With holiday tunes accompanied by theatricality, dancing and several costume changes, Lindsey Stirling’s Christmas performance could very well be a new Nutcracker of sorts for younger generations.
The show, starring Santa Ana native Stirling and touring around the country, will hit the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Dec. 21.
Stirling said Los Angeles, where she has lived for the past six years, has become her home, and shows there always hold a special meaning for her.
“This will be a show where all my friends and family will get to come,” she said. “It’s kind of a place where I always want to give one of my best shows. I remember the first time I played in LA as a new artist and what it felt like to play there. That’s where music seems to be created and where it thrives. It’s always extra-special to play there.”
The 31-year-old performer, who combines beautiful violin-playing with exquisite dance movements, said the show will include festive attributes such as falling snow and whimsical costumes, including dancers dressed as angels. Stirling also said she shares personal stories with the crowd.
“It’s a show that’s constantly evolving and changing,” she said. “I’m really proud of this show because it’s a lot funnier and more comedic in moments than any show I’ve ever done. At the same time, there are other moments where it’s more thoughtful and more thought-provoking than my past shows. It kind of has this really nice go-between where one minute you’re laughing, and moments later, you might find yourself feeling emotional and crying. It really has a good journey people can go on during the show.”
The set is composed mostly of covers of Christmas classics from Stirling’s latest album, Warmer In the Winter, which was released in October.
The album, which includes 10 beloved holiday classics (“Carol of the Bells” and “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” among others) as well as three original numbers written by Stirling, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover Chart, No. 9 on the Digital Albums Chart and No. 32 on the Top 200 Album Chart. It features guests Becky G., Sabrina Carpenter, Trombone Shorty and Alex Gaskarth of pop/punk band All Time Low.
Stirling, who has released a total of four studio albums, said she enjoyed putting together the disc.
“It’s been really cool to see that people are enjoying [the album],” she said. “Putting out a regular album, you hope that people love your original music, but Christmas music is so nostalgic for everyone. I have so many songs that bring really specific memories of my childhood or family traditions. To see people enjoying my Christmas album — these renditions of these songs that I love and that I’ve put together — is kind of a really exciting thing. Maybe some families are making traditions to these little renditions that I’ve put out, and maybe people are making memories that are going to last forever that are tied to these little arrangements that I just put out. It’s music that connects memories to people in a way that I think holiday songs can.”
The past year proved busy for Stirling, who not only worked on the new tour and album, but also competed on Dancing With the Stars, making it to the finals even with a rib injury she sustained during a rehearsal.
She considered the tasks overwhelming, but said she had “guardian angels” pushing her through the past year.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had such severe pain and had to work through it,” she said regarding her injury. “It was terrible. But I prayed so hard that I could make it through, and I don’t know how I did it. I think the only answer is that I had guardian angels looking over me. I’ve had some really important people in my life that have passed on in the past two years, so even more than ever, I know that they have been with me and helped me along the way.”
Stirling’s “Warmer In the Winter” tour hits the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Dec. 21. Tickets range from $29.50 to $74.50. For tickets, click here.
By day, Brittany covers hard-hitting city news in San Diego. By night, she’s prowling the Orange County music scene, and is usually a regular attendee of local ska and punk shows. Reporting and music have always been Brittany’s passions. She wrote for her middle school and high school newspapers and studied journalism at Cal State Long Beach, where she graduated in 2012. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her French Bulldog, watching probably too many Disney movies for someone her age and napping.