Her tragic puppy love

Singapore-born violinist Vanessa Mae is dedicating her new album, Subject To Change, to the memory of her furry four-legged friend. MARK GOODIER talks to her

YOU could say that Vanessa Mae's music is going to the dogs.

You see, the Singapore-born violinist got a dog to keep her company as she was lonely.

While out walking her Sharpei, it was knocked down by a bicycle and killed.

The UK-based Vanessa Mae was recording her latest album, Subject To Change, last year when it happened.

The broken-hearted girl was inspired to write a piece of music for her faithful companion of many years.

Said Vanessa: "My dog died in the middle of (producing) this song and a lot of people sort of grimaced when I say that, or kind of laugh. This track (Pasha) is really sombre. It is almost like a funeral march."

Hard to imagine the violin-figured beauty famed for pulling strings in wet T-shirts as someone who is lonely?

Let her convince you.

From the time she was eight, Vanessa has devoted most of her time to violin and attended only half-day school. Until she was 15 when she decided to stop regular school.

In 1992, Vanessa became the youngest soloist ever to play alongside the London Mozart Players. But it was only with The Violin Player - her debut album released in 1995 - did she become a violin-wielding globe-trotting star.

Her looks mixed with her sassiness shot her into the music charts in 25 countries.

In the last two years, Vanessa's been running solo and has had more say in her own life now than when her manager-mother was boss.

"At 21, I stopped working with my mother. I was able to choose who I wanted to be friends with and find that great equilibrium between my professional life and my personal life."

She has since made up for lost time with her old friends.

Said Vanessa: "Until the age of 20, I didn't see any friends my own age. When you are a teenage girl, you really need friends to talk about girlie things."

Besides walking the dog.

Model, actress, violinist

AS Vanessa feels completely naked without her violin, Jean-Paul Gaultier let her take the Paris catwalk with her instrument of fame at a show a couple of years ago.

And she played supermodel, and violin, to thunderous applause.

"I said (to) Jean-Paul, 'I have to do something with a violin because I feel completely useless here'."

So, the fashionistas and spectators were treated to an impromptu performance from the UK-based violinist.

Vanessa is also an actress.

She starred opposite Jason Scott Lee in an ABC production of Aladdin in the Arabian Nights series.

The pop classics' princess played Princess Zobeide. Of course.