Winter Magic - UK & US version

[afaninchicago]

U.S. Amazon is now listing Winter Magic as a U.S. version and not an import.
www.amazon.com/Winter-Magic-Hayley-Westenra/dp/B002PAQETO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1258045904&sr=8-1
Additionally, everyone in the U.S. will consider this her fourth album as it is the fourth one released in the U.S.

[Libby]

Oh, good, thank you. I knew it had to be a mistake, since they were the only ones who were calling it an import. Thank you very much!

Grant, now that we're pretty sure that there's a U.S. release, and of course UK, Japan, Taiwan, NZ versions, I think it's pretty safe to say it's an international release. There'll probably be releases in Australia, Canada, and Europe, too.

Before the album is released, I'm planning to call my local Barnes & Noble, which is nearby my work (and the scary river!), and ask them if they're going to have the album in their store. If not, I'll try to convince them to carry it, and maybe even get them to play it in the store! I know, good luck with that, right? It's a worth a try! If they do get it, I will buy it there. The reason I want them to get it is so people in the store will see it, and maybe hear it (with any luck). Of course, it's on their online store, but most people aren't going to discover it online by accident.

[grant]

Hello everyone

One of our Taiwanese Tweeters has confirmed that Winter Magic will be released in Taiwan on 27th November

Ohiyooo RT @gnak168 "Winter Magic" is REAL available for pre-order now. (TW) tinyurl.com/ye74sp5 -- ha, 11/27 to release, so late!

It has the same track list and catalogue number as the UK release so it will be interesting to see if Linfair Records embelish it in any way. Most of their previous Hayley releases have either been boxed or had extra inserts so this collector will be watching closely! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Best wishes
Grant

[Libby]

Okay, good, so maybe I don't need this one after all. Phew.
Thanks for the info, although I think it fits better in the Japan one, since they're in the same continent. JMO

[Dave]

Nov 3, 2009 18:06:23 GMT Dave said:

The new Decca newsletter for November, just received, doesn't even list Hayley. All their other UK classical crossover releases for this month are listed. You can read the newsletter here: zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/consumer/viewemailcontent.pl?con=1501384&cmp=4317&act=114086&sec=2d99ec06b3f1 Curiouser and curiouser.
Dave

Hello everyone,

All is now well. Decca have just sent out a separate promotional email for UK Winter Magic, you can read it here:

zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/consumer/viewemailcontent.pl?con=1501384&cmp=4579&act=115516&sec=cebbff0cd9bc

There's a preview of Silent Night included (though I can't get it to play, either my firewall blocks it or it's too slow and I won't wait) and with links to some online sellers. Amazon UK has now put back its complete tracklisting with samples. www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002PAQETO/ref=nosim/?tag=deccacouk6703-21

It's good to see some activity behind the scenes!

Dave

[Elliot Kane]

I'm quite annoyed that they've delayed the UK release until Nov 30th. Putting Hayley in direct competition with Faryl is really stupid and will not help either artist. A very bad decision, IMO.

I was loving the release schedule as was, because I had a lot of time to enjoy Hayley before I got Faryl, but with both on the same day neither will get the full attention they deserve.

[milewalker]

Hi Libby

The Barnes and Nobel not too far from my house is actually one of the most consistant stores there is in the St Louis area in terms of always having a complete set of Hayley in inventory -(the three international releases).

[bantiarna]

I just wanted to say that "Winter Magic" is released in Germany on November 27th and seems to have the same tracklisting as the U.S. version.

[afaninchicago]

Amazon.com now has track samples available, which should hopefully make people have to buy it!

[Paddy]

No sign of Ronan on the US version?

Maybe he just can't sing?
.......................... in America.

I liked this introduction to 'Winter Magic', on cduniverse:

A magical collection of Christmas songs from the 22 year old singing phenomenon that is Hayley Westenra. Winter Magic combines some of the best loved and most familiar seasonal carols such as 'Silent Night' and 'Coventry Carol' with popular Christmas songs 'Little Drummer Boy' and 'Sleigh Ride', as well as tracks Hayley has written herself ( Peace Shall Come, All With You and Christmas Morning). The variety of the song choices perfectly showcases the versatility of Hayley's angelic voice and her ability to not only perform in a beautiful, classical way (Corpus Christi Carol) but also in a considerably more 'pop' style (Peace Shall Come). Hayley released her first album 'Pure' at the age of 16 and it was soon on the way to becoming the fastest-selling debut album from a classical artist, and reached the Top 10 of the pop charts in 11 countries. Her albums have sold more than four million copies worldwide to date. 'Pure' was certified by the official UK chart compilers as the best selling classical album of the 21st Century. True to form, Hayley has once again produced an irresistible record which is guaranteed to make everyone's Christmas that little bit more magical.

Paddy

[Jillian]

Hayley got a mention in the Telegraph for Winter Magic.

2009's top classical crossover albums
The key albums by the new generation of classical crossover stars.

By Helen Brown
Published: 5:29PM GMT 18 Nov 2009

Believe
by Katherine Jenkins
Warner

The adorable mezzo-soprano next door first grabbed public attention singing at Westminster cathedral on Pope John Paul II’s silver jubilee, followed by a tour with Aled Jones. She’s been knocking out the records since, selling over 4,000,000 albums. Although she got into a bit of bother for admitting she’d tried drugs as a student, she has Dame Vera Lynn’s blessing to become the new forces sweetheart. New album features her first attempt at classical reggae with Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry”.


Winter Magic
by Hayley Westenra
Decca

She found her voice, aged 6, singing “Little Star” in a school Christmas play and recorded her first song, “Walking in the Air” aged 12. Her first internationally released album “Pure” went to the top of the british classical charts in 2003 when she was just 16. The New Zealander has a sweet, celtic lilt to her wholesome soprano which she sends wassailing through a blend of traditional carols and folk hits like Joni Mitchell’s “River” on this twinkly, seasonal offering.


I Dreamed a Dream
by Susan Boyle
Sony

The 48 year old church volunteer from West Lothian who had never been kissed melted hearts around the world when she poured a lifetime’s yearning into a song from Les Mis on Britain’s got talent. Demi Moore was an early convert and soon that initial TV appearance had been watched over 300 million times.

Her haunting version of the Rolling Stones’ ’Wild Horses’ is currently riding high on radio playlists and her debut album includes a mixture of pop tunes and devotional songs - including a hushed “Silent Night”.


Camilla Kerslake
by Camilla Kerslake
Mercury

Terry Wogan is, predictably, a huge fan of the 21 year old Surrey siren who spent six weeks on the doorstep of Gary Barlow’s studio persuading him to sign her. He says she had “some brilliant and wacky ideas” for songs she wanted to record. He talked her out of the wackier ones to leave us with a “lovely, relaxing, emotional” blend of boundary breaking numbers including Enya’s “How Can I Keep From Singing”, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Pie Jesu and Take That’s Rule The World (Il Mondo e Nostro)


O Fortuna
by Rhydian
Sony

The Bond-villain-blonde contestant from 2007’s X Factor sold 600,000 copies of his debut album and sang “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with Charlotte Church on her 2008 Christmas show. His second album sees him teaming up with opera superstars Bryn Terfel and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and harp virtuoso Catrin Finch. He pays tribute to his Welsh heritage with “Land Of Our Fathers” and “Myfanwy” but drifts into dodgier territory with Mike & The Mechanics’ “The Living Years”.



www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/classicalmusic/6599547/2009s-top-classical-crossover-albums.html

Lovely description of Hayley's vocals.

But I do think they made an error in saying that Katherine Jenkins is the one who had Dame Vera Lynn's backing to be the new Forces Sweetheart -- isn't that Hayley?

[Dave]

Nov 19, 2009 0:13:22 GMT Jillian said:

Hayley got a mention in the Telegraph for Winter Magic.

Lovely description of Hayley's vocals.

But I do think they made an error in saying that Katherine Jenkins is the one who had Dame Vera Lynn's backing to be the new Forces Sweetheart -- isn't that Hayley?

Hi Jillian,

Thanks for posting the article!

I can recall fairly clearly that first, it was Hayley that Dame Vera seems to have said that about but that fairly soon afterwards, Katherine Jenkins got involved and 'claimed' that title after 'A Party To Remember' on VE Day 2005 in Trafalgar Square. Hayley was there and sang a duet with Heather Small, Chattanooga Choo Choo... but Katherine sang (I think) White Cliffs of Dover at the end, and Dame Vera came on stage to thank her. So that's probably when the Katherine thing started, and of course she then over the next few years did some visits to the troops (Basra for example). The media and Katherine or her publicists picked up on the Forces Sweetheart thing but as I said, it was first quoted about Hayley.

Then, when Katherine left her UK record label after last year, Hayley came once again to the fore (and was of course involved in Festival of Remembrance last year too). Decca/Universal seem to have been sponsors of some kind for the Royal British Legion this year, Dame Vera is with them too, Katherine isn't... and Hayley is. It all seems to have fallen (back) into place!

Cheers, Dave

PS If anyone wants to follow this up, we should use the RBL board which is here hwi.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=legion

[stevemacdonald]

Nov 19, 2009 0:13:22 GMT Jillian said:

Hayley got a mention in the Telegraph for Winter Magic.

2009's top classical crossover albums

Winter Magic
by Hayley Westenra
Decca

She found her voice, aged 6, singing “Little Star” in a school Christmas play and recorded her first song, “Walking in the Air” aged 12. Her first internationally released album “Pure” went to the top of the british classical charts in 2003 when she was just 16. The New Zealander has a sweet, celtic lilt to her wholesome soprano which she sends wassailing through a blend of traditional carols and folk hits like Joni Mitchell’s “River” on this twinkly, seasonal offering.

Lovely description of Hayley's vocals. ...

I see it as a little diminishing. Why do they always need to recap her early rise to fame? Or bring up Pure? She doesn't sound like that anymore and is now an adult singer with a grown-up voice and a sophisticated style. I just wish so many pieces about Hayley didn't put the focus on her former precocity.

[Jillian]

I guess it's because Pure has been Hayley's biggest triumph to date. There's pretty good bragging rights associated with what Hayley did with that album, so it makes sense for it to be mentioned.

Of course, Hayley has done a lot between then and now, but it's more been a lot of little things and nothing that sounds as flashy on paper as the success of Pure.

[milewalker]

Hi Steve

Expanding upon what Jillian said above,....

Dave would know better than I, but I suspect that Pure accounts for close to half of Hayley's total career sales globally - and if my understanding is correct a much higher percentage than that within the UK.

For this reason it is hard to do a Hayley write up which doesnt dwell on Pure more than her other work

Jon