Vanessa sacks second manager in 12 months

Star may face court battle

VIOLINIST Vanessa Mae has fired her manager a year after sacking her mother from the same job.

The classical music glamour girl refuses to give promoter Mel Bush any cash and could now face an expensive court battle. Former child prodigy Vanessa, 22, whose sixth album is released in March, has sold six million records worldwide. Mr Bush, who also promotes Sir Cliff Richard and David Essex and has represented Queen, David Bowie and Sir Elton John, is said to have insisted he helped shape Vanessa's career and was due a pay-off if they parted company. They clashed over Mr Bush's involvement with girl quartet Bond, the new stars of classical music. Vanessa said yesterday: "I don't want to be part of a quintet," but refused to comment further. Her spokesman told The Mirror: "All Vanessa wants to say is that the split was inevitable and it is now business as usual. "Mel worked for her for seven years, so it is natural that people will move on after that length of time. "The split didn't arise out of anything in particular, it was just a decision that Vanessa took. "We don't know yet if he is taking any legal action."

Singapore-born Vanessa moved to London with her mother and stepfather Graham when she was two and took up the violin at seven. Last year, she ordered mum Pamela Mae Nicholson, 43, to keep out of her professional life. They now see little of each other and Vanessa lives alone in an apartment in London's Kensington. She is the latest in a list of stars who have clashed with ex-managers.

Two weeks ago 13-year-old singer Charlotte Church was forced to hand over pounds 2 million to her former manager after a High Court hearing.

Robbie Williams was landed with a pounds 1 million legal bill in March last year when the Appeal Court ruled that Take That manager Nigel Martin-Smith was owed pounds 90,000 in unpaid commission. The Spice Girls settled out of court with Simon Fuller, who put the band together after advertising in a music magazine, for a rumoured pounds 15 million.

Golden girl of music

VANESSA MAE, the youngest musician to attend the Royal College of Music, won international fame when she was 11 and has earned an estimated pounds 36million in 10 years. She was famously pictured on the front of her first single wearing a wet, clinging dress while playing the violin.

Vanessa was the youngest to record the Beethoven and Tchaikovsky violin concertos. She made her debut with the Philharmonic at 12.

She has performed before an army of fans all over the world. But some musical purists criticise her modern blend of pop and traditional classics.