KEY POINTS:
Rising star Elizabeth Marvelly was joined by a special guest at her debut album launch this week - her great-great-uncle Sir Howard Morrison.
The 18-year-old chanteuse performed a showcase of three songs before being joined on stage by Sir Howard, where they sang Love Is All together.
Marvelly,
who has been compared to fellow pop classical star Hayley Westenra, was signed to EMI London in August, becoming just the third New Zealand singer to join the label in the past 10 years.
As well as her famous uncle, Marvelly is set to gain some more A-list fans when she performs in Hong Kong next month at the premiere of Nicole Kidman's film The Golden Compass.
She has also signed on to tour New Zealand with Britain's Got Talent discovery Paul Potts in April.
Sir Howard thinks his niece, with whom he has toured, has got what it takes. "I was so moved, I was drawn to tears."
Asked if Marvelly had the potential to eclipse his own career and musical legacy, Sir Howard said that was too hard for him to answer.
"[Our] talent comes from the same source," he said - Sir Howard's mother.
"[Elizabeth has] a grip on her life.
"I was worried after our tour that she might have been moving too quick because there were people pursuing her, and I thought at 17 maybe she needed a bit more maturity.
"I still have protective apprehension because no matter what, it's not just this album, this group of people here, that are going to make her well known in every house in this country," Sir Howard said.
"I think she is capable of doing something indelibly here and it could be in musical theatre.
"I really feel that will be where her future is internationally."
Marvelly was strong-willed, he said.
"She tells her father to jump the hoop and he's like the Hollywood mother."
Marvelly decided at the age of 8 that she wanted to be a performer and started singing lessons at 13.
After gaining a scholarship to King's College in South Auckland she became captain of the girls' cricket and soccer teams.
Just over a week ago she finished her last Year 13 exam, English literature, but for now she is concentrating on her singing career.
"The stage is what I love so it's a real pleasure to be up there singing for people," Marvelly said. Rather than trying to emulate the career of anyone in her family, Marvelly said she would be happy to "just eclipse their expectations".
Despite the family connections she said it had been her own drive and determination that had got her this far.
Marvelly, who is signed to EMI Classics, describes her style as a fusion of pop and classical. "It's kind of pop-opera but I hope I'm pushing the boundaries a little."
She says Dame Malvina Major, who is another of her mentors, has told her not to become "fully one-dimensional".
"She's told me even though you're following the singing, don't neglect the other things you do, and that's been a great piece of advice."
- NZPA
