[ ClassicalX ] Precocious Hayley returns to Bridgewater

She has the voice of an angel and some say even looks like one.

She’s notched up album sales of more than over four million world-wide and last year was voted by the Variety Club as Classical Music Performer of the Year.

Yet Hayley Westenra is still only 21-years-old. “Well, only just. I’ll be 22 in April,” she giggles.

Hayley is still laughing as she tells me about her latest concert tour which will bring her back to Manchester.

“You know this city is so friendly and I really enjoy coming here. My concert’s a bit like my fashion sense. I like to mix and match and I don’t mind the term cross-over so there’ll be a bit of classical music, songs from the shows and some traditional Maori music to make me feel at home.”

When Hayley first started touring on her own she found it a bit lonely as she was still only a teenager.

“I always do my own hair and make-up so I had no one my own age to talk to.

“But now I pick my own band and I make sure that I’m surrounded by friends so it’s fun. It also gives me the chance to explore the UK.”

Home for Hayley these days is split between London and New Zealand where she was born.

“When I had a bronchial problem last year I went straight home to New Zealand and let my mother fuss round me.

"But it’s a bit like living in a goldfish bowl there as everyone knows me. That’s why I love living in London where I can dress down, pull on a woolly hat and no-one recognises me when I go to the supermarket.

"Although there’s no-one special in my life at the moment I’ve made lots of friends here.”

Surely getting a boyfriend must be difficult? Hayley laughs again.

“You’re absolutely right. You always suspect that they’re only asking you out because you’re a celebrity and not because they’re interested in the real you.

“It’s usually the overly confident ones who ask you because the others are too shy. But I’m a pretty good judge of character and make decisions based on my gut feelings.”

Hayley is obviously grounded and puts that down to her no nonsense upbringing. Born and bred in Christchurch of Dutch and Irish origin, she’s from a musical background.

“My grandmother was a singer and grandfather was a pianist who used to entertain in the local hotels so that must be where the music’s come from.

“My brother Isaac, who is 15, and my 18-year-old sister Sophie are both musically talented, although Isaac’s more interested in his PlayStation, but my sister intends to be a singer.”

When she first appeared in a school play at the age of six Hayley’s parents were told by a teacher that she was pitch perfect.

She began singing lessons and learned to play the piano, violin and recorder. However, looking good and being talented did not make her the most popular girl in school.

Charity

“There was a degree of bullying that was difficult to cope with and I was only little. That’s why I now belong to a charity which tries to help victims of bullying.

“But in a strange way it’s character-building and it obviously helped when I was 12 and made a demo of Walking In The Air, for friends and family.

"Shortly after that my sister Sophie and I were busking and a television journalist invited me onto her programme which was seen by a concert promoter and I was offered a recording contract by Universal, New Zealand.

“I made a self-titled album of light classical songs and show tunes and a CD of Christmas music called My Gift To You which were both successful in New Zealand.”

But Hayley only became known internationally when, at 15, Decca signed her for her first album Pure. which shot her to instant stardom. It became not only the fastest selling album but went straight to the number 1 slot in the UK charts.

“It was a whirlwind of press calls, radio and television interviews and ultimately the move to London. I was more excited than nervous and it helped that my family came over to get me settled in.

“I’m just amazed now that I took it all in my stride but, when they finally went back to New Zealand it was a bit scarybeing left on my own.

"However, I was already making another album and going on tour so there wasn’t much time to be lonely.”

Hayley joined a group called Celtic Woman and found them supportive on stage and off.

“It gave me the experience of singing in front of British audiences and I’ve met quite a few stars now. In the stage musical world I’ve sung with Lee Mead and Duncan James.

Russell Watson

"In the opera world, Jonathan Ansell is a friend, but your own Russell Watson is one of the first big stars I sang with.

"He came out to New Zealand when I was 14 and when he heard me sing he invited me to join him on his UK tour.

"I saw him recently and he told me that he’s feeling a great deal better (after brain tumour surgery)

“I’ve also been lucky enough to sing with some of the other great male voices in the world like Andrea Bocelli, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo and Bryn Terfel.

"I’m also a huge fan of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and I was can’t tell you how thrilled I was to meet her but I don’t want to follow her singing opera on stage. It’s too much like hard work. I’m very happy making records and touring in concert.”

Wisely, Hayley won’t confess who is her favourite singer. Giggling she explains. “Listen I don’t want to offend anyone. All I’m saying is that I love them all!”

Unfulfilled ambitions? “Well, I’ve sung songs for films like Mulan 11, The Merchant of Venice and The New World and I’d like to do more of that.”

For a 21-year-old Hayley has certainly done more than most. She’s sung in front of royalty and world leaders including the Dalai Lama.

“But my family couldn’t get over the fact that I was more excited about meeting Rowan Atkinson, because I love Blackadder, but then I couldn’t think of anything intelligent to say!”

As UNICEF’s youngest ambassador, Hayley has seen children living in appalling conditions.

“In Ghana we’ve provided water pumps, as some of the children were drinking from puddles of dirty water. We’ve also given them over 6,000 bicycles.

"You should have seen their faces when we delivered the bicycles in the villages.

"We wanted to get a group photo but the children refused to part with them. I think they were frightened that we’d take them away."

Plans for the future?

"I intend to continue working with UNICEF as long as they need me and singing as long as people still want to hear me.”

Source: CityLife - Greater Manchester