Post by kcuteus1 on Sept 9, 2005 2:00:31 GMT
Here is a long interview.
www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Features/20050908164218/Article/indexb_html
An angel in Middle Earth
FARIDUL ANWAR FARINORDIN
SEPT 9:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With her ethereal voice, Hayley Westernra seems so much a part of The Lord of the Rings trilogy that Middle Earth would sound empty without her. FARIDUL ANWAR FARINORDIN talks to this best-selling artiste.
IF elf king Lord Elrond from The Lord of the Rings trilogy had a female singer in his enchanted kingdom of Rivendell, she would possess Hayley Westernra’s magical voice.
It was her angelic voice and ethereal-sounding falsetto range that prompted music composer Howard Shore to feature her in The Lord of the Rings Symphony: Six Movements for Orchestra and Chorus’ concert series in the United States and Canada last year.
Yes, she sang the part of Lord Elrond’s daughter, Evenstar, for the song of the same name (originally recorded by soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian in the award-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers), as well as other solo parts.
The 18-year-old is now the biggest-selling artiste in Middle Earth, er, I mean New Zealand. With her debut album Pure (2003), she became the fastest-selling classical artiste in Britain of all time.
She was in Singapore recently to promote her second album Odyssey (distributed by Universal Music). Prior to this, she was in Los Angeles to record the theme song for an upcoming "history-based adventure" Hollywood movie.
"Sorry, it’s a top-secret thing," she apologised.
Question: What are the differences between Pure and Odyssey?
Westernra: I am a lot more involved in the making of the album, especially the recording process. I selected the songs and was involved in the songwriting and music arrangement.
The experience brought me a lot closer to this album. It’s a true representation of myself as opposed to Pure which was recorded when I was much younger. Now, I have matured. This album really shows all my (artistic) sides. It’s very personal.
Q: You wrote only one song in Odyssey...
Westernra: It is something that I’m just getting more involved in. I actually wrote a number of songs but they didn’t make it to this album. Hopefully, they will be in the next one. I would have loved to write and record more but the recording was slotted in-between tours. I didn’t have as much time as I liked to do them.
Q: Was it a difficult process emotionally?
Westernra: It depends. Sometimes it’s hard and other times they came out easily. The song that made it to the album was particularly easy to do. Other times, it was a struggle to develop the initial song idea. Just getting to that finished state was quite a mission.
One tricky aspect is pouring your heart out. You want to be honest and true to your feelings. At the same time you don’t want to give everything away. You’re wary about it and go "oh gosh, is this too much?"
At the same time, writing songs is quite liberating, like writing a diary. You see things in a different perspective.
Q: With Odyssey, are you trying to broaden your appeal?
Westernra: Not really. I just want to be true to myself. I chose songs I believed in, those I could connect to, regardless of what style they were. You shouldn’t restrict your music (to one genre) anyway.
I chose songs that I like and made them my own. My style of music has always been hard to pigeonhole. It has never been strictly classical. I call it classical crossover, as it contains elements of pop.
When I took singing lessons, I learned some songs in the classical repertoire. However, I didn’t really have a strict classical training. I would like to take more lessons — I have a great teacher in London — but it’s hard because I do a lot of travelling.
Q: Will you eventually sing in operas?
Westernra: It’s hard to know whether I would go into the classical repertoire more seriously in the future. I am very happy where I am, discovering and experimenting new things.
It’s too soon to stick to one musical style. Maybe I will do that in a few years’ time. I am a lyric soprano (a female voice category that is light and colourful) and there are beautiful opera arias out there that I’d love to sing one day — The Flower Duet (from Delibes’ opera Lakme) is one of them (she hums the tune).
I also enjoy watching operas when I have the time. My favourite is Puccini’s La Boheme — I sang in the children’s choir for a New Zealand production when I was a child.
Another opera I love is Puccini’s Madame Butterfly — tragic but wonderful. I am also interested in musical theatres. My all-time favourite musical is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music.
I hope to be able to play Maria one day, maybe in a West End production. I miss the variety of musicals and the opportunity to express myself on stage as a performer.
The first musical production I starred in was Annie, where I played one of the orphans holding a dead mouse. So I may consider musicals as one of my options too — I don’t know.
Q: You have performed with a number of opera artistes including bass-baritone Bryn Terfel and tenors Jose Carreras and Andrea Bocelli, to name a few. How’s the experience?
Westernra: Terfel has a very lush tone to his voice and it was a pleasure singing with him. Carreras has a softer tone to his voice and a lovely person to sing with. I performed with him a number of times.
However, I consider my performance with Bocelli (for his New Zealand tour) as the highlight of my career so far. We sang the duet song Time To Say Goodbye (originally recorded by the tenor and Sarah Brightman).
I bought his album when I was 11 and I really look up to him. It was such a thrill. I am so honoured when he agreed to record a duet song, Dell'Amore Non Si Sa for Odyssey.
Q: As a celebrity, what gives you the most satisfaction?
Westernra: When my role as a celebrity can be used to make a difference in the world. I was recently appointed Unicef (United Nations Children’s Education Fund) Goodwill Ambassador and this is a role that I take very seriously.
I feel very fulfilled as a person and an artiste when I can raise people’s awareness and highlight certain issues concerning children’s welfare.
I just got back from a trip to Ghana, my first field trip as an ambassador.
Anyone who had gone on this trip would return a different person. The experience was really humbling. It opened my eyes about life and taught me so many things.
Q: Your first album was recorded when you were 12 and now you are 18. What have you learnt the most over the last six years?
Westernra: Trust your instincts and follow your heart. It’s important to stay true to yourself. You listen to people’s advice but essentially listen to your gut feelings. It is also important to make an informed decision.
I also learnt to judge people because not all of them are honest and real. But I am not complaining. I am thankful to be surrounded by family who keeps me grounded and friends who are supportive of my career. But I only get back home twice a year, so I really have to be independent.
Q: There’s a cover of Joni Mitchell’s song, Both Sides Now, in Odyssey. Are you a fan?
Westernra: I only discovered her music a couple of years ago and since then, I became a huge fan. What attracted me to Joni’s songs are mainly the lyrics — they have a certain magical quality and are very poetic. She wrote so many great songs but that particular one, Both Sides Now, really stood out for me.
www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Features/20050908164218/Article/indexb_html
An angel in Middle Earth
FARIDUL ANWAR FARINORDIN
SEPT 9:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With her ethereal voice, Hayley Westernra seems so much a part of The Lord of the Rings trilogy that Middle Earth would sound empty without her. FARIDUL ANWAR FARINORDIN talks to this best-selling artiste.
IF elf king Lord Elrond from The Lord of the Rings trilogy had a female singer in his enchanted kingdom of Rivendell, she would possess Hayley Westernra’s magical voice.
It was her angelic voice and ethereal-sounding falsetto range that prompted music composer Howard Shore to feature her in The Lord of the Rings Symphony: Six Movements for Orchestra and Chorus’ concert series in the United States and Canada last year.
Yes, she sang the part of Lord Elrond’s daughter, Evenstar, for the song of the same name (originally recorded by soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian in the award-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers), as well as other solo parts.
The 18-year-old is now the biggest-selling artiste in Middle Earth, er, I mean New Zealand. With her debut album Pure (2003), she became the fastest-selling classical artiste in Britain of all time.
She was in Singapore recently to promote her second album Odyssey (distributed by Universal Music). Prior to this, she was in Los Angeles to record the theme song for an upcoming "history-based adventure" Hollywood movie.
"Sorry, it’s a top-secret thing," she apologised.
Question: What are the differences between Pure and Odyssey?
Westernra: I am a lot more involved in the making of the album, especially the recording process. I selected the songs and was involved in the songwriting and music arrangement.
The experience brought me a lot closer to this album. It’s a true representation of myself as opposed to Pure which was recorded when I was much younger. Now, I have matured. This album really shows all my (artistic) sides. It’s very personal.
Q: You wrote only one song in Odyssey...
Westernra: It is something that I’m just getting more involved in. I actually wrote a number of songs but they didn’t make it to this album. Hopefully, they will be in the next one. I would have loved to write and record more but the recording was slotted in-between tours. I didn’t have as much time as I liked to do them.
Q: Was it a difficult process emotionally?
Westernra: It depends. Sometimes it’s hard and other times they came out easily. The song that made it to the album was particularly easy to do. Other times, it was a struggle to develop the initial song idea. Just getting to that finished state was quite a mission.
One tricky aspect is pouring your heart out. You want to be honest and true to your feelings. At the same time you don’t want to give everything away. You’re wary about it and go "oh gosh, is this too much?"
At the same time, writing songs is quite liberating, like writing a diary. You see things in a different perspective.
Q: With Odyssey, are you trying to broaden your appeal?
Westernra: Not really. I just want to be true to myself. I chose songs I believed in, those I could connect to, regardless of what style they were. You shouldn’t restrict your music (to one genre) anyway.
I chose songs that I like and made them my own. My style of music has always been hard to pigeonhole. It has never been strictly classical. I call it classical crossover, as it contains elements of pop.
When I took singing lessons, I learned some songs in the classical repertoire. However, I didn’t really have a strict classical training. I would like to take more lessons — I have a great teacher in London — but it’s hard because I do a lot of travelling.
Q: Will you eventually sing in operas?
Westernra: It’s hard to know whether I would go into the classical repertoire more seriously in the future. I am very happy where I am, discovering and experimenting new things.
It’s too soon to stick to one musical style. Maybe I will do that in a few years’ time. I am a lyric soprano (a female voice category that is light and colourful) and there are beautiful opera arias out there that I’d love to sing one day — The Flower Duet (from Delibes’ opera Lakme) is one of them (she hums the tune).
I also enjoy watching operas when I have the time. My favourite is Puccini’s La Boheme — I sang in the children’s choir for a New Zealand production when I was a child.
Another opera I love is Puccini’s Madame Butterfly — tragic but wonderful. I am also interested in musical theatres. My all-time favourite musical is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music.
I hope to be able to play Maria one day, maybe in a West End production. I miss the variety of musicals and the opportunity to express myself on stage as a performer.
The first musical production I starred in was Annie, where I played one of the orphans holding a dead mouse. So I may consider musicals as one of my options too — I don’t know.
Q: You have performed with a number of opera artistes including bass-baritone Bryn Terfel and tenors Jose Carreras and Andrea Bocelli, to name a few. How’s the experience?
Westernra: Terfel has a very lush tone to his voice and it was a pleasure singing with him. Carreras has a softer tone to his voice and a lovely person to sing with. I performed with him a number of times.
However, I consider my performance with Bocelli (for his New Zealand tour) as the highlight of my career so far. We sang the duet song Time To Say Goodbye (originally recorded by the tenor and Sarah Brightman).
I bought his album when I was 11 and I really look up to him. It was such a thrill. I am so honoured when he agreed to record a duet song, Dell'Amore Non Si Sa for Odyssey.
Q: As a celebrity, what gives you the most satisfaction?
Westernra: When my role as a celebrity can be used to make a difference in the world. I was recently appointed Unicef (United Nations Children’s Education Fund) Goodwill Ambassador and this is a role that I take very seriously.
I feel very fulfilled as a person and an artiste when I can raise people’s awareness and highlight certain issues concerning children’s welfare.
I just got back from a trip to Ghana, my first field trip as an ambassador.
Anyone who had gone on this trip would return a different person. The experience was really humbling. It opened my eyes about life and taught me so many things.
Q: Your first album was recorded when you were 12 and now you are 18. What have you learnt the most over the last six years?
Westernra: Trust your instincts and follow your heart. It’s important to stay true to yourself. You listen to people’s advice but essentially listen to your gut feelings. It is also important to make an informed decision.
I also learnt to judge people because not all of them are honest and real. But I am not complaining. I am thankful to be surrounded by family who keeps me grounded and friends who are supportive of my career. But I only get back home twice a year, so I really have to be independent.
Q: There’s a cover of Joni Mitchell’s song, Both Sides Now, in Odyssey. Are you a fan?
Westernra: I only discovered her music a couple of years ago and since then, I became a huge fan. What attracted me to Joni’s songs are mainly the lyrics — they have a certain magical quality and are very poetic. She wrote so many great songs but that particular one, Both Sides Now, really stood out for me.
