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www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/nelsonmail/4797215a19258.htmlSophie stepping out of famous sister's shadow
By Charles Anderson - Nelson | Thursday, 18 December 2008
Nelsonians will soon have the chance to judge for themselves whether the talent behind one of New Zealand's biggest names in entertainment is a family thing.
Sophie Westenra is relieved. The younger sister of New Zealand popera princess Hayley Westenra has just finished her first year of study at the University of Canterbury. The results are out and she did well.
"I'm really happy. It is pretty full on, so it is good to finally know how I went."
All the way through school, Sophie wanted to study medicine. "There was a time when I didn't want to get into singing because of Hayley, but now it's a bit different." Instead, she studied law at university -- she says it's a bit of a fallback, so she wouldn't have to give up music.
Her university schedule meant performing was kept to a minimum during the year, but now it's the holidays and she already has a few gigs booked.
One of these is Saturday night at the Nelson Suburban Club. "I didn't go out searching for them but when people approach you, you just don't say no."
Joining her will be Nelson's Paul Madsen, a finalist in television's Stars in Your Eyes and a recent classical music convert.
"Opera is becoming very popular," Madsen says. "But three years ago, I couldn't stand the stuff -- I thought it was dreary and droney. Then a friend said I should try -- it after that, my opinion changed."
Eighteen-year-old Sophie has specialised in classical music since she began singing as a much younger girl.
"When you are getting taught, all you learn is classical music, and my voice lends itself to that style.
"I don't really have a poppy voice but I think I am probably somewhere in between."
Which is helpful, because the songs the two will perform are somewhere in between Il Divo and Andrea Bocelli.
This is their second collaboration -- the first was at Marlborough's Awatere Valley Festival earlier this year.
"We sung together there and I got on really well with the family, so thought, why not do it again?" Madsen says.
Sophie has also performed a reasonable amount with her famous sister. Two years ago, she joined Hayley on a tour of Britain and Japan, and made guest appearances at two concerts.
"It was really fun, but you also see the other side of it, the really stressful side."
She is more than aware of calls that she might be following in her sister's footsteps.
"Hayley was really young when she started getting serious with her performing. Right now, I want to learn as much as I can. We will just see how it goes; you can't predict these things."
In a nice twist, Hayley makes a cameo appearance on Sophie's latest album, singing in the background on one of the songs.
Madsen is cautious about teaming up with her. "Sophie has a very beautiful voice and I have quite a booming voice, so I have to be careful I don't drown her out."
Sophie's current string of gigs is a holiday job -- during term time, she teaches English to international students. But right now, she is concentrating on the job at hand.
*Sophie Westenra and Paul Madsen, Nelson Suburban Club, Saturday, 8pm; tickets $25.
However, both images originally accounted for nearly 600 KB. 
However, both images originally accounted for nearly 600 KB. 
