Violinist is Not Fiddling Around at Olympics

Just when you think you know someone, they go and throw you a curve. Now racing under the name Vanessa Vanakorn, you might more readily recognize her by her stage name: Vanessa-Mae. Though the 32-year-old musician grew up in Britain, she was born in Singapore to a Chinese mother and a Thai father, which has allowed her to compete under the Thai flag as an alpine skier. She was first marketed as a child prodigy in the late 1980s, but found commercial success as a crossover artist, playing mashups of familiar classics on both acoustic and electronic instruments. She announced just over a year ago that she would be taking a hiatus from her music career to train more seriously in the Swiss ski town of Zermatt, where she moved in 2009.  She says she has no delusions about the outcome and knows the podium is not in her future.  Since it is estimated her music career has made her one of the wealthiest young entertainers in the U.K., she hasn't had to worry about a sponsor.  We'll keep you posted on the outcome. Read More: Fiddler on the Slopes (NPR) Watch Vanessa Mae perform at Royal Albert Hall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyxGf03KmH8