Lindsey Stirling

Lindsey Stirling has had a somewhat surprising 2017. The violinist who found fame on YouTube a decade ago, before becoming a quarter finalist on America's Got Talent in 2010 released her most internationally acclaimed album, Brave Enough, in 2016, which demonstrated that while she was known for fusing genres for her dubstep driven violin compositions, that she was truly able to think outside the box and craft an emotionally charged journey that was both personally insightful and musically diverse. Having been approached to appear of Dancing With The Stars, she returned to the reality television format in a move that has once again heightened her mainstream appeal. It is therefore perhaps not a huge surprise that her latest release is a seasonal one.

"Warmer In The Winter gave me the chance to play with sounds that people wouldn't really expect me to." While some may have anticipated a dub driven collection, what is most pleasing and surprising about Warmer In The Winter is that it flawlessly marries the traditional sound with Lindsey's forward thinking. Featuring guest appearances from Becky G and Sabrina Carpenter there is no denying that a little Lindsey twist is in the mix, but it stays faithful enough to the seasonal feeling to leave you warm and fuzzy.

As we speak over a sometimes delayed line, it is clear that Lindsey is an artist in control of her ambitions and creative vision. While she is still in the process of Dancing With Stars, balancing rehearsals for the show with those for her Christmas tour, she is relishing both opportunities. "Dancing With The Stars was just too good an opportunity to turn down. It is a great chance to learn a new skill. I am really enjoying the experience."

Having finished as a runner-up in the season, Lindsey dance skills have clearly impressed, but what is more impressive is the fact she balanced the show's demanding schedule with her own very demanding tour schedule. "The show has really high production values. I am really enjoying learning all the routines and thinking about the staging. I want it to really have that magical Christmas feel to it. Everybody loves Christmas and I want that warm feeling to be present in my show."

With two sets of choreography to learn, Lindsey would have been easily forgiven for not having had chance to think about her next move. However, naturally that was not the case. "I don't know quite what shape my next album will take, I like them to breathe their own life into themselves. But I know that I want to create something new. I really enjoyed Warmer In The Winter as it was a chance to explore a different side to my music."

‘Warmer In The Winter’ is out now