POP QUIZ: HAYLEY WESTENRA

Aidin Vaziri

What the world needs now? Not love, but more hot teen classical singers like Hayley Westenra. The 17-year-old New Zealand soprano has sold more than 2 million copies of her new album, "Pure," and will become a regular fixture on TV screens over the next few weeks. She appears in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, on the "Today" show Dec. 3 and on "PBS Great Performances" throughout December..

Q: So your official biography comes out this month. Is it, like, three pages long?

A: I know, it does seem a bit crazy. But it's basically my whole childhood story, and how I got where I am. Hopefully, there's more to come.

Q: Can you explain the best part for illiterate people?

A: Well, I haven't read it all yet. That's what I'm going to do on the tour.

Q: You don't need to read it. You lived it.

A: Oh, right. Well, the best part of my life was when I performed with Andrea Bocelli earlier this year. When I was 11 years old, I would sing along to his music, and I recorded a few of his songs on my little demo CD. So to perform with him was incredible. That was a major milestone. But, really, it's been one thing after another.

Q: You performed for a private audience than included George W. Bush, Tony Blair and the queen. Did any of them have flames shooting out of their eyes?

A: Um, I don't think so. It was pretty surreal, though. The whole event had been organized by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, and it was just 50 sitting in this room. It was all these familiar faces.

Q: You also worked with Beatles producer Sir George Martin.

A: Yeah, I did. His son Giles Martin was the producer of my album, so he came in and listened to some of the stuff we were working on. He ended up writing a song for my album and doing some arrangements.

Q: So he didn't spend the whole time telling boring Ringo stories?

A: He didn't. So many people ask me, "Did you hear any good stories about the Beatles?" No.

Q: Is it true that there are no natural predators in New Zealand, so everyone is into extreme sports like bungee jumping and shark wrestling?

A: Yeah. Down in Queenstown in the south island you can do all that. I don't know. It's not really my thing. I do some rock climbing, but it's not quite so extreme.

Q: Do you have a pet cheetah?

A: Oh, no, no, no.

Q: But you are going to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Have you performed around large cartoon characters before?

A: I haven't, no. It's going to be quite an experience. Apparently, I'm on the green dog float, whatever that means.

Q: Do you hate it when, during the holidays, used-car commercials are all, "It's turkey time for deals at San Jose Datsun?" I totally hate that.

A: Yeah.

Q: So are you going to lip-synch?

A: I'm not quite sure. Apparently, no one sings live. But I think I'm a really terrible lip-syncher, so I only do it when I have to, which is hardly ever.

Q: Maybe you could do something to make up for it. Are you a good dancer?

A: Well, I started ballet dancing when I was 4 and did it till I was about 14. I was pretty good at it. Now I feel like a big slob.

Q: Then what are you going to do when your voice cracks?

A: I don't know. The choreographed moves don't really match the classical music. But you never know.

E-mail Aidin Vaziri at avaziri@sfchronicle.com.

 

View Source