What songs do you want/think are on her new album?

[milewalker]

Just to clarify one point, in this instance, as in much of what I post, I am intentionally trying to distance myself from my fandom or personal preference in order to suggest what I honestly believe to be better overall for Hayley.

The problem is that I think the temptation to view something like this issue through the rose colored glasses of a fan is almost irresistable. There is also a human tendancy to overgeneralize from our own personal likes and dislikes, which may after all be very different from other people. I loved her version of Danny Boy, Grant, and on that basis I was glad to hear it, but I dont think it contributed to the overall reception of Treasure at all - and in fact the inclusion of that song may have actually detracted somewhat from it.

The fact that people on this forum prefer the version of a song by Hayley over other artists is completely understandable and also unsurprising - but unfortunately means next to nothing in the overall market. The vast majority of people who buy any album are not core fans. For different reasons, the other singers I mentioned (and one might also include Sissel in this) vastly outsold Hayley through their first three albums. Therefore I have difficulty accepting the concept that Hayley's performance of those songs is intrinsically[/b] better than the others once the rose colored glasses of fandom are removed even though more often than not, my own personal taste lies that way as well.

Jon

[Stephany]

Hello Dave,

Thank you for your very interesting comments. As usual

dave said:

...this would bring might even outweigh the disadvantage of not being in the classical charts - and it might lead to increased sales, you never know.

Katherine's latest CD is not qualified for the classical charts - but does this really make a difference, I wonder? For a direct customer, it doesn't really change a thing considering that her album can still be found in the classical music category.

Then how could it be an advantage - or a disadvantage for that matter - of not being in the classical charts?

Cheers,
Stephany

[milewalker]

stephany said:

Hello Dave,

Thank you for your very interesting comments. As usual

dave said:

...this would bring might even outweigh the disadvantage of not being in the classical charts - and it might lead to increased sales, you never know.

Katherine's latest CD is not qualified for the classical charts - but does this really make a difference, I wonder? For a direct customer, it doesn't really change a thing considering that her album can still be found in the classical music category.

Then how could it be an advantage - or a disadvantage for that matter - of not being in the classical charts?

Cheers,
Stephany

It is often a matter of how much attention the album receives I think. Being number 1 - even in a niche market like "classical" or "classical crossover" will generate a certain amount of buzz simply because you are leading the pack. There is also an important demographic which might find the CD only because it has the classical appellation.

At the same time, and I think this may be more true in the US than the UK, there is also a stigma attached to the "classical" label. Compared to pop it is decidedly uncool - at least among the people from say 14-25 who buy the most records overall.

In classical music Hayley is a pretty big fish in a small pond. In pop music, she is a guppy with pretense On the other hand, the ceiling is much higher in pop.

Jon

[Stephany]

Very interesting - thank you very much, Jon.

To answer the question of this topic, I'm not too sure what to expect of this new album but it looks as though the Shepherds Bush concert really broadened Hayley's perspective. Working again with Dave Dobbyn on the New Zealand tour will certainly help her to try out new things. I remember how she said that she had wanted to sing 'I Hope I Never' for quite a while. I guess I wouldn't be surprised if she decided to record it.

I'd love to hear more songs of her composition. Not necessarily featuring a big orchestra - just with a piano, like on 'Sonny', would be really cool. Also, a song in Maori would be very much appreciated. She also loves singing in different languages - mostly in German, Italian and Japanese - and I would love it if she could try out something in French. But that's more a personal wish

Stephany

[jimg]

Today at 2.40 Stephany wrote

I remember Will (Martin) telling me that for his debut album, UCJ was adamant about including 'classics' that everyone knows because people are more inclined to buy songs they know by new artists rather than new songs by new artists (too risky!).

Stephany and Dave

Whilst I can understand the record company's thinking I do not believe it is true just safe. Hayley's Pure is, I think, a good example of the opposite. I and, I believe, many others bought Pure on the strength of seeing/hearing the TV add. An advert based around Pokarekare Ana. This was a song I had not heard before by a singer I had not heard before. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and still does now especially when live.

Hayley's sound when singing this is, to my mind, unique. I have now heard three other versions of Pokarekare Ana but none measure up. In the same way although I love Hayley's version of Wuthering Heights it will always belong to Kate Bush.
Covers of good songs will allways be mainly be associated with the likes of Enya and Joni Mitchel. I do think they have a place within an album just not as the lead songs. Maybe something by Judith Durham or Karen Carpenter would suit this part.

As Dave says 'Clasical' songs have been covered by so many artists it is not possible to make one your own. Again they have their place but I doubt they alone will sell an album.

I therefore believe that if Hayley is to repeat the kind of sales she achieved for Pure she will need two or three really powerfull songs preferably new so that whoever sings them afterwards people will think "Oh I prefer the original by Hayley Westenra". The trick will be finding/writing them.

Jim

[Dave]

milewalker said:

stephany said:

Hello Dave,
Thank you for your very interesting comments. As usual
Katherine's latest CD is not qualified for the classical charts - but does this really make a difference, I wonder? For a direct customer, it doesn't really change a thing considering that her album can still be found in the classical music category.
Then how could it be an advantage - or a disadvantage for that matter - of not being in the classical charts?

It is often a matter of how much attention the album receives I think. Being number 1 - even in a niche market like "classical" or "classical crossover" will generate a certain amount of buzz simply because you are leading the pack. There is also an important demographic which might find the CD only because it has the classical appellation.
At the same time, and I think this may be more true in the US than the UK, there is also a stigma attached to the "classical" label. Compared to pop it is decidedly uncool - at least among the people from say 14-25 who buy the most records overall.
In classical music Hayley is a pretty big fish in a small pond. In pop music, she is a guppy with pretense On the other hand, the ceiling is much higher in pop.

Thanks Jon, that's a good explanation of what I meant.

I'll add just a couple of things to it: if Hayley's albums stopped qualifying for the UK classical charts, she would lose some of - perhaps most of - the airplay she presently gets from Classic FM. Classic FM is the biggest independent radio station in the UK - but even so it only reaches about 5% of the UK population evey week. That's important though, in Hayley's 'niche' market, so there would have to be very good reasons for dropping the official 'classical' label. Running out of suitable 'classical' material - or wanting to include more 'original' or 'originally pop' songs might be good reasons to risk it.

Regarding the US market Jon, I agree with you in general but it's ironic that a classical crossover singer (OK not 'classical') - Josh "You Raise Me Up' Groban has just started his third week on top of the Billboard 200, tying with Elvis Presley for the longest ever run at the top with a Christmas Album! Noel has now sold over 2 million copies and is already the 3rd best selling album in the US this year. Billboard say it will probably end up as the biggest selling album of the year.

If that's uncool, I bet Hayley would like some! The question is of course, how to tap into the available market better... which may lead us back to the thread title or specifically, which songs?

Here's one from me:

Angel (originally by Sarah McLachlan) if Hayley is able to put the right kind of emotion into it (and she'd need to put her own stamp on it).

Cheers, Dave

[Stephany]

Hello again Dave,

Thank you very much for the additional details. Josh Groban is without a doubt a highly successful classical crossover artist but it seems quite surreal to reach the level of CD sales he currently has. Even for Hayley. I had no idea he was that successful. Or maybe it's simply the scale of the US market which makes all the difference?

dave said:

Here's one from me:

Angel (originally by Sarah McLachlan) if Hayley is able to put the right kind of emotion into it (and she'd need to put her own stamp on it).

I like your suggestion, Dave. It's a gorgeous song with very poignant lyrics...but a tough one if you don't have the right emotion. Hayley would have to put her heart and soul while singing it.

Stephany

[milewalker]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the added information. I think that there are a couple of reasons why Groban has broken through where mere mortals fear to tread, and that this might serve as an interesting topic in its own right - but it is probably too far off topic even for me

Jon

[howard]

Hi Everyone!

This is going to sound crazy....but, I would like to see Hayley but out 2 albums at a time.
I mean she puts out about 6 of the same albums for different countries with some different songs & bonuses.

Instead of doing that, put out 1 classical album & 1 cover album & maybe even 1 opera album (that she is thinking about trying out), and that would be available to ALL countries, not bonuses or anything like that, but it all will be the same for everyone.

I mean putting out different versions of the same album makes it hard for her fans to get all that she is doing .... sorry if I sound greedy but I want everything that Hayley does.

And as I mentioned before I would not want repeats that have all ready been on previous albums, I would like to hear Hayley sing as many different songs as possible.

Best to All,
Howard

[stevemacdonald]

I trust that Hayley's next album will be all things to all people. Some will obtain it as a collection of songs on a CD; some will download only the tunes they want; most will be offered a version tailored to their region's taste.

For her next album to succeed it will need to have duets will better-known singers and some daring original material, perhaps in the form of a country song that pairs her up with NZ-born Keith Urban.

It's time to think outside the box.

As to Jon's interesting comment about her being a big fish in a small {classical) pond, have you ever tried to buy a classical CD at Borders or Barnes? There are numerous sub-categories, including solo instrumental, chamber, orchestral, choral, solo vocal, opera, re-mastered/re-issued golden oldies, etc. The sheer number of CDs loosely organised by sub-genre is staggering and the shuffling effect by customers makes it hard to locate what you want even if you know exactly where to look. Fortunately, Hayley's CDs are in the Pop-Standards (Streisand, Manilow, Sinatra) section wher her name is currently spelt "Haley Westerna" on the divider.

[Richard]

Hello everybody!

I'm going to leave the choice of songs to Hayley, because then I know I will enjoy her next album.

Congratulations on your 4,000th post, Stephany! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Best Wishes,

Richard

[roger]

stevemacdonald said:

...most will be offered a version tailored to their region's taste.

Quite. That is why there are so many version of the ixisting albums around the world.

stevemacdonald said:

For her next album to succeed it will need to have duets will better-known singers...

Speaking for myself, I hope it doesn't. I want to hear Hayley; not other singers. I have never felt entirely comfortable with the duets that appear on Odyssey and Treasure. There is nothing wrong with them but to hear another voice, especially so early in the tracklisting, seems like an intrusion. The only totally acceptable duet for me would be with Sophie. I also don't think the inclusion of a duet with a well-known singer would make a significant difference to the sales. If the next album includes a duet with Andrea Bocelli, for example (and I am not trying to start a rumour here!), I doubt if his fans would rush out and buy it in huge numbers. They are more likely to download that one track. I didn't buy Helmut Lotti's album - I downloaded 'Sparkle'.

Roger

Roger

[Jeff]

I agree about duets, Roger. I too don't like "sharing" Hayley with anyone else ! (except HWI members, of course !) I do think a duet of "Greensleeves" with Sophie would be very special. Remember Isaac and Sophie singing it on the "Pure Tour ?"

[roger]

Yes, I do, Jeff. Fabulous. I also remember Hayley and Sophie's duet of 'Panis Angelicus' on the same tour. How about that for the next album?

Roger

[Jeff]

Yes, the new album is filling up nicely !!