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IT'S fair to assume Hayley
Westenra is unlikely to do a Charlotte Church and become better known
for her antics than her singing.
Both singers rose to international fame as young girls with angelic
voices.
But while Charlotte has been snapped
boozing and smoking, has a celebrity boyfriend and is pregnant, Kiwi
girl Hayley lives life under the radar. Still, she doesn't judge.
"To be honest with you, I don't think what she (Churc?h) is doing is
abnormal for a young woman," Hayley tells Sunday News on a recent trip
home to promote her new album Treasure.
"She's just enjoying hanging out with her mates, like a normal
20-something-year-old."
Having said that, London-based Hayley's not tempted to do the same.
"It's not me," she admits.
"I can understand her wanting to go back to a bit of normality. For me,
I'm just really enjoying what I'm doing and want to do the best job of
it. I just want my performances to go well.
"I'm so passionate about my work that I'm always keen to give my best
performance in my shows.
"I wouldn't want anything to get in the way of that. I'd hate to give a
bad performance just because I went out partying the night before. I
have a responsibility ? people pay money to come to these concerts.
"Eventually I may want to do fewer concerts to allow more time to
socialise and party. At the moment I'm just making the most of the
opportunities I have."
At 20, Hayley comes across half the time as a normal young woman who
likes clothes and hanging with her mates.
The rest of the time she seems much older than her years, chatting about
London property prices and ordering a hot water when she's got the whole
bar menu at her disposal.
Hayley doesn't feel she's had to grow up too fast, even though she left
New Zealand in her early teens and has now sold three million albums
around the world.
"I don't know any different," she admits.
"I've had an amazing life. I don't feel I've been forced into maturing
quickly. Occasionally when I'm talking to people my own age, I'll feel a
little bit distant because of what I'm doing.
"Then again, my close friends, I can still relate to them. They still
relate to me. I haven't changed that drastically as a person. I have
different demands on me.
"I probably don't go out as many nights as they do. I don't get drunk
quite as many nights as they do, because of my voice. But I don't feel
deprived in any way." Because Hayley leads such an adult life, with so
many work commitments, her free time is even more meaningful to her.
"I love just hang?ing out with friends and doing no?thing, and just
gos?siping. Doing something I wouldn't usually do, like going rowing on
the river, or watching a movie, which seems really boring," she says.
"I just love doing normal things. I do really cherish those times. I
love clubbing and dancing, and I really appreciate a glass of wine,
because it's a rarity in my world."
While other young Kiwis in London share
grungy flats and work in pubs, Hayley is singing in the world's best
concert halls. She has performed for the Queen, George Bush, Tony Blair,
Prince Charles and Condoleeza Rice, and at the Wembley Arena and the
Royal Albert Hall.
Hayley's well aware her experience is wildly different to those of other
Kiwis.
"When most New Zealanders go over to the UK, they're cramped up flatting
with other people in some dodgy area.
"I'm lucky I've been staying in some nice places in nice areas. I've had
a really good experience living in London. I have friends staying in not
the nicest of areas.
"London is such an exciting city to be in. There's lots to do, it's so
big really. There are a lot of people to meet."
One of the major differences is that Hayley's not in London on an OE.
Living in London is a career decision, which is unlikely to change in
the near future.
"It never crossed my mind to consider it as (an OE)," she says. "This is
my life. I'm probably going to be living this life for a few more years
at least. I hope I'll be singing for the rest of my life really, whether
it's based in London or somewhere else. The opportunities at the moment
are in London. London?s a good base."
When Hayley first moved to London her parents took turns being over
there with her while the other kept the family running back home in
Christchurch.
Now she's out on her own.
"The past year-and-a-half I've been living by myself, managing my flat
and doing my own washing," she says, sounding 20 again.
"Whenever I come home I've got my two suitcases chock full of washing,
and making sure I get as many home-cooked meals as I can."
It felt like a "natural progression" standing on her own two feet.
"Initially when my dad left London, I was saying goodbye at the door,
thinking 'oh my gosh I'm suddenly on my own, deserted!'"
"I was looking forward to having my own independence."
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Hayley's currently travelling so much she
doesn't have a flat, and is "living out of a suitcase". She plans to buy
a flat in London towards the end of the year.
"It's quite scary, but people keep telling me I'll be fine, and it's a
good investment. It's such a big investment!" she says.
She's single, but she's enjoying meeting men. "I get to go on a few
dates," she says.
"The hardest part is trying to develop and maintain a relationship. Even
friendship is hard."
Marriage and children are definitely in the long-term plans.
"Yes, definitely! Who knows what will happen?" Hayley says. "In my mind,
New Zealand is the perfect place to bring up a family. But you never
know who you are going to marry and where your life is going to take
you. I'm so glad that I was brought up in New Zealand. I think it's had
a huge kind of factor in my success as a singer."
Dressed in jeans and a nice top, with her hair and makeup perfect,
Hayley seems very much at home in her own skin.
"I'm very much into being true to myself, and finding out who I am," she
says.
"I think it's something I've discovered pretty much on my own. You have
your various record companies trying to push you in a more popular
direction, or classical direction but when that happens it doesn't work,
because it's forced.
"It works so much better when you are true to yourself, and not trying
to be something you are not. Even like going out on dates, it's so
important to be yourself. People much prefer that. They can see through
fakeness."
Her image has stayed consistent over the years because that's who she
is.
"With each album I?m going 'it's a new album, I wonder if I should have
more of an image?' But it's much easier being who you are.
"I do quite like trying on new clothes for fashion shoots. I do like it,
because generally you get to keep some of the clothes ? and every girl
likes free clothes!" she says, laughing.
"Sometimes going shopping for dresses for performances can be a chore.
I'd much prefer to be buying jeans and T-shirts, and casual clothes."
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