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Hayley Westenra Profile |
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Birth Date: April 10, 1987
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Birth Place: Christchurch, New Zealand
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Birth Name: Hayley Dee Westenra
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Height: 5'6"
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Biography |
Hayley Westenra was born on April 10, 1987, in Christchurch,
New Zealand. Her preternatural musical abilities, given to
her by her singing grandmother and piano playing
grandfather, became evident after she appeared in a school
play when she was 6. It was then that Hayley’s pitch-perfect
singing voice was noticed, and it didn’t take long for her
parents to immerse their talented daughter in the world of
musical performance. After learning to play the violin and
to read music, Hayley expanded her repertoire and took up
the piano and the recorder.
It was clear to everyone around Hayley that her true
strength was in her voice, and as a result she signed up for
classes designed to improve her singing. Being proactive in
her passion, Hayley had appeared in more than 40 local plays
and concerts by the time she reached the age of 11. The
following year, Hayley entered the studio to cut her first
album, Walking in the Air. The recording was originally
intended to be a vanity disc for her family and friends, but
a short time later, while performing on the streets of New
Zealand, Hayley was inundated with requests for the album.
While busking, Hayley impressed a bypassing television
journalist who immediately gave her an artist's spotlight on
the air. A well-known concert promoter, Gray Bartlett, was
among the millions watching and he helped Hayley land a
record deal with the Universal New Zealand record label. In
2001, Hayley released two albums: a self-titled debut and My
Gift to You. Both discs were released in New Zealand only,
but that proved to be more than enough to win the
up-and-coming superstar a small and fiercely loyal
following.
Hayley spent the next few years touring and performing in
and around New Zealand, but it wasn’t long before she began
to grow frustrated with her limited appeal. In 2003, Hayley
signed with Decca Records (the same label that Andrea
Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti have called home) and began
work on an album consisting of both classical and pop-based
songs. Pure was released in 2002 to instant success, going
so far as to set a UK record for the fastest-selling debut
album on the classical charts. In New Zealand, Pure was
certified platinum 10 times and Hayley was officially
crowned the country’s best-selling artist of all time -- in
any genre.
Hayley’s exposure grew steadily around that time, as she
began to take slow steps into the North American market.
Following appearances in an episode of American Dreams
(2004) and the straight-to-video Disney sequel Mulan II
(2004), Hayley embarked on a whirlwind tour on the East
Coast of the U.S. where she was quickly embraced as the next
big thing within the pop-classical world.
In 2005, Hayley emerged with Odyssey. She cowrote and
arranged many of the tracks on the album, which is an
eclectic mix of musical styles, including New Age, Celtic
and classical. Shortly after, Hayley was invited to tour
with Il Divo in 2006 and she later managed to set up several
dates of her own throughout the UK and Germany.
Hayley also signed on with Celtic Woman in August of 2006.
When the musical ensemble released Celtic Woman: A New
Journey in January 2007, the DVD/CD set shot up the
Billboard Top 200 chart to No. 4. The group has been
compared to the likes of Enya and began a tour of the U.S.
in 2007.
Not one to rest on her laurels, Hayley released of her
junior international album, Treasure (four of its tracks
were again cowritten by Hayley), in early 2007. The output
level only legitimizes her permanence in the field and the
release of her third album cements Hayley’s status as one of
the most promising up-and-coming soloists of her generation. |
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Other
Information |
Has a younger sister, Sophie & a younger brother, Isaac
Parents are Jill & Gerald
Dueted the song ''Chattanooga choo choo'' with Heather Small
for the 60th anniversary of VE Day in May, 2005.
Sang the official UNICEF song " Children First " at the HC.
Andersen jubilee in Copenhagen, Denmark, 2005. The song is a
duet and was sung with Morten Harket, vocalist of the
legendary Norwegian band, a-ha.
One of her favorite movie stars is Orlando Bloom. |
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