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The article Australian Women's Weekly NZ Edition December 2001.

Hayley's comet

With an international recording deal and the world stage I beckoning, the 14-year-old schoolgirl's a star on the rise.

　

It's a stormy Saturday morning in Christchurch, but the Westenra family is unperturbed by the rain pelting on the windows - they're spending a weekend inside, at home, for the first time in months and, understandably, they couldn't care less what's happening outside.
To say life in this household has been hectic since 14-year-old Hayley Westenra shot to national stardom with her first CD, Hayley, in April would be something of an understatement. The pile of unpacked bags on the sitting room floor from her last trip to Auckland to record her. Christmas album, My Gift to You, is testament to a demanding schedule of recording sessions, live appearances and interviews that would make anyone blanch, let alone a diminutive fourth former.
It's just on 12 months since Hayley made the leap from talented schoolgirl to national treasure when record label Universal Music signed her. Since then she's recorded two CDs and carried off a nationwide promotional tour and, at time of writing, was poised to sign a deal for a new album with international recording giant Decca. "I always hoped that one day I'd be able to record a CD," she beams. I thought, 'Maybe when I'm older', but it's exactly what I'm doing now!" Hayley's accomplishments still surprise her. Her debut album, expected to sell around 7500 copies, was an instant success with renditions of classics like 'Memory' and' Ave Maria' taking the music market by storm. Within three days of its release it had almost reached its target with more than 7000 copies sold, and within four weeks it had rocketed to number one on the New Zealand music charts with more than 45,000 copies sold, making it a triple platinum seller.
With My Gift to You predicted to be another huge hit, and singing engagements in Sydney, the United States and Taipei filling an already crowded school holiday calendar, the young star could be forgiven for being cocky, but nothing could be further from the truth.
She has, she admits instead, learnt a lot since recording her first album. "I guess you could say I've become a lot more organised and professional too. If I'm going to sing at a performance, I'm not relying on Mum to find out about it. I'll be replying to e-mails and I'll be asking questions. I'm not as afraid to ask people for things - I'll ask if I need a glass of water!" Hayley laughs remembering that just a year ago her shyness often stopped her doing so. I guess I'm just sticking up for myself a little bit more because I know in order to give my best performance I need certain things. I've learnt to ask more questions." Though Hayley talks and giggles like most 14-year-olds, she's had to learn skills most of her peers won't discover for years. On top of performances and recording, she takes both piano and violin lessons as well as singing lessons with Dame Malvina Major and fits it all in with being an A-grade student at Burnside High School. ..

　

　

 　

　

 

Her time management, she says, has improved greatly. "I've worked out ways of using my time more wisely. If I'm going to a piano lesson I'll do my theory on the way in the car. When I was younger my handwriting was really neat and I spent ages doing my homework and everything was very precise. Now my writing's probably messier but I've learnt that you can't always do everything perfectly. You have to make some sacrifices." It is clear that singing is worth the sacrifices. Hayley's dreamed of being a singer for as long as she can remember and music has always been a part of her. "At my auntie's wedding when I was about three I sang 'Silent Night' through the entire ceremony," she laughs. And the love of music has never faltered.
"At school I'll always have a song going through my head and my friends say, 'Hayley, you're singing again'." They don't mind, she adds. And how could they? Described as having "the voice of an angel", Hayley has frequently been hailed as New Zealand's very own Charlotte Church.
The description might sound extravagant but when her mother Jill slips My Gift to You into the CD player, any cynicism evaporates. As Christmas songs and classical pieces float from the stereo, it's difficult to concentrate on anything else - Hayley's voice is both technically brilliant and full of emotion.

RECORDING GIANT DECCA'S interest in Hayley is a remarkable tribute to her talent. The company has around 25 per cent of the global classical market and boasts big names like Bocelli and Russell Watson. Universal New Zealand's managing director, Adam Holt, says the Decca deal is a rare compliment. "This hardly ever happens, let alone to a 14-year-old from Christchurch," he marvels. "I've been doing this for 20 years and I've never seen it happen." Yet for Hayley, being told she's amazing is still strange and at times hilarious. "I don't see myself as anything special. I go to school and there are kids there who are really good at sport or really good at the violin and I just enjoy singing," she says simply.
Though she finds the media attention exciting, she struggles to understand why people would be interested in her. "It was so funny because my dad got the TV Guide and we were flicking though it and it had a mini pin-up and it said 'Hayley Westenra', - it was really weird," she giggles.
"She's fortunate," says proud mum Jill of her eldest daughter, "that she's got this wonderful voice, she's got acting ability, she's a nice person and then she's got the bonus of having a relaxed personality, which a lot of artistic people haven't." It's not hard to see how Hayley has remained so grounded in the midst of astounding success. While Jill and Gerald have always supported their three children's interests, they never expected high achievements from them. In fact, they admit, Hayley's success has taken them both by surprise. "You don't know how good or talented your child is," says Jill, "until you can compare them with other children. Teachers can pick it much better. I never had aspirations about what my children would do. I always just hoped for the happy family things - feeding the ducks and playing with playdough."

They knew, says Gerald, that Hayley had a beautiful singing voice but it wasn't until professionals began telling them how gifted she was that it really hit home. "Even then," he says "we didn't think it would take her anywhere." Why? "Because we live in Christchurch," he laughs.
"It's such a luck thing," adds Jill, "and we were so out of touch with everything because of where we live.
I mean, how often do auditions for movies and things happen in Christchurch? So who would recognise her talent?" So when Universal signed Hayley after hearing a CD the family had put together, they were surprised. Since that day, Jill and Gerald say their lives have been both wonderful and demanding. "It's been positive because its so exciting," says Jill, "but things are chaotic - there's no time for things like gardening. We're often up until midnight or one e-mailing or discussing things," she admits.
Even before Hayley's success, the Westenras' pace of life was hectic. All three of their children are talented performers, so Jill and Gerald are used to ferrying kids to lessons, talent quests and shows. Sophie, II, sings backing vocals for some songs on My Gift to You, and Isaac, seven, stars in television commercials.
"The only thing that's really changed," says Gerald, "is that Jill and Hayley are away more often." And while Jill travels the country with Hayley, Gerald stays behind to run his jewellery store and take care of the other two kids. But it wasn't that added responsibility that worried Gerald most. "The hardest thing was I'd been to everything Hayley had performed in, and she was going away and I couldn't be there. We'd always been there for everything the children have done," he says earnestly.
The Westenras are delighted at Decca's interest but say keeping the family together remains a priority.
All five will accompany Hayley to performances at Sydney's Carols in the Park this month and in Taipei and America in January.
As for Hayley, she couldn't be happier. "I used to imagine being on stage in front of lots of people and singing. I'd go in talent quests and there would be small audiences but now it's big performances and it's exactly what I dreamed about," she smiles.

－ Veronica Schmidt －

　

　

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