I also do jeans and T-shirt, says Hayley Westenra

She may be the biggest-selling classical artist of the millennium so far, but Hayley Westenra told today how living in London has helped her keep her feet on the ground.

The 24-year-old soprano, from New Zealand, was thrust onto the path to stardom at a young age having signed her first recording contract at 13.

But as she unveiled her fifth studio album at a party at The Ivy Club in Covent Garden, she told the Standard she was not a "highly ambitious woman" and that her biggest extravagance so far has been buying a flat in west London.

She added: "When I was younger I just kind of assumed that it was perfectly normal to get a recording contract aged 13. Now I'm more appreciative of the opportunities that are thrown my way.

"Fame has its pros and cons. I feel quite lucky that I can go and perform to a few thousands people and come back and feel quite anonymous. If I go out with friends I go down to the local pub and I wear jeans and a T-shirt."

Westenra recently began dating a French music technician who she has not yet named. He manned the mixing desk as she performed three songs from her new album last night.

The album, Paradiso, is a collaboration with film composer Ennio Morricone and includes classical tracks alongside new material by Westenra, Morricone, Don Black and Tim Rice.