One Minute With... Vanessa-Mae

Where are you?
Yesterday, I was in Beijing for a show and now I'm in transit at Vienna airport. The wait was going to be four boring hours so I'd planned to be productive with my time: exit the airport for a run, go for a shower and then review the set list for my next show. However, I missed my original flight, it's now dark outside and the airport seems not to have any showers. So, it looks like I've got a few tedious hours ahead of me after all...

What are you currently listening to?
Lately I've been listening to Christmas carols! Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin are also great "warmers" for the cold weather.

Who is your favourite band?
My own backing band, especially when they're giving it their all and rousing the crowd. The guys are all so talented so there's no problem with throwing them challenging repertoire to tackle.

If you could have written one song, which would it be?
The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky as the music is endearing, exuberant and captivating.

What distracts you from work?
The misplaced comfort that there will always be an 11th hour. I am quite the procrastinator.

What did you want to be as a child?
I flitted between wanting to become a vet, an archaeologist and a skier. However, for some reason, I'd always assumed that I would practise law for a few "token" years and then end up becoming a housewife. Life turned out not as I expected.

Who is your greatest inspiration in the art world?
I adore [Ernst Ludwig] Kirchner. But all current conceptual artists inspire me, as they make me confident that I could easily create great works of art.

The song that changed my life is...
"Believe" sung by Cher. That song represented the year in my life, 1998, when I belatedly woke up to the fact that I was trapped and living in a bubble, so to speak.

Who is your hero?
My maternal grandmother has always been my emotional heroine as whatever wrongs she has been dealt, even by those within her family, she remains upbeat, giving and loving.