Opera star Katherine Jenkins has been raving about her young pal Faryl Smith in a recent interview.

Faryl shot to fame after wowing Britain’s Got Talent audiences in 2008 and has since supported Jenkins on tour.

Katherine told MSN: “She’s 13 going on 30 – when she gets on stage she talks to the audience and she’s so natural and everyone loves her.”

She continued: “She’s still the 13-year-old girl but she has got a wise head on her shoulders.”

The Welsh soprano also revealed that she gives Faryl tips and advice from time to time:

“Everything from talking about music and singing to how to stand in front of the paparazzi, how to deal with certain things and basically any question she’s got she texts me and we keep in touch that way.”

She added: “She’s so young and she’s achieved a lot already. She’s got a good family behind her so I think she’s gonna do really well.”