A musical Prodigy Vanessa – Mae Vanakorn Nicholson was born on October 27,1978 in Singapore. The daughter of a Chinese mother and a Thai father Vanessa – Mae moved to London at the age of four with her mother, who was an accomplished concert pianist.
By the age of three, Vanessa - Mae was already taking piano lessons, and at the age of five, she began to study the violin. Despite her amazing talent at playing both instruments, Vanessa-Mae decided to focus on the violin. She made the decision, ironically, after winning a prize at the British Young Pianist of the Year Competition.