How did you discover Hayley?

[milewalker]

Hello all,

I actually suspect that there may be a similar thread buried somewhere in the labyrinth here - and if there is, mods, feel free to move this to its appropriate crypt!

I suspect that many of Hayley's "original" fans (by which I mean those who are not fortunate enough to live in New Zealand) heard about her the same way I did - through the fansite of another singer. I was however, curious about your individual stories.

So, was your introduction to Hayley like mine was, or did you first encounter her some other way? Did you hear her busking in the streets of Christchurch, or through New Zealand media? Did someone share her music with you and get you hooked that way?

Jon

[Joe]

milewalker said:

I suspect that many of Hayley's "original" fans (by which I mean those who are not fortunate enough to live in New Zealand) heard about her the same way I did - through the fansite of another singer. I was however, curious about your individual stories.

Hello Jon!

I learned about Hayley from a post on a Charlotte Church fan forum. The post contained links to HWI, I believe. Needless to say, I never went back to that forum!

Joe

[Tin]

Well it's a long long story to tell.

I had been learning pencil-drawing for some years when I was younger then, when I was still in Primary school.

The tutor liked to play music pieces when we were drawing. At that age I hadn't yet developed a love for songs- all I had in my world was LEGO.

But anyway. I remember humming the tunes which the tutor played when I was going back home on the bus. I hummed the tunes when I showered as well. But as I stopped having lessons, the melody faded away.

One day when I was in Form 4, it was when I still liked to watch TV in my parents' bedroom, I saw a TV advertisement. The advertisement of a compilation album.

'Don't cry for me Argentina, the truth is, I never left you...'

Wait, I thought, I knew this song, this melody! This was one of those I heard before! I knew I had to have it. It was the time of Mid-year Exams and unluckily our flat was about to undergo some heavy renovation work after the last day of the exam period.

If I recall correctly, on the last but one day of the exam period, my dad bought the album: Voices the Ultimate Collection. One of the songs is Don't Cry for Me Argentina sung by Julie Covington. I remember locking myself in the room and having my earphones on while the workers were trying to demolish our bathrooms.

Although there was only one song that I sought for in the album, I found no reason not to hear, if not listen, to the others.

'Carry me away from this dark and lonely room
Light me in your arms - all I want to know is you
Chase away the darkness with everything you are
I will find my strength in the beat of your heart'

This voice, this feeling, hmm.... There's some chemistry here. Hers is not an ordinary voice, it's different from all other voices in this album, thought I. Who's it?

Westenra, Hayley.

That was how I first met Hayley. But I still haven't developed a real cult of her at that time.

Then it was 2005 and my family were having a day off and we went out. When we were about to leave for home we visited a CD shop. That time You're Beautiful was the hit song, I liked it the first time I heard it in my dad's car. I saw Back to Bedlam there. It was not too expensive and I had the intention to buy it.

But next to it was another album. The cover stood a lady nicely dressed up and behind her was a blue sky and it looked like she was situated somewhere in a moor. This picture was far more attractive than Blunt's Back to Bedlam.

So in my heart it was decided I would buy an album, but would it be this or that? You're Beautiful was one that I liked a lot and I had all the reasons in the world not to buy the album of a lady whom I merely knew.

But life was unpredictable, or you can say it would be man's nature to like to see beautiful girls, and I finally picked up Odyssey.

This eventually established Hayley's position in every music playlist and each music player I ever owned.

[grant]

Hello Tinmeigut

I loved your story about your introduction to Hayley. It just goes to show the significance an album cover can have to an 'undecided' purchaser.

Best wishes
Grant

[grant]

I suspect my discovery of Hayley was very similar to many of us here. I had never been a great CD collector, but always played music in the car.

My CD Collection at that time comprised mostly sound tracks; John Denver and a selection of folk singers and there were always a few of each in my cars CD player. I also listened to Classic FM on the radio in the car.

I have tried hard to recall exactly when, but I kept hearing these two unusual songs played that were sung by a girl with a rather special voice. I had no idea what the songs were about, they were in a foreign language, neither did I catch the name of the singer!

As luck would have it, I found myself stuck in slow moving traffic one day when the presenter played one of these 'foreign' songs which I finally discovered was "Hine e Hine" sung by Hayley Westenra. I drove home reciting "Hayley Westenra, Hayley Westenra, Hayley W...... to myself. At the time I was just happy to have that knowledge, but I began to tell my friends about this girl with a remarkable voice.

Sometime later, one of those friends announced that he had seen a CD by this 'Hayley Westenra' and would I like him to get it from the library for me to listen to? I would, and he did.

Needless to say, I loved every track and went and purchased myself a copy which, by this time, was the double CD Special Edition of 'Pure'. Once again, I was content to have the CD, probably because I had no reason to believe that 'Hayley's World' was any more than that!

What really set me off 'big time' happened one day when I was out and about with the same friend who had told me about 'Pure' and he just came out with something like "That girl you like sounds like a bit of a one hit wonder!" The timing of that comment couldn't have been more perfect.

On my way home, I decided I would look Hayley up on the internet to see what I could find and I found her official site. I only had 'dial-up' at that time (August 2005) and didn't use the internet very much at all, but on this occasion, I discovered a new album called 'Odyssey' about to be released in Australia and New Zealand and ordered myself a copy from HMV in Sydney. Even before that arrived, a concert in aid of UNICEF had been announced on the official site, but by the time of the concert, I realised that I was well and truly hooked!

If you haven't already done so, you can find out 'what happened next' in the "Memories Of Meeting Hayley" thread.

Best wishes
Grant

[Tin]

Probably if we gather all the stories of how we came across Hayley, we can make a little book; each story is so different and so interesting.

[milewalker]

Thanks for the interesting anecdotes guys, keep 'em coming.

Unfortunately, the details of my own experience are not nearly so dramatic. The release of "Hayley Westenra" was mentioned on the Charlotte Church forum I was active in - and as it happened, there was at least one Charlotte fan who was also a New Zealander. He featured two complete songs of the CD online, as I recall, they were "Pie Jesu", "Memory", along with several other samples. I recall thinking that Hayley's "Pie Jesu" was not in the same league as Charlotte's (she would later do a live version of this song that is probably better than anyone's), but I liked "Memory" and some of the other samples enough to buy the album. When I actually got to listen to the entire CD, I felt that it ranged from adequate to extraordinary depending on the song. "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Love Changes Everything" alone made up for the price of admission. In closing, I will merely note that by this point I was a "fan" to the extent that I intended to follow her career, but frankly there was still more potential there than polish....

Jon

[Tin]

Even thought of having a music career? You're really beostted!

[milewalker]

Hi Timmeigut,

I am not sure how to respond to that because I dont entirely understand the question

Jon

[fusilier23]

I'll freely admit, I was a CC fan who heard about Hayley through one of CC's sites, which was once my internet home base. I thought Hayley was unattainable because of distance, but then she came to the US in the summer of 2004, I saw her, met her, and have stuck by her since.

[stevemacdonald]

Jon, this thread does bring back recurring deja vu each and every time I re-visit it!

I seem to recall again a previous one of this type before: Click here!

[milewalker]

Heh

I had a hunch there might be Steve - but it was shall we say, before my time

Jon

[gerrit]

For me, the discovery of Hayley happened almost casually. I got invited by Keith and Simon (R.I.P.) to participate in their first efforts to publicise Hayley on the web.

Then Belinda invited me to become co-owner of the MSN Group dedicated to Hayley and Russell - and the rest happened automatically .....

Gerrit

[roger]

My discovery of Hayley was exciting but the means by which it happened wasn't! I happened to hear her on the radio, listened closely for the details from the presenter and immediately rushed out to buy Pure.

My involvement with HWI began by leaving a note on the Guestbook (which no longer exists)... and look where that got me!

Roger

[martindn]

I think my discovery of Hayley was probably the most dramatic possible. A friend with whom we often go to concerts had heard of a new singer called Katherine Jenkins. Katherine had yet to release her first record, but my friend had heard good things about her, and also that he was appearing at a concert in Northampton with Hayley Westenra. I had heard of Hayley, but had never really listened to her properly, even though my wife had a copy of Pure. My friend asked if we wanted to go along we them, and we did.
The night, in March as a remember, was windy, and later on it snowed, but we arrived in time.

At the start of the concert, Hayley walked onto the stage, just an ordinary little teenage girl I thought. Then she started to sing, and I was totally Hayleywowed. I think it is the standard reaction, first you doubt you own ears, then the mouth drops open, then the eyes water. At the end of Pokarekre Ana, I managed to recover the power of speech enough to say to my wife something like "That was just about the most beautiful thing I have ever heard". And to be honest, we have heard a lot of very good singers in our time. I don't think any of them impressed me as much as Hayley.

Later we were introduced to Katherine, who I a;so enjoyed immensely, and to Sophie and Isaac too. The whole concert was terrific, one of the most enjoyable I have ever been to, and I have followed Hayley's career ever since.

After the concert I came out raving about Hayley, not Katherine (I think I said something like "Katherine must be good, she didn't sound out of place duetting with Hayley"). After that, I actually found the Pure CD disappointing, mainly because I didn't think, and still don't, that it captures her voice in its full glory (perhaps there is too much reverb) But it served as a reminder of a wonderful magical concert. I think a lot of her later recordings are much better in that respect.

I think that discovering Hayley at a live performance is the best possible way, even though there are now many excellent recordings available.

Martin