Christmas at home pure magic

WE ARE FAMILY: International singing star Hayley Westenra is welcomed home last night by her sister, Sophie, 12. DON SCOTT/The Press

18 December 2003
By ANNA CLARIDGE

The smile on Hayley Westenra's face spoke volumes as she bounded down the stairs at Christchurch International Airport last night and into the arms of her family.

"It's just so good to be back."

Westenra and mother Gill touched down in Christchurch after a heady five months in Britain, promoting the 16-year-old's debut album, Pure.

Sales of the album broke the 500,000 mark in Britain this month, and Pure remains in the Top 10 pop charts in Britain.

Last week, Westenra performed with tenor-legend Jose Carreras and will feature on British TV in the Michael Parkinson Christmas special.

While her days have been spent singing for the Queen, United States President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the petite songstress proved she still has her feet planted firmly on the ground. Her first job back in New Zealand? "Tidy my room".

"I know it sounds boring but I've got so much stuff that I just need to sort out. I guess I'll just be getting back to a bit of normality."

Normality means time at home with brother Isaac, sister Sophie, and parents Gill and Gerald.

A Westenra Christmas means trading the lights of London's Royal Albert Hall for family fun at the Caroline Bay carnival in Timaru.

"We go to Timaru every year for Christmas with my grandparents so we'll be doing that again. And then over New Year we usually go camping, but I think this year we just want to be at home and just have some normality."

That normality may be short-lived.

Westenra begins a New Zealand tour in February before moving on to the United States for another five months stint.