School,
friends still come first with Hayley
__________________________________
01 MARCH 2002
By TESSA NICHOLSON
It is a huge relief to hear teenage singing
sensation Hayley Westenra likes shopping,
Nelly Furtado and getting together
with her friends. It means she's
normal, just like any other 14-year-old
college girl except, that is, for
her voice.
This
young woman who has been singing since
she was six, first recorded a CD, for
personal use when she was 12. She was
quickly signed up by Universal when
she was 13. Her next project is to
head to London this month to record
a third album, for release later in
the year.
In
Blenheim this weekend, Hayley will
perform at the Marlborough Centre tomorrow
night, and at the Awatere High Country
Festival on Sunday. Her star has risen
so quickly that even she has to pinch
herself to ensure she's not dreaming.
She recalls how it all began with a
personal CD, made for members of her
family.
"It
was only a CD that we would be able
to look back on in the future. Then
when I was busking with my sister,
people would come up and ask if I had
made a recording and I said I had one,
but no copies. So we decided if we
got 1000 made, maybe we could sell
them and it would be far more economical."
But
having made quite a splash within the
industry, Hayley, a pupil of Dame Malvina
Major, is making no huge plans for
her future, well aware how difficult
the music business can be.
"I
figure I have a bit of time. At the
moment I quite enjoy singing contemporary
music. Later I might want to focus
on opera. But while singing is something
I've always loved, I have been trying
to be realistic. I never wanted to
get my hopes up, so I've focused on
school work. I may have to work in
case I can't get a full time singing
job."
And
the young star says her siblings also
have mean voices. Both Sophie aged
11 and Isaac aged eight, will be joining
her in a few songs at the Awatere festival.
Hayley's family won't be the only Westenras
at the festival. It will be the ideal
chance for her to catch up with some
of her relations who live in the Awatere,
who are also well known, maybe not
for music but certainly in the sporting
fields.
