, praying, soul-searching and implementing what I’ve learned. I can literally hear and feel the different periods of my life in each of the songs I’ve written over the years. My first album is full of hope, excitement and anticipation. Shatter Me speaks of my personal breakthroughs with an eating disorder. Brave Enough represents loss, healing and acceptance. I lost both my dad and best friend to cancer that year. Artemis feels almost like a capstone/summit project. When I started writing this album I was extremely happy, both in my relationships and life in general. I had just bought my first home; I was taking time for myself; and I was generally feeling more hope, fullness and joy in my life than I had in a very long time.

On the album you have a song with Amy Lee of Evanescence and you also toured with her last year. What was it like to work with her?
Amy is, quite simply, a powerhouse. She’s an amazing mother, amazing talent, has amazing work ethic and is an amazing all-around person. To say it was an honor to work with her is an understatement, and I was so excited when she agreed to record the vocals for “Love Goes On and On.”

You also did a song called “The Upside” with singer Elle King on this album. How did that come about?
I’ve met Elle on several occasions and was just really impressed with her. She has an energy and voice that is empowering, warm and solid, and I wanted that kind of presence for “The Upside.”

You’ve collaborated with a number of artists over the years. Is there anyone you would like to work with that you’ve not collaborated with yet?
I would love to work with Avril Lavigne—my childhood idol —Ellie Goulding and David Guetta. And I still haven’t given up on being on The Ellen DeGeneres Show!

Visuals are such a big part of your shows and your music between the dancing, your costumes, set design, etc. What is the process for you when you’re creating the visual elements?
Performing live provides a unique challenge. I’m at the point where, using green screens and 3D digital animation, I can literally create anything I can conceive and implement it into a video format. Live visual performances come with more limitations due to space and universal laws (laughs) so it takes a little more creativity and resources to transfer the images I see in my head to the stage. It almost brings me back to my childhood days of make-believe, pretend and dress-up, on a grander scale, and I’m so grateful to my amazing team who collaborates to make my visions a reality.

This is the third Christmas tour you’ve done. What is it about this festive show that you just want to keep going with it?
Christmas is, and always will be, my favorite holiday—by far. Since I was a kid I couldn’t wait for Thanksgiving dinner to be over so that we could blast Christmas songs on our old record player. Similarly, I look forward to creating and playing my own Christmas arrangements every winter.

You have performed in Orlando before. Any memorable moments from visiting the city?
When I think Orlando, I think Disney World, which I can honestly attest to being the happiest place on earth. I can’t visit Orlando without visiting Disney, so I have many happy memories of it.

This article originally appeared in Orlando Family Magazine’s November 2019 issue.