Lindsey Stirling Talks Holiday Tour, ‘Dancing With the Stars’ & Dream Collaborations

The violin virtuoso Lindsey Stirling is ready to hit the road for the return of her “Snow Waltz Holiday Tour.” Over the last nine years, the multi-platinum performer has sold more than one million tickets to the Yuletide stage show. In all, Stirling spreads holiday cheer across 25 cities starting November 18 in Hollywood, Florida and three nights in Las Vegas. This fusion of stunning visuals, music, dance, aerial acrobatics, and theatrical production has become the signature of the complete entertainer.

Audiences on a large scale were first introduced to Stirling as a quarter-finalist for Season 5 of America’s Got Talent in 2010. Since then, her star only shined brighter thanks to numerous powerhouse collaborations including the platinum hit “Shatter Me” with Lzzy Hale. Her seventh studio album Duality was released in 2024.

Stirling ventured outside of the comfort zone a bit in 2017 when she competed on Season 25 of Dancing With the Stars alongside pro Mark Ballas. Although she finished runner-up to Jordan Fisher, the 40-year-old creator took a lot from the experience as the creator tells us in our sit-down below. During the conversation, the DWTS alum also gives her pick to take this year’s Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. 

This is the ninth year that you’re doing this holiday tour. How would you say it has grown and evolved to what it has become today?

Lindsey Stirling: You know, I love the Christmas show. Like, I genuinely love any show, because I’m just a performer at heart, and touring is probably the thing I do the most as an artist. But here’s something so special about the holidays and getting to be a part of people’s traditions. At this point, that’s kind of what it has become. A lot of people come every year, and they bring their whole family, and they look forward to it. It really has become not only a tradition with my fans, but it’s become kind of my version of Christmas for me. I don’t think it would feel like the holidays if I wasn’t getting on a bus and going out with my crew and, you know, putting on a Christmas show.

I got to see the show last year, and it is incredible. It’s also very emotional at times. You open up about your struggles. You’ve also been big on promoting mental health. The show seems almost therapeutic, using your story to inspire others.

Yeah, I mean, gosh, I’ve been therapeutically getting my emotions out on stage now for 15 years. I really think, though, it’s really special to get to share it with people. You know, it’s one thing to talk to my therapist and deal with my mental health. I think that’s where I personally get the most momentum and work done, but then to be able to take the lessons I’ve learned through years of therapy, through the highs, through the lows of my career, through my faith, and to be able to put all that experience and wisdom in something I get to share.

I remember a long time ago when I started. my first tour, I was very nervous about the idea of having to pause the show and talk to the audience? Like, what would I say? And I remember thinking that well, if you’ve got, at the time, it was 300 people in a room riveted by whatever you say,  you better say something you believe in. You better say something that’s going to make them want to believe in themselves a little bit more. It’s like they came, they’re listening. You have a little bit of a responsibility, and I’ve always kind of taken that approach to every show, every tour. I always really try to think of how I can add a little bit of light to people. The little bit of light that I’ve gained and get to share like let’s share it.

What stands out about this year’s show?

You know this year we’re making a slightly new set, which I’m really excited about. We’re going to switch that up. Then we have a couple new numbers that we’re doing. We switched up some of the choreography, some new props. I’m really proud of the Christmas show and what it has become. I think it’s so good. I’m so proud of it, because every year, we just fine-tune it a little bit and make it a little bit better. It’s like this well-oiled machine that every time someone comes, it’s going to be a little bit different. We just take everything that worked really well, and anything that could be better. We fine tune it over and over again through the years.

How has it been to collaborate with ARKAI?

It has been really fun because we’ve been writing together. They came on my cruise a year-and-a-half ago, which was really fun. It was fun to see my fans resonate with their music and get excited. It has been really rewarding. It has kind of challenged me also because it’s kind of taking me back to my classical roots. You know, they’re Juilliard grads. I was a classically trained violinist, but I’ve kind of stepped outside of that mold quite a bit. To get to really challenge my musical chops again has been really fun.

You’ve performed in different environments over your career. One that stands out recently was at the Banana Bowl for the Savannah Bananas. What was that like?

What a joyful experience. I was there watching this joyous sporting event with a bunch of people dancing on the field and having fun and doing jokes and doing backflips. The whole thing was just so celebratory, and it’s such an inclusive community. They have  women on the teams. They have LGBTQ members on the teams. Anyone’s welcome, and it’s just about creating joy. It was really, really powerful.

I felt very lucky that I got to perform there. It’s also something that I’ve, you know, thought about. It’s not like it randomly popped in my lap. I kind of manifested it, like, over a year ago. I was like I want to perform with the Savannah Bananas. I’m a big believer in manifestation and that the universe answers your call. They randomly reached out, but I was like, that’s not random. I’ve been wishing and praying for this. So it was really, really fun.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lindsey Stirling (@lindseystirling)

Speaking of the Savannah Bananas, [Jackson Olson] was a player who did Dancing With the Stars this season. It has been almost a decade since you were on the show. How do you look back on that experience with today’s lens? How do you think it helped you as a performer?

Oh my gosh, I loved being on Dancing With the Stars. It really is a one-of-a-kind experience, and it’s funny, because you meet people who have been on the show, and you instantly have this connection. It’s like, “Oh my gosh, wait, I was on Dancing With the Stars!” and they’re like, “No way!” You suddenly have this shared experience that is kind of unreal, and nobody could really fully understand unless they’d done it. So there’s always this fun connection.

I did actually meet Jackson when I was there and had that moment…you just have this instant connection and bond. I will say for myself that Dancing With the Stars made me such a better dancer. I’d never taken dance lessons before that, and I got trained by Mark Ballas for three months, five hours a day. You rarely get that opportunity, especially as an adult, to lean into a new talent. It made me a better performer. It made me a more confident performer, and I’ve continued since then to work on my dancing. It was a life changing experience.

Are you still close with Mark at all?

Yeah, I mean, I think you go through that kind of an experience, and you create this bond that will never go away. I don’t see him often, but whenever I do, it’s literally like no time has passed. I actually just saw him last week. I went to the taping, and he really is like one of my dearest friends. I wish we got to see each other more, but I, yeah, our lives, like, he’s got a baby and the show is so busy. But he’s like a brother to me.

You got to be there for Horror Movie Night, which is one of the best themes. Do you follow the show much beyond attending a taping? If so, who stands out this season?

I do follow the seasons. I watch them, I love the show. I’m rooting for Mark and Maura [Higgins] because Mark is my partner forever, but also I’m loving Ezra [Sosa]. Ezra is incredible. The taping was super fun, but I’m a fan of the show. I watch it every year.

So who’s your pick to win?

I’m rooting for them, but I think Ezra’s going to take it. I really split my votes, actually, between Ezra and Maura.

When you’re on the road or at home, what shows are you watching?

I mean, Dancing With the Stars is one. It’s super fun when that is on, when we’re on tour, because me and my dancers all watch it together. We  all know people on the show, and it’s just really fun. I’m a big fan of Chad Powers, um, and Ted Lasso. I feel like those both come from the same line of feel-good comedy. I’m loving Nobody Wants This. Those are some of my favorites.

You mentioned speaking things into existence. If you could be on one show, whether it’s playing a character or performing, what would it be? 

I would really like to score something. That is kind of what I’m gunning for next. I would love to score something fantastical, like something whimsical, like a fairy story, you know? Harry Potter, like something in that world. I would love to score it and then have a cameo. But I guess, actually, another one is I love Bridgerton. I would love to do a cameo in Bridgerton and make one of the songs for it. I think that would be super fun.

Where do you think you are creatively when it comes to your music?

You know, I’m in writing mode. I’ve been working on a new album, and it’s getting close. I’m hoping it comes out next summer. That’s exciting, to kind of be making a new chapter, and figuring out what the story is. Hopefully, I’ll get to start thinking about what the tour looks like. You know that’s when it gets really fun for me.

When I think of collaborations, you’ve worked with a lot of powerhouse female talent. Do you have any other dream collaborators?

Going along that same thread of powerhouse female singers, I love Hayley Williams. I would love to work with her. And then there’s producer DJ Illenium. He’s one of my favorites. I saw him at the Sphere, and it was incredible. Yeah, those are some of my top picks.

Seeing you perform in the Sphere would be awesome.

I know I’m manifesting it someday. I want to get there.

What is your must-have when you’re on tour?

I have to have cereal nearby. I eat multiple bowls of cereal a day, I’m like a child, but also, I love banana peppers and cottage cheese. I love that combo, and I put it on a lot of things.

Do you have any particular fun holiday traditions?

Well, my family always does Christmas PJs, matching Christmas PJs, and we get them on Christmas Eve. That’s a fun one. And then, on tour, we do Secret Santa every year, and that’s really fun. It’s a very sweet tradition that I really enjoy. We all draw names and spend the last two weeks of the tour delivering fun little gifts to our Secret Santa. That’s really fun.

See the dates and buy tickets to Lindsey Stirling’s “Snow Waltz Holiday Tour” here.