TeenPeople.com |
Tuesday,
September 24th, 2004 |
Backstage with Hayley Westenra
A Kiwi Songstress Lives The American Dream
Hayley Westenra, New Zealand's
newest diva-in-training, is ready for her close-up.
"I'm a lot less nervous about today than
I am when I have to perform at a school assembly
in front of people I know," says the Kiwi
cutie as she walks onto the Hollywood set of American
Dreams. Just a few hours of costume, makeup,
and vocal warm-ups later she'll portray a '60s
café singer on the season's second episode
(Oct. 3, 8 p.m. EST on NBC). She has transformed "Who
Painted The Moon Black?" from her contemporary
classical debut, Pure, into a more
mellow folk song befitting the show's vintage
era.
Get a glimpse at what really goes on behind
the scenes of the show and see Hayley's transformation
from modern girl to 60s siren! Plus: Hear a
few a cappella verses of her song!
"Still, today is huge for me. Getting
on American Dreams is the first big
thing I've done (in the U.S). I probably feel
less nervous because everyone is so nice on
the set. I've also been practicing a lot and
am basically playing me in '60s clothes."
Or maybe it's because the 17 year old has already
wowed the likes of President Bush and the Queen
of England with her pitch-perfect pop-meets-classical
tracks. "Cool people," according
to Hayley, but it's Orlando Bloom she
really wishes would catch her act. "He's
quite cute. I can't believe he was in New Zealand
for years making Lord of the Rings and
I never bumped into him."
In truth, Haley was the one hiding out. She
doesn't mess around when it comes to practicing.
At six years old, Hayley discovered singing
as her calling and charged ahead without a
shield to stardom. "I played the Littlest
Star in the school Christmas production and
was given a solo. I just kept at it, doing
musicals, voice training, learning to play
violin and piano, and eventually I got to make
a record and travel to all these places to
sing. All of my dreams are now coming true."
Fortunately, her friends and family haven't
let the success go to Haley's head. "(My
friends) don't treat me any differently when
I go home. We talk about normal stuff like
guys and clothes."
And although she can afford a much nicer pair
of jeans now and "even shoes to go with
them," the job does have some drawbacks. "I
get quite homesick. I miss my cockatiel Zack.
I have to take a lot of scary rides with New
York cab drivers and eat a lot of gross airline
food, like those overly salty pretzels. We
go from one hotel to another and I don't really
meet people my own age or have time for dating.
But it's worth sacrificing, and there's time
for all of that later."
Perhaps when Orlando is single again?
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link thanks to Caite
Original
Copyright © 2004 Time Inc. Acknowledged
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