True Talent

The music industry is a multi-billion dollar entity that is, in fact, not about music at all. Through a massive effort of promoting, styling, and strategic planning anyone that is chosen can become a celebrity. Media is at the core of what makes these artists a super star. When promoting a fresh faced newcomer in the music scene it is standard practice to put a plan of action in place that includes appearances with established artists, social media campaigns, and creating an image that makes them attractive to the population. They saturate the internet with the product they are selling, and make no mistake these people are products. What decides who gets to be these new superstars though? What lies behind the makeup and designer clothes?

Lindsey Stirling Dancing and Playing the Violin

Lindsey Stirling First Album Released 2010
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Shatter Me Album Released 2014
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There are artists that have a raw and untouchable talent, but unless they fit what is considered beautiful and marketable they are mostly ignored by the industry. Lindsey Stirling is a prime example of this fact. Stirling is a violinist, dancer, performance artist, and composer. She presents choreographed violin performances, both live and in music videos found on her YouTube channel. In 2010 Stirling made it all the way to the quarter finals on season five of America's Got Talent, where she was dubbed the "hip hop violinist." Stirling's performances were well received by both the judges and audience but after her attempt to step up the dance level in her quarter-final performance, judge Piers Morgan told her, "You're not untalented, but you're not good enough to get away with flying through the air and trying to play the violin at the same time.” Stirling has said on many occasions that she was devastated by the reaction and subsequent elimination from the competition but decided to continue to embrace her unique style of performance and through self promotion on the internet has been able to release two successful albums and embark on two world tours. In a 2012 interview she stated, "A lot of people have told me along the way that my style and the music I do is unmarketable. But the only reason I'm successful is because I have stayed true to myself."

It’s a no brainer that the voices of Beyonce and Christina Aguilera are some of the most recognizable and powerful in the business. Their talent cannot be denied but why were these two plucked from the population of talented individuals to be shaped and molded into superstars. They answer is simple. The people in charge saw something that they could market. In these two specific cases the talent was there and just happened to come in marketable forms. More often than not the talent is not there and the lack of is hidden behind a smoke screen of glitz and glamour. Comparing Stirling to the major players of the music industry, it’s very easy to see the differences in appearances and marketability. The ones that have hundreds or thousands of dollars promoting them all fit in to basically the same category as far as appearance and demeanor, while Stirling is quirky and a self titled “nerd.” Beyond these superficial differences are ones that go all the way down to the product they are selling, the music. When looking at Stirling’s YouTube page, it becomes apparently clear in about two seconds that this kid is just talented, and seeing her live drives home the fact that there is no gimmick. How is it then that she was over looked by the industry, when there are certain acts on the Billboard 100 right now that can’t stay on the right pitch without auto tune? It comes down to a the politics of who the voices of the industry think will be the most profitable.




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2014 Shatter Me Tour
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The music industry is not different than any other business in the sense that it is all about marketing. It comes down to how many people will enjoy looking at them, instead of listening to them. This business is not so much about talent as it is selling a product, and the first thing anyone sees on a product is the packaging.