Plenty of child stars, not to mention desperate housewives, could learn a thing or two about not behaving badly from 12-year-old Jackie Evancho.
This top-of-the-charts crossover classical singer, who performs at the State Theatre on Tuesday, was also named one of the "Ten Best-Mannered People of 2011" by the National League of Junior Cotillions, and during a recent telephone interview, it showed.
After shooting to fame two years ago while competing on "America's Got Talent," astonishing the judges with her mature soprano and looking like a pint-sized Taylor Swift, she could be excused for acting like a bit of a diva. But the sweet, shy voice on the other end of the line sounds, at the moment, like that of any all-American tween.
"I always promised myself I would never become a brat," said Evancho, speaking from the suburban Pittsburgh home she shares with her parents and three siblings -- and three dogs, two cats, two frogs, a guinea pig and four snakes. "I'm not really a fan of people who think they're better than others. There's no reason to act that way. I couldn't even stand to yell at someone if they bumped right into me."
Evancho (pronounced ee-vang-koh) was Billboard's top classical-albums artist in 2011, with three of the top four albums on the year-end chart, and she was ranked No. 2 in 2012. Her latest collection, "Songs From the Silver Screen," is currently No. 2 on Billboard's classical chart.
Q How do you keep your voice in shape? Do you have a vocal coach?
A No. I don't practice very often but would like to start doing it more. It helps to have a humidifier around.
Q How much influence do you have over choosing the songs you record?
