Vanessa-Mae: A Musical Olympian

Born in Singapore in 1978 to a Thai father and Chinese mother, Vanessa-Mae is a world-famous violinist who has sold over 10 million albums. She is known for her natural talent and the way she presents classical music in a new way. She is also an Olympic athlete. All of these things make her a very colorful character that most of us can only dream of becoming.

Vanessa-Mae began playing violin at the age of five and, within a few years, was recognized as a prodigy. By the time she was 13, she had already released three albums, and at 16, she courageously redefined classical music by fusing traditional melodies with modern pop. This new musical style is called crossover, and she became quite famous for it.

Around the same time she began playing music, Vanessa-Mae started skiing. As her musical talent and career started to grow, her "tiger mother" kept her under a strict, music-only regime. When her mother forbade Vanessa-Mae to ride horses, the girl quietly obeyed. When she banned Vanessa-Mae from having sleepovers with friends, she didn't complain. However, when her mother told her to give up skiing, Vanessa-Mae refused.

While playing the violin has always been a lifelong passion for Vanessa-Mae, skiing has been her lifelong hobby. However, the two activities don't go hand in hand. Skiing can be a dangerous sport, and people can easily break bones when they fall. Seeing how important her hands are for playing the violin, Vanessa-Mae had to muster all of her courage to ski in the Olympics. In many ways, she had a lot more to lose than many of the other skiers.

After six months of training, 35-year-old Vanessa-Mae competed in the giant slalom at the 2014 Winter Olympics. The downhill skiing event proved treacherous, and 22 racers crashed on their first runs. Vanessa-Mae safely completed the event although she came in last place. Happy to compete, she told a reporter for Mail Online, "Now, at my age, to be skiing with girls half my age, it is great to have a new taste for life."

As a violinist and true Olympic athlete, Vanessa-Mae has plenty to be proud of. Because of her courage, she was able to fulfill two dreams that, side by side, are the oddest of bedfellows.

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