The controversy surrounding Vanessa-Mae at the time of the poster campaign to market her first album The Violin Player (featuring her in a wet see-through vest) helped to make her a household name and caused quite a stir in the classical music world.Music buffs tried to decide whether she was any good - and their response was lukewarm. Yet the 17-year- old was determined that her first album should fuse pop and classical, and it made the charts in 25 countries.
 
She quickly sold out dates at the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall and has since gained several awards. Her latest album The Classical Album 1 is currently number 5 in the classical charts and represents Vanessa-Mae's response to much of thecriticism she faced with her debut album. It marks a return to traditional classic music, incorporating Beethoven and Bach, while retaining some of her original identity on the latest single which includes an old track titled "Red Hot". She's beenassisted in her latest project by pop producer Andy Hill and she sings for the first time on the album's first single "I'm a Doun for Lack o'Jonnie (A Little Scottish Fantasy)".
 
Successfully blending classical music and pop is not an easy task, yet Vanessa-Mae has grasped the nettle for the second time.
 
Vanessa-Mae is currently on tour in America; her UK tour starts on 14 Jan 1997
 
 
©1996 Newspaper Publishing P.L.C.
 
Emma Boam, THE EYE ON...EYE SIGHT., Independent, 11-23-1996, pp 34,35.