Romance? It's all quiet on the Westenra front

[kcuteus1]

Here is a article that I found.
www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3362711a1860,00.html

Romance? It's all quiet on the Westenra front
31 July 2005
By MAGGIE WICKS

Two years ago she was the little girl with the long hair and an album that could only be called Pure.


But Christchurch's most famous schoolgirl turned 18 three months ago, shifted into her own London pad and is looking for a maid. That nice Hayley Westenra has been linked with UK pop star Daniel Bedingfield, has a contact book more star-studded than Heidi Fleiss' and, at the height of the US-led occupation of Iraq, sang for George Bush.

The title of the album she releases next month is a much less pure Odyssey. Goodbye good girl? Well, no. That glass of bubbly the fastest-selling classical artist in history was seen holding at her 18th party in London was a prop for the photographers outside.

"I do like champagne, but alcohol is really drying for the throat," she said on a trip back home to promote her new album.

She's hung out at a bar with that other classical pop sensation, Charlotte Church, who spent the entire time texting her boyfriend as he waited outside in the car. And at 18, Westenra is still waiting for her first boyfriend. She laughs off the Bedingfield rumour, saying they're just good friends.

"I'd be over the moon if I met someone. Seriously, I'd be telling everyone." Has anyone come close? "Ummm, no."

But she's not moping. Maintaining a relationship would be too much work. This year - a relatively quiet one for Westenra - has included three trips to Japan and a German tour. And, she says, she's fussy about blokes. "They have to tick all the boxes." Such as? "They'd have to be hot. A bit of a sense of humour is important. And kind-hearted, and understanding of the situation I'm in. I'd hardly have time for them."

Pure she may be, daft she is not. Westenra has enough self-awareness to know it's unusual to be so d**n nice. "I'm just that kind of person," she says.

And you don't have to be naughty to be interesting. Alongside her incredible sales figures, there was what Westenra refers to as "the BBQ", the concert for the trifecta of Bush/Blair/the Queen. It was Andrew Lloyd Webber who asked her to perform at a private concert at the US ambassador's residence in London.

"I don't think people would have held it against me for performing for (Bush), even though what he was doing at the time wasn't really, you know, most people didn't really agree with it."

Her view on the situation at the time? "I'm not keen on wars, full stop."

But there were mitigating factors. "I thought, 'well, the Queen's there'."

[Richard]

Hello Kimberly!

Thank you for another very interesting article. It shows how dedicated Hayley is to her singing career, but I'm sure she'll find true romance eventually.

The url doesn't look that long, but the software doesn't recognise anything after the first zero. If you copy and paste the complete url into the address bar the article appears on the screen.

Bye for now,

Richard

[fusilier23]

Good to know Hayley's still Hayley even if she's a bit more grown-up now. I do know she and Charl met once, but it was my understanding it was simply backstage at a show. I did not think Hayley was the type to frequent bars.

BTW, Hayley, if you read this, know that this is one fan who has no problem at all with you performing for President Bush, and I think I speak for Natasha, Kristin Murphy, and, at least judging from the election results, a majority of the American voters as well. I also don't think anyone is "keen on wars" per se, but there are those who think this war or that war is justified.

[kcuteus1]

I also think she is a person that I would take of that would go to a bar.

And I think most people do not care who a person is that someone is performing for what the people did have no part in that stuff. Stuff like this can be good expose that is why people did this stuff . I think this aricle could of been better but I would of like to hear more about odesscy.

[Dave]

As a general observation and not in reply to anyone in particular, I think we should be very careful before believing what we read in a news or internet article - especially supposed "quotes". There are one or two things that Hayley is said in that article to have done (or said) that don't quite ring true.

I'd be surprised if it was entirely accurate - sadly, very few of them are.

[roger]

Just for the record, Hayley and Charlotte did meet in a bar. It was in Cardiff, following Hayley's concert which Charlotte attended. They met for a while in a bar in the hotel in which they were both staying. However, for the article to say they "hung out in a bar together" is somewhat misleading.

A very brief account of the meeting (at least Hayley's view of it) can be read in her biography, 'The World At Her Feet' by Paul Little. Page 84

Roger

[HWI]

Hi folks,

You have probably noticed that I have now unlocked this thread. The reason? In the video, which is linked to in another thread, the interviewer mentions the article and photo, calling it a bit raunchy. Hayley's response indicates that the whole thing is genuine. On that basis, I am now satisfied as to it's veracity and have removed the posts debating that.

So, discuss away.

Keith.

[roger]

I am by no means convinced that they were talking about THAT photo. The interviewer may well have been but, by Hayley's standards, the one of her in the white dress whilst laying on the bed was a little "raunchy". She may have thought the question referred to that photograph and answered accordingly, perhaps totally oblivious to the one we have been discussing.

Roger

[emmettb]

Yeah, I thought this too. I dont think standing on a bed is considered "raunchy" maybe there was some other photos from that shoot not printed that might be more raunchy??

Why did'nt the presenter show it?? It was like they edited it. I actually thought I missed the picture so I watched it again but did'nt see anything.


Emmett

[kcuteus1]

I don't think any of the pictures where raunchy Not too me I would think that If she was acting sexy and in the pictures she is not acting sexy and I like the pictures from the New Zeland linten. And that write dress is something I would wear and I am not someone too look your act rachchy .

I think I am going to take a look at that interview. But they could of been tlaking about this picture.

[roger]

Personally, I wouldn't describe it as raunchy either. It's just that is not quite what we have come to expect from Hayley. I know she's not a little girl any more but it isn't in keeping with the "pure" image.

Roger

[Dave]

I did email the newspaper (star-times) about this and received a polite but firm response that I didn't get round to mentioning before the thread was locked. Their picture editor stated that the picture is genuine and quoted the source. He mentioned the digital camera used and the use of Photoshop - but did not admit to the use if any image manipulation. Nor did he deny it.

He would not comment on my suggestion that that particular photo in its setting may have looked a bit "tacky". I have not changed my view on that although I think the other photos (published in the Listener) look OK.

Therefore, we must accept that the "jeans on the bed" photo is genuine and I certainly do. However, nothing the photo editor said rules out the use of airbrushing in the photo. That is a normal part of commercial digital photograpy these days; sometimes it is done well and other times, it is done badly. You can guess my views on this particular photo but that's just an opinion.

So, my final thoughts are these: the photo is genuine but badly constructed, with the use of an unsatisfactory setting, background, pose and lens. Wideangle lenses frequently produce unflattering photographs and one was certainly used here. This photo now gets my vote for the worst commercial photograph of Hayley ever to see the light of day but others are entitled to disagree.

[Natasha]

I was rather disappointed in this particular photograph from Hayley, BUT she is 18 and she wasn't showing all her flesh although this particular pose is one that wouldn't quickly be associated with her.

It will be interesting to see how much Hayley matures in the coming years. Undoubtedly there will be some bumps along the way but I can't see Hayley changing her musical style or her sweet personality anytime soon, and as long as she has the two later I'll be sticking around!! lol.

Hugs and best wishes to our favorite gal,
Natasha

[Richard]

Hello everybody!

I'm just going to say that it is my least favourite picture of Hayley, because it doesn't give a true impression of her character, but like Dave, I blame the photographer.

Natasha, I'm sure Hayley's personality will never change, and her musical style is developing and expanding beautifully. The next few years are going to be an odyssey for all of us (pun intended)! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Best Wishes from London,

Richard

[Oksana]

I don't see what's wrong with the 'jeans on the bed' photo. Anyone from my eighth grade class could wear that outfit (with a higher neckline) and not get suspended for breaking the dress code.

Is there anything wrong with standing on a bed? Not really. And is Hayley's pose, although poorly photographed, "raunchy"? Certainly not.

The white dress photo is a different story, and while it's a little revealing, it is done tastefully, not suggestively, in my opinion. I applaud Hayley for growing up in a tasteful manner.

I see thirteen-year-olds wearing much worse outfits.

It is evident that the photographer wanted to spawn doubts about Hayley's "pure" image, and this thread signifies that he/she succeeded. But we're overreacting. Walk into any clothing store for teenage girls (here in Noth America, anyway), and you'll see that a "shirt" consists of about five inches of material. Hayley's doing a great job not caving under the pressure of her angelic image, and it's okay for her to want to dress at least a little like others her age. We're lucky to have such an unspoiled celebrity.

Besides, you can't judge a personality by its clothing.

Go Hayley! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif