Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson, known onstage as Vanessa-Mae, is an internationally known British classical and pop musician, especially noted for her violin skills. Her music style is self-described as “violin techno-acoustic fusion”, as several of her albums prominently feature the techno style.

You will find some more photos (including FHM shoot), clips and info in

Vanessa-Mae was born in Singapore to a Chinese mother and a Thai father. After her parents separated, her mother married Englishman Graham Nicholson, and the family moved to England when Vanessa-Mae was four years old. She grew up in London and is a British citizen.

She began playing piano at the age of three and violin at five. She was relatively famous in the United Kingdom throughout her childhood making regular appearances on television mostly involving classical music and conservative style. According to Guinness World Records she became the youngest person to record both the Beethoven and Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos, which she did at thirteen.

Vanessa-Mae made her international professional debut at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival in Germany in 1988, and also during 1988 made her concerto debut onstage with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London.

On entering adolescence Vanessa-Mae broke away from her traditional classical influences and became known for her flashy, sexy style appearing in music videos in stylish outfits. She appeared on the Janet Jackson album The Velvet Rope playing a violin solo on the song “Velvet Rope”. Her first pop styled album, The Violin Player, was released in 1995, and is still regarded as one of the best works of her career.

Some facts:

Full name: Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson
Date of birth: 27th October 1978
Place of birth: Singapore (moved to London aged 4)
Ethnicity: mother Chinese, father Thai
Resicence: Kensington, London

Vannessa Mae on the web

Vannessa Mae @ vanessa-mae.com (official site)
Vannessa Mae @ vanessamae.com (gallery at fansite)
Vannessa Mae @ youtube.com
Vannessa Mae @ images.google.com
Vannessa Mae @ wikipedia.org