Maker Studios Hits High Note, Signs YouTube Music Star Lindsey Stirling

Disney-owned online media company Maker Studios has signed YouTube violinist Lindsey Stirling, who’s amassed an audience there of more than 5 million subscribers and 500 million views of her music  and other videos. Maker, which runs a massive multi-channel network on YouTube among other parts of its business, will manage Stirling’s YouTube channels LindseyStomp and LindseyTime. It will represent Stirling on various social media platforms beyond YouTube, and provide production facilities for Stirling’s future projects at Maker’s capacious Culver City, Calif., HQ.

 “Maker is extremely proactive and creative with their talent,” said Stirling. “They seem to have mastered the difficult task of giving attention to their smaller, growing channels while still being able to add value to their larger established channels—plus, with this partnership, I am one step closer to becoming a Disney princess!”

Stirling’s main YouTube channel, LindseyStomp, is typically home to her covers of various notable songs, and has nearly 5.3 million subscribers. Her secondary channel, LindseyTime, is more focused on comedy bits and has 335,000 subscribers.

Stirling’s most recent album, Shatter Me, was released in April, opening at No. 2 on the Billboard dance/electronic music charts. The video for the title tune, featuring Lzzy Hale, has been viewed nearly 13.2 million times. Another song from the album, “Beyond The Veil, pulled in 6.8 million views. Both videos also have attracted more than 11,000 comments from fans, suggesting an intense following that can translate well beyond the Web. Music videos from Stirling’s self-titled debut album grabbed 100 million views on YouTube, helping sell a substantial 350,000 copies in the United States with no major label backing.

Stirling appeared on America’s Got Talent in 2010, has been nominated for Teen Choice and Billboard Music awards, and received a YouTube Music Award for response of the year.