With her unique blend of instrumental talent and visual flair, violinist Vanessa-Mae fearlessly bridges the gap between classical music sophistication and rock 'n roll pyrotechnics. Perhaps People magazine summed it up best by declaring her "Mozart in Doc Martens."

Born in Singapore, raised in London, the 19-year-old iconoclast first gained international prominence with her 1995 album The Violin Player; subsequent concerts and performances have enhanced her status as one of the most provocative and intriguing classically-trained musicians of her generation.

Working with producer Andy Hill (Celine Dion, Diana Ross, Cher) on her Virgin Records debut Storm, Vanessa-Mae explores a vast expanse of emotions and styles. "My philosophy remains the same," she says: "to play the music that I want to play, irrespective of all boundaries. Jazz, reggae, classical, pop, techno -- I see no reason why I shouldn't listen to or play them all. Of course, I respect tradition, but I'm a child of the '90s."

Even as she unveils Storm, it's worthwhile to recap a few of Vanessa-Mae's accomplishments thusfar:

• Worldwide sales in excess of three million units -- especially impressive when compared to sales of traditional classical music albums, where 20,000 units is considered a runaway success.
  
  
• Vanessa-Mae's electrifying stage presence has wowed concert audiences around the world -- from gargantuan rock festivals (sharing the bill with the likes of Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, and Annie Lennox) to England's hallowed Royal Albert Hall and Paris' Trocadero (with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop).
  
  
• She is featured on the title song of Janet Jackson's 1997 Velvet Rope album.
  
  
• Voted one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World 1996" by People magazine.

Now, Storm promises to add to those achievements. Musically, the album represents a coming-of-age: it reaffirms the remarkable talent that prompted early admirers to declare Vanessa-Mae a child prodigy; and documents the full maturation of her confident artistic vision.

Storm is Vanessa-Mae: a powerhouse performance. She is at her most lyrical and explosive. The music ranges from the sublime and almost holy ("A Poet’s Quest") to epic grandeur ("The Blessed Spirits") and arrogant heroism ("Leyenda"). There is witty mischief ("[I] Can, Can [You?]") and blinding virtuosity ("Hocus Pocus"), ultimate cool ("Retro") and sultry earthiness ("Embrasse Moi [You Fly Me Up]"). She turns disco diva ("I Feel Love") then switches to laid back R&B chic ("Aurora"). The album is 70 minutes long with 14 tracks and is a whirlwind of musical and emotional energies.

Audacious covers of the 1973 hit "Hocus Pocus" by the Dutch band Focus, and Donna Summer's 1977 smash "I Feel Love" deserve special mention. "Both songs were written before I was even born," Vanessa-Mae nods, "yet I could relate to them totally. 'Hocus Pocus' is cheeky yet virtuosic, and full of energy. And 'I Feel Love' has its own extraordinary power and atmosphere. It's a great challenge to bring something new to music that is already firmly established in many people's heads. But it's also great fun."

Challenging preconceptions and defying boundaries has been Vanessa-Mae's destiny since childhood. Born Vanessa-Mae Vanakom Nicholson on October 27, 1978 in Singapore to a Chinese mother and Thai father, she moved to London at age 4.

She began playing piano at age three and violin at five, but chose to devote herself solely to violin after winning a prize at the British Young Pianist of the Year Competition. Upon making her concerto debut in London at ten years of age, she was hailed as a child prodigy. By age 13 she had toured internationally as a concerto soloist and recitalist, and had made three classical recordings, becoming the youngest musician ever to record both the Tchaikovsky and Beethoven Violin Concertos.

In 1994 she signed an unprecedented deal with EMI Records, contracted to record for both its pop and classical divisions. Her 1995 debut The Violin Player racked up massive global sales and spawned the dance single "Toccata & Fugue," a club hit in the U.S. After recording a pair of best selling and chart topping traditional disks -- 1996's Classical Album I and 1997's China Girl - Classical Album II -- Vanessa-Mae now returns to the cutting edge with her latest release.

Her self-described "techno-acoustic-fusion" adventurism reaches new heights on Storm. With her passion and daring, Vanessa-Mae always manages to create an indelible impression, and in the process she has made violin music -- including even classical -- more exciting, accessible, and relevant to millions of fans worldwide.