Lindsey Stirling Reflects on Creating Suni Lee’s Viral Olympic Floor Routine Music (Exclusive)

Suni Lee’s Olympic floor routine left a lasting impression, thanks to Lindsey Stirling’s track “Eye of the Untold Her.”

When Suni Lee graced the floor at the Paris Olympics 2024, her routine didn’t just captivate the audience through her athletic prowess but also with a soundtrack that lingered in the minds of viewers long after the event. One spectator even claimed that the 21-year-old gymnast—on a journey of redemption after overcoming a challenging kidney disease—secured a fictional gold medal for the “coolest floor routine music.” The song became an earworm for many, who likened it to the soundtrack of an epic HBO fantasy series.

The music in question? “Eye of the Untold Her,” composed by the viral violinist Lindsey Stirling. Now, Stirling, 37, shares with PEOPLE the story behind how her music became the backdrop for Lee’s unforgettable performance, which led to her winning gold in the team final and a bronze in the individual all-around final.

“Back in January, I reached out to Suni via Instagram, wondering if she was searching for music for her floor routine,” Stirling recalls. “When she confirmed, I sent her a link to my unreleased album. Apart from my direct management team, she was the first to hear it. She soon replied, telling me she would use ‘Eye of the Untold Her.'”

Stirling was thrilled when Kendall Jenner shared a clip of Lee’s floor routine, featuring her song, on Instagram Stories. The violinist was also deeply moved when the announcers at the Olympics mentioned her name before Lee’s performance, a moment she captured in an emotional Instagram reaction video.

“I watched Suni’s floor routine from my tour bus,” says Stirling, who is currently touring the U.S. with her Duality Tour. “My dancers and I stayed on the bus, cheering her on. The second she started, I became incredibly emotional, with tears streaming down my face throughout her performance.”

As a longtime gymnastics fan, Stirling feels a profound connection to Lee’s comeback story, especially knowing the hurdles Lee overcame after being sidelined by her kidney disease. “She’s a warrior, and the way she fought back to compete at the Olympics is truly inspiring,” Stirling says. “Suni perfectly captured the essence of my song, and her performance was nothing short of magical.”

After Team USA claimed the gold medal, Stirling reached out to congratulate Lee, who has expressed her excitement about attending one of Stirling’s future concerts. “I can’t wait to meet her,” Stirling shares.

This isn’t the first time Lee has chosen Stirling’s music; she also used Stirling’s compositions during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. “I was on tour at the time and came off stage to a flood of messages telling me my music was featured at the Olympics. It was an amazing moment,” Stirling reminisces.

In an interesting twist, Stirling is also close friends with Sasha Farber, who was Lee’s partner on season 30 of Dancing with the Stars in 2021.

Since Lee’s performance, “Eye of the Untold Her” has been Shazam’d over 111,000 times, a testament to the song’s widespread appeal.

“Life is unpredictable,” Stirling reflects. “You put in the effort, try everything you know, knock on every door, and sometimes it feels like nothing is happening—but then, out of nowhere, something beyond your control changes everything. This moment is something I will always cherish.”