15 and famous, Jackie Evancho keeps her stride

Singer Jackie Evancho had to wait until school was out to do this interview. This young woman who has performed all around the world with legendary artists like Andrea Bocelli and appeared in a Robert Redford film “The Company You Keep” wasn't available until the final bell. It's all part of the life of the public high school student. "My best subject is English. I love writing," she said from her Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home.

Evancho, 15, will break from school to get back on the road, which leads her to the Wagner Noel on Saturday. Evancho has lived a big life, garnering fame with her second-place finish in "America's Got Talent" when she was 10. Since that time, she's released five full-length albums and collaborated with high-profile names like Andrea Bocelli, Robert Redford, Sarah Brightman and David Foster.

But none of that excites her as much as a recent Instagram where she posted a photo of her and her new car. "I'm not driving yet but my birthday is coming up and I just got excited so I bought the car," she said. "I'll get my license pretty soon. My dad lets me drive around our neighborhood development some."

For a world-famous singer, Evancho's life is refreshingly ordinary. But her ambition as an artist is to grow. With new music expected out this spring, the as-yet-untitled album would show not only Evancho's growing range, but also her songwriting as well.

"This will be another experimental album like ‘Awakening’. I'm experimenting with my voice but still sing whatever I want," she said. "I like writing but it's a challenge getting yourself on paper. But it's nice to sing my own words. And it's comforting." Although labeled as a classical music artist, Evancho wants to try her hand in other sounds. She's dabbled with pop music and is unafraid to venture out of her comfort zone.

"It keeps that excitement going and really just part of me growing up as a performer and getting the experience. There's probably nothing I wouldn't try musically," she said. But before she hits the road, she has homework. Her teachers give her assignments that Evancho has to finish by the time she returns. For the most part she's successfully combined school and fame.

"There's the occasional bully who says stupid things. They'll make jokes about my name or because of what I do. It does bother me but you have to brush it off," she said. That's remedied by her philanthropic work for the Humane Society of the United States and The Shelter for Abused Women & Children. She's also supported or lent her voice to causes such as Parkinson 's disease awareness, LGBT rights, clean-water initiatives and programs to provide hearing aids to those who can't afford them. She's even received notes from fans who have used her music to help them through rough times.

"It's the most awesome feeling to affect people that way. My whole family is very compassionate and caring and sympathetic to a lot of situations. We all try our best that we can. And it's an inspiration to hear people's stories," she said. But Saturday night is Evancho's turn to share her stories through music. "I'm just going to be singing my favorite songs and having fun. I want to take Midland on a journey of emotions so they'll be blown away," she said with a teenager's giggle.