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Post by martindn on May 18, 2011 23:29:39 GMT
Yes, Libby, I agree.
If I see a real Hayley album for sale in a store, I will usually buy it even if I already have a copy - just to encourage the stocking od Hayley's CDs. But if there is only one, perhaps I leave it in the hope that someone will see it, buy it and discover Hayley.
Martin D
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Post by Libby on May 19, 2011 5:27:14 GMT
But if you buy the last one, won't that show the store that they need to get more in? If it sells out? I guess it depends on how fast it sells out, though.
Maybe I should buy 5 of them! :rollin
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Post by masterlukezh on Jun 3, 2011 10:16:22 GMT
I ordered and got the CD from Smoke CD's in NZ a few days ago.
I am afraid that I must agree on many points. It is simply hard to hear Hayley sing on much of the album, and I have a personal dislike of "Italian" to begin with. While Hayley does her best with the material (she is ALWAYS flawless, no matter what), it will have virtually no airplay in the USA except maybe on a few classical stations, unless it is SIGNIFCANTLY altered. An artist cannot sustain themselves with such material in this country. Perhaps it is different in Europe, but these songs don't do Hayley any favors and it may be her weakest album ever. She cannot crack the US market with a purely classical album; I would have loved her to do an album of great hymns, or even an upbeat album, but please MOSTLY IN ENGLISH and with a real sound engineer!
Oddly enough though, her two releases in Japan were stellar yet never saw the light of day in the USA. The songs were better produced, mixed and performed. Yes, some of them were in Japanese, but with translations available readily. I just can't get my head into this recording. Oddly enough,it starts out so darned good with Whispers in the Dark (which sounds strangely like Nella Fantasia), then starts singing in Italian...you get the drift? I loved her Japanese albums. I just can't get into this one at all.
Hopefully they will come up with different (better) material for the US release. Otherwise, it's just not going to do very well here!
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Dave
Administrator
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Post by Dave on Jun 3, 2011 13:42:41 GMT
I ordered and got the CD from Smoke CD's in NZ a few days ago. I am afraid that I must agree on many points. It is simply hard to hear Hayley sing on much of the album, and I have a personal dislike of "Italian" to begin with. While Hayley does her best with the material (she is ALWAYS flawless, no matter what)... Hi Masterlukezh, You are entitled to your opinion about that but the album reviews etc. that you seem to be referring to are of course in the main Paradiso thread (or the initial NZ thread) so that's where we should be commenting on those aspects. ...it will have virtually no airplay in the USA except maybe on a few classical stations, unless it is SIGNIFCANTLY altered. An artist cannot sustain themselves with such material in this country. Perhaps it is different in Europe, but these songs don't do Hayley any favors and it may be her weakest album ever. She cannot crack the US market with a purely classical album; I would have loved her to do an album of great hymns, or even an upbeat album, but please MOSTLY IN ENGLISH and with a real sound engineer! Oddly enough though, her two releases in Japan were stellar yet never saw the light of day in the USA. The songs were better produced, mixed and performed. Yes, some of them were in Japanese, but with translations available readily. I just can't get my head into this recording. Oddly enough,it starts out so darned good with Whispers in the Dark (which sounds strangely like Nella Fantasia), then starts singing in Italian...you get the drift? I loved her Japanese albums. I just can't get into this one at all. Hopefully they will come up with different (better) material for the US release. Otherwise, it's just not going to do very well here! Well Hayley and most of her genre get virtually no airplay anywhere so we certainly wouldn't expect any in the US. No harm in trying though! Many members have complained about too many versions of Hayley albums in the past but this one looks like being more or less the same everywhere, so it looks like we are getting what we have been asking for. If it is significantly altered, people will complain again, and I for one hope that doesn't happen. Crack the US market? It depends what you mean by "crack" but she has been in the Billboard 200 at least twice in the past and my guess is that that is the target this time around, too. Just to scrape into the Billboard 200; it is unrealistic to expect anything more, unless she can somehow get onto a major TV show at album-release time. Mostly in English? Well don't forget that there have been quite a few successful classical crossover albums in the recent past with many non-English lyrics, especially Italian - and that Hayley's markets are truly International so singing entirely in English may be much less important for her than for some singers in the US. What you seem to be asking for is an album produced exclusively for the American market - but with no guarantee of success there whatever Hayley does, that just isn't going to happen at the moment. Incidentally, Whispers in a Dream sounds like Nella Fantasia because in both cases the music is Gabriel's Oboe, so with that you got your wish of English lyrics (written by Hayley). Cheers, Dave |
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Post by martindn on Jun 3, 2011 20:58:56 GMT
Well, like you masterlukezh I have always felt that Hayley's Japanese Songs albums should have been released worldwide. We might now be talking of some of the best selling albums of all time if that had happened. I have even said to Hayley's face that she should release them world wide, but she said it was outside her control. Pity.
I agree that worldwide, thoe albums, paricularly the first one, might have done better than Paradiso will. But actually, Paradiso is mostly English too. There are seven songs with English lyrics and only four in Italian. That is far more English than you might expect or get from the likes of Pavarotti, the Three Tenors etc.
Musically Paradiso is first class, easily the best album form that point of view that Hayley has done. I would hope that you are wrong and that enough people will recognise that to make it a success - that's if hey are ever given the chance to hear it by those who think they know better and try to dictate our tastes.
Most new and different things is music have started as being unfashionable, rock for example, and especially progessive stuff that was not much heard until the Beatles leant in that direction.
Hayley has the potential to start new trends simply bacause whatever she sings, a lot of people are blown away by that magnificent voice. That means she will be listened too for that alone. Perhps that is the start, and those people then learn to appreciate the finer points of her music.
Martin D
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Post by Libby on Jun 4, 2011 3:59:34 GMT
In what way is Paradiso Hayley's "weakest" album?!  Certainly you can't mean her voice! It contains some of her loveliest songs! Hayley is very strong as a classical singer. Her voice sounds so beautiful and amazing on this album. I agree there are a few songs that some people might not care for... but it's only a few! The rest of the songs are wonderful. Hayley did this album because Ennio Morricone was interested in doing it. She was only expecting a few songs, but he wanted to do a full album with his music. How could she refuse such an opportunity? It's true that classical crossover singers rarely get radio play, but it doesn't mean they're not popular! Celtic Woman's largest fan base are Americans!! And they sing classical music, in all kinds of languages! And remember Hayley was a part of CW at one point! Josh Groban is hugely popular here, too; he sells out arenas. He's not quite as classical as we was to begin with, but he stil sings in Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, even an African langauge! Does that stop him from having US fans? Absolutely not! If Hayley were to make it onto the radio here, then that means she would have to change her style quite drastically. Because all the radio plays is pop, rap/hip-hop, rock/alternative, and country. With a smattering of jazz and classical (mostly instrumental). Do you really want her to do that? Would you like her better if she started sounding like Lady Gaga or Rihanna... or... God forbid.. Kesha. Uggghhh.  I find your post quite depressing, and threatens to get me all pessimistic about Hayley's future success in this country. But I think you're being a little hard on us Americans. Why do you think we can't handle songs in that aren't in English? Not all of us like only what the mainstream feeds us. Which is mostly garbage. Whispers in the Dark?  Did you make that mistake on purpose? That seems to fit your post itself, though, it's so depressing. Anyway, it's Whispers in A DREAM. |
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Post by scoobedoo on Jun 5, 2011 0:28:27 GMT
Hi Libby,
I wouldn't let just one person's opinion upset you after all it is only one person's comment here.I think with the right publicity and promotions this album should go well.It will be interesting to see how the promotions go when it launches in Australia and the UK later on.
I think the keynote here is the effort in the promotions department,if they have a good plan ready to put in place on the launch date that is what is required.After all Hayley has done all the hard work putting the album together along with her support team.
Hayley having performed recently in the USA should help also I would think.
cheers,
Rodders CH CH NZ
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Post by Libby on Jun 5, 2011 4:12:07 GMT
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Post by martindn on Jun 5, 2011 21:50:11 GMT
Well, I'm not pessimistic either. There will always be some who don't like what you do, whatever it is.
The important thing is that as many people as possible are given the chance to decide whether or not they like it. I think the majoity will, and I don't beleive that Americans are so fundamentally different to eveyone else on the planet that it will be any different there. Good music is universally appreciated with those with the ears to hear it, and I'm sure there are plenty of those in America.
I have tried out Paradiso on quite a few people now, like anyone who ever rides in my car, and I don't know anyone who dislikes it, even those who don't normally like classical music. That isn't to say that they'd buy the album though!
And another thing - how many Americans do you think have seen the films that those melodies were taken from. Quite a lot I suspect. If they enjoyed the film music, they might also enjoy Hayley's vocal versions.
Martin D
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Post by stevemacdonald on Jun 6, 2011 3:55:34 GMT
I'm afraid Master Luke is presenting an inconvenient truth here, and while I hope he's proved wrong, I seriously suspect he's right on the money. Paradiso in its present form hasn't a ghost of a chance of seducing new American listeners, for most of the reasons Luke stated. There truly needs to be a version done with American preferences in mind, lest they sell only to a small niche audience that accepts this style and odd balances.
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mlb
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Post by mlb on Jun 6, 2011 4:29:59 GMT
I'm not really sure what they could do to tweak this album that would result in a significant increase in sales in the US. It kind of is what it is at this point I think. That being said, as an American who listens to a lot of mainstream American music, I have no problem with it at all. I found it to be a very, very pretty album.
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Post by Libby on Jun 6, 2011 5:19:28 GMT
I'm really puzzled by your extremely negative view, Steve. Don't you like the album? You are an American, right? So, what is wrong with Hayley's album? Are the songs not beautiful enough? Are there no Americans who appreciate music? Surely those who study or play music can. I was in choir in school, and I believe that contributed a lot to my current interest in the CC genre. I cannot imagine why anyone wouldn't like the exquisite melodies of Whispers, La Califfa, OUATITW, Cinema Paradiso, Edge of Love, I Knew I Loved You, Malena, etc., with Hayley's beautiful voice.  Anyone who appreciates beautiful music and beautiful voices will like this. And if anybody who starts to listen to it isn't hooked after the first 4 songs... they must be nuts. The same people who wouldn't like Paradiso probably didn't/wouldn't like Pure, Odyssey, or Treasure, either. Of course, Hayley's current US fans love it, because we already love her, and may be somewhat biased. But we were all hooked at some point, and we didn't all necessarily start out as classical crossover fans. We just heard beautiful songs sung by a beautiful singer, and couldn't get enough of it. At least that's my story.  |
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Post by stevemacdonald on Jun 6, 2011 6:03:31 GMT
I'm really puzzled by your extremely negative view, Steve. Don't you like the album? You are an American, right? ... Libby, I'm not negative about the album, just doubtful that it will catch on in the USA in its current form. I don't think the balances are appealing enough to a wider audience. As I said, I hope I'm wrong. I really want Hayley to succeed and I wish the powers that be would do everything necessary to enable that. |
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Post by Richard on Jun 6, 2011 7:13:30 GMT
Hello folks!  I think Hayley's moving performance at the National Memorial Day Concert should boost the US sales of Paradiso, but Decca need to get the promotion right as well. Richard  |
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Post by Simba on Jun 6, 2011 10:08:08 GMT
Most people in general like music that's projected by the media, and artists those who are already popular...they don't care about what music content is there, all they want is, "Is that artist popular? Is that song mega famous?, omg then I should love it!" Hence why every other person likes Gaga, Bieber and junk. So even if Hayley changes her style "Drastically" to attract them, it won't work out, they wouldn't want to listen to a less-popular artist, and not be true to what their heart wants. I'd rather have Hayley do angelic and beautiful music like this that has great acclaim in various parts of the world, and hold up what she stands for, having the Purest voice on earth. But I do completely believe that, when the Pie Jesu melted the hearts of some soulful Americans, Paradiso with good promotion can be a great success everywhere  as Richard said well. Edit by Dave as per pm |
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Certainly you can't mean her voice! It contains some of her loveliest songs!
Did you make that mistake on purpose? That seems to fit your post itself, though, it's so depressing. Anyway, it's Whispers in A DREAM. 
Anyone who appreciates beautiful music and beautiful voices will like this. And if anybody who starts to listen to it isn't hooked after the first 4 songs... they must be nuts. 
as Richard said well.