Time for Hayley to be just "Hayley" on albums?

[Dave]

Hello everyone!

With the release of Hayley's latest album now upon us, and the similarity in pre-order popularity between the new Faryl and Hayley albums in the UK, same release date, recent appearances together, it set me thinking... should her albums now be promoted as "Hayley"? As in Japan?

I *think* she's the most well known singer called Hayley (corrections welcome!) and I think it *might* enhance her album covers... take a look at the Faryl and Hayley album covers:

Which do we think is the most eye-catching cover, and what part does the way the name is presented play in that? Could either be improved simply by changing the way the name is presented?

My thoughts are that it's time for Hayley to be promoted as Hayley, at least on her album covers... and not only in Japan. But I may be completely wrong and if anyone can persuade me that I am, I will eat humble pie!

Dave

[Jillian]

Hi,

I quite like the 'Hayley Westenra' package though -- mainly because 'Westenra' is such a striking surname -- especially with its fictional associations.

[stevemacdonald]

Why stop at albums? She could be "Hayley" across the board. (See my fourth suggestion from two and a half years ago here.)

[chantelle]

(It seems I only log in to make the most random comments... sorry! haha)

I would suspect that a far more common "Hayley" here in the States would be Hayley Williams of Paramore... (I don't even listen to the band, and I've heard of them, so that gives you an idea of their popularity) so I guess it depends on what country you're expecting her to be dominant in!

Also, although a Google search of "Hayley" does bring up Hayley Westenra in the first few results, I personally find it rather annoying when a singer goes by a "generic" name which usually results in much wasted time wading through non-matches before I find the singer I was looking for. (Didn't Nicole make a similar remark about Raven a while back?)
At least Faryl has a fairly unusual first name, so she doesn't need the added "distinction" of a surname.

I say keep the Westenra. It's not like there aren't successful singers with even more difficult names to pronounce! Chantal Kreviazuk comes to mind...

[Libby]

Faryl's cover is pretty, but the name partly gets lost in all the fancy stuff, and against her arm, so I wouldn't say that it stands out that much more than Hayley's. With Hayley's cover, the thing that is most prominent is her face, which is the way it should be. Her name and title of the album are neatly placed next to her, and I think it's just fine.
I don't think "Westenra" should ever be removed from the front of her albums, because I love the way it looks. It's just a nice name to look at. It's not that hard to pronounce, either. I wouldn't like to hear her being announced as just Hayley, at least not most of the time. I always like to hear her being announced triumphantly as "Hayley WESTenra!"

Hayley is the only famous person I've ever spoken of without using her whole name. For example, I rarely refer to Josh Groban as just "Josh", but I nearly always just say "Hayley".
Oh, well I do refer to my favorite ice-dancing pair (Meryl Davis & Charlie White) by just their first names, but that's because it takes too long to say both of their full names together. So I just say Meryl & Charlie. It's very likely they will win a medal at the Winter Olympics!

Hey, Meryl is kind of like Faryl...

Oops, getting off-topic.

[Joe]

Hi Dave,

The most-eye catching CD cover belongs to Faryl, however the eye wrongly catches and tries to make sense of the CD edges.

The artists' name is the true selling point. 'Wonderland' might be an advert for Faryl National Park

Hayley's CD is much clearer, containing a distinct, full name and an intent purpose.

Cheers,
Joe

[Belinda]

Hi

When i eventually found the 2 copies of Hayleys album in Marbecks

I thought the cover looked very washed out and did not jump out at me

Sorry but thats what i thought when i saw it

The Music on the other hand and the picture of Hayley are Awesome
but the background lets it down alot,

[Richard]

Hello folks!

I vote for Hayley to keep her full name. Don't forget she's proud of her family roots, which would be lost if she dropped the Westenra. If her surname was less unusual it might be another story.

Thanks for your support, Jillian. I'll wear it with pride!

Richard

[postscript]

I think it requires very careful thought, as once done they cannot really go back but I think you have a very serious point, Dave.

However, 'Faryl' is unique, in name and in who she is, whereas many in the age group Hayley attracts are automatically aware of two Hayleys--Mills and Westenra. In that association, Westenra is an interesting and unusual name. With three syllables that trip lightly off the tongue the combination of five syllables is akin to a piano note run.

I think Hayley needs to be promoted as 'Hayley Westenra' and let colloquialism, rather than statement, abbreviate it to 'Hayley'

Peter S.

[spiderman]

imho, just hayley would loose somewthing in the translation [not just the fictional associations [thanks jillian; i even know a lucy, which makes my office life fun].. westenra as a name has a certain class to it.

i think the reason they loose it in japan i to avoid explaining how an "english" girl has a non english name.

i dont think that saving space is a good enough reason and faryl is a lot more definitive than hayley. imagine dave, if you dropped your surname... and just went around as dave [professionally or otherwize. it wouldnt work for either of you.

the spiderman

[Belinda]

Hayley should definitely keep her surname on her CD's

[grant]

Hello everyone

Personally, I think just "Hayley" is fine for the less formal ocassions, but I think for everything else, she would loose a big part of her identity and would feel she was cutting herself off from her family. It would say to me "Thanks mum and dad but I don't need you now". I think for that reason alone it could never happen.

Simply "Hayley" works well in Japan for whatever reason and I feel it's quite a complement to her that she is referred to in that way, but ......

She is "Westenra" before she is "Hayley" and long may she remain so!

Sorry Dave!

Best wishes
Grant

[Dave]

OK folks, I can see there's a consensus here so there's no point in making the thtread into a poll, the result is known in advance!

Some of you seem not to have noticed that it's only for album cover design that I suggested it... it's even in the thread title! The front cover in fact. I can imagine how much more prominent the name would be on Hayley's new album cover if it didn't have to be squashed in to what is a vast area of open space, using (relatively) small lettering.

Hayley wouldn't be dropping her surname. it's purely a matter of album cover design, to attract the casual buyer, something that is definitely needed this Christmas. In the comparison with Faryl, and their albums could be side by side on the shelves next week (in the UK), it's not Hayley's that stands out in my opinion. But that could be simply a matter of overall cover design rather than the name thereon, I am no expert on this. What I do know that catching the eye, promotion and marketing is very important if a singer is to do as well as he or she can, and in Hayley's case deserves. That's what underlies my suggestion.

But OK, you're a sentimental ol' lot, I should have known!

Cheers, Dave

[Elliot Kane]

In terms of cover design, Faryl wins hands down, of course. The cover may be a bit crowded, but it's also very striking, very eye catching. Hayley's album has a far more minimalist design, which can work if done right, but sadly this just looks kinda boring. I can't see too many people picking it up on the strength of the cover alone (And yes, people do that. At least, I do that. Found some really good artists that way, too).

As for the name, there's one point no-one has covered yet: while Hayley may be the most famous Hayley soloist right now, nothing is to say that will still be true in a year or two. All it takes is for some young up and comer to catch the public eye, as happens so often, and suddenly there is serious confusion.

In Japan it's probably safe as Hayley is a far rarer name, but worldwide Westenra is the rare name, being almost unheard of outside of Dracula. I always used to think Bram Stoker invented it before I heard of Hayley and I'm sure I'm not alone...

[sharon]

I like both covers...

I'm not really a Faryl fan, but it's a lovely cover.

Only I think Hayley wears more appropriate clothing for a Christmas (Winter) CDcover

Not many people dare to walk sleeveless in winter season i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

But ofcourse, many here are biased (me too!), which is logical on a Hayleyforum....

Sharon