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Post by Libby on Aug 27, 2013 21:57:47 GMT
That was why I wasn't sure if we really should make a whole thread about this, but since we were talking about it in another thread and going off-topic, we felt a need to put this in its own thread. I doubt that Hayley reads the forum very often. I think I might have heard somewhere once, though, that her family might visit occasionally for stuff about her concerts. But I doubt they'd bother with the miscellaeous board, and I wouldn't blame them.... except didn't they recognize Jillian as the "fashion expert" when she met Hayley in NZ? Hmmm...
Oh well. A singer who can't take criticism, constructive or otherwise, should not be in the business. And despite any minor criticism, she has nothing to be ashamed of, unlike certain horrendous pop stars who are in the news so much these days.
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Post by martindn on Aug 27, 2013 22:22:28 GMT
Yes, Libby, tell me about it! But with Hayley you always feel confident that she won't ever do anything gross or vulgar. You just sense that she has far too much class for that. So you know your are going to be charmed and perhaps wowed by what she does, but never embarrassed for her or disgusted. That is a lovely thing. Hayley and her music are about beauty in the way that I perceive beauty. It feels very personal when you see her perform. It is a wonderful thing.
Martin
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Jillian
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Post by Jillian on Aug 27, 2013 22:37:41 GMT
Though, one thing I wonder now after the release of Hushabye is actually how much of everything is really Hayley's ideas... There's sort of no way of telling.
I worry that if fans never say anything that Decca will think they have free reign just to release anything they want in any shambolic manner that they please.
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Post by grant on Aug 27, 2013 23:05:31 GMT
I worry that if fans never say anything that Decca will think they have free reign just to release anything they want in any shambolic manner that they please. I totally agree Jillian - I'm sure "Hushabye" has been a perfect example of this with the many and varied comments about it. I suspect Hayley may have been prepared for the reaction - she knows her fans pretty well. Not so sure about Decca though. Nor do I see any problem with fans expressing honest and constructive feelings about Hayley's material or techniques but I'm not sure we should be telling her what to do about it as some here seem intent on doing. Best wishes Grant |
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Post by Libby on Aug 28, 2013 3:36:18 GMT
I'm certainly not "intent" on telling Hayley to do anything. I'm only making comments on what she "could" improve on, not on what I think she absolutely has to do. And believe me when I say, I don't think she needs that much improving. They are only minor things, nothing to get upset about.
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Post by Simba on Aug 28, 2013 10:36:44 GMT
I don't think anybody's trying to impose things on hayley or tell her what to do here, the thread from its start has been going in a very gentle tone, which I much appreciate  |
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Post by stevemacdonald on Aug 28, 2013 18:53:55 GMT
... I worry that if fans never say anything that Decca will think they have free reign just to release anything they want in any shambolic manner that they please. It is my belief that Hayley's record label is attempting to reach out far beyond her established fan base so as to attract many new fans who might like the variances in her style and technique. Hayley's recorded voice has been dynamic from the start and has always sounded different from song to song, year to year and album to album. In concert she uses several styles at her disposal to create a unique experience for each song. I think it is a wise business approach to broaden Hayley's appeal by re-imagining her basic vocal energy and delivering a fresh sense of singing to the musical world. Old fans may bristle at the obvious changes and attribute them to hastiness in the production, but I suspect the updates are entirely thoughtful. One thing we long-standing Hayley fans don't fully appreciate is just how urgent it is for her to expand her appeal while she's still in her prime. She has a world-class talent that is vastly under-discovered by the majority of music lovers. If she were to make a serious foray into Rock, Pop or Country she would get on many more listeners' radar. I would enjoy that variety and I dare say, so might Hayley. I know she can switch styles and techniques at he drop of a hat and will always have something to offer the long-standing fans. |
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Post by Libby on Aug 28, 2013 19:13:44 GMT
... I worry that if fans never say anything that Decca will think they have free reign just to release anything they want in any shambolic manner that they please. It is my belief that Hayley's record label is attempting to reach out far beyond her established fan base so as to attract many new fans who might like the variances in her style and technique. Hayley's recorded voice has been dynamic from the start and has always sounded different from song to song, year to year and album to album. In concert she uses several styles at her disposal to create a unique experience for each song. I think it is a wise business approach to broaden Hayley's appeal by re-imagining her basic vocal energy and delivering a fresh sense of singing to the musical world. Old fans may bristle at the obvious changes and attribute them to hastiness in the production, but I suspect the updates are entirely thoughtful. One thing we long-standing Hayley fans don't fully appreciate is just how urgent it is for her to expand her appeal while she's still in her prime. She has a world-class talent that is vastly under-discovered by the majority of music lovers. If she were to make a serious foray into Rock, Pop or Country she would get on many more listeners' radar. I would enjoy that variety and I dare say, so might Hayley. I know she can switch styles and techniques at he drop of a hat and will always have something to offer the long-standing fans. Well, Decca had their chance to reach out to mothers with babies, and all they did was make an offer of free CDs that Hayley had to urge them to enforce. So, for those whose babies were not born the same day as Prince George weren't reached out to very well. The supermarkets were not well-stocked, and the album did not make it to the classical charts. The album was released over a month before the baby was born, and over here, over a month after. And then, Amazon & BN took their good old time to give much info on the album. Even BN still doesn't show the album artwork. I really don't think her label is trying very hard, at least not this time around. For Hayley to pursue rock and country would not do one bit of good, because there are so many rock and country stars out there, and pop, for that matter, that she would not stand out unless a huge effort was made to promote her. And we all know how well she's promoted. I would hate to see her do only one genre anyway, especially rock. If she did country, it would have to be the old-time, folksy country, because that's what suits her, not the tiresome rock-country, or pop-country. I wouldn't mind one or 2 rock songs, as long as they actually suited her, but going to only one genre is not the right thing, unless you consider crossover to be one genre. But, in fact, it's several genres. I don't know about pop, because pop is kind of a broad term. Katy Perry pop? No way! The kind of pop she's already done is good enough. She just needs better promotion, that's all, and her writing her own "pop" songs is probably what would do her the most good. |
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Post by martindn on Aug 28, 2013 20:52:30 GMT
Well said Libby. Country, well that's mostly an American thing isn't it? It doesn't do that well in the UK even, and in places like China and Japan it is nowhere.
Pop, well, it's a broad church. Why not J-Pop? We know she is good at it.
But I think she should forget genres, and I think you do too. Do her own thing. Write her own songs. Forget trying to be classical in the UK. She is outgrowing that. A creative artist can be stifled by only being allowed to sing established classical material.
Her problem in the UK is getting airplay for her music. Radio 2 thinks she is too classical. Classic FM has supported her in the past, but she might now be getting too poppy. What we need is a radio station that will play anything. We don't have one I'm afraid. And I fear that influences what she will be allowed to record.
It is very clear that this UK setup influences what she records. She has tried to overcome it (or at least Decca have) by releasing different versions of her albums in different countries. This just makes thinks expensive for her fans.
I know I would really love to hear Hayley record an album with complete freedom from this stuff, do her own thing, be herself and sing what she wants to. But commercial interests might dictate otherwise.
Martin D
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Post by comet on Aug 28, 2013 22:13:15 GMT
If Hayley were to do an album of the quality of Shania Twain's Come On Over I could easily convert to being a Country music Fan.
But I think what Hayley is doing is fine, a similar course to that taken by Nana Mouskouri a bit of this and a bit of that,
Don't get boxed into a genre, just sing, be a singer.
and a songwriter / composer would be nice.
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Post by Libby on Aug 29, 2013 6:12:58 GMT
If Hayley were to do an album of the quality of Shania Twain's Come On Over I could easily convert to being a Country music Fan. But I think what Hayley is doing is fine, a similar course to that taken by Nana Mouskouri a bit of this and a bit of that, Don't get boxed into a genre, just sing, be a singer. and a songwriter / composer would be nice. Well, we agree on something today, at least.  |
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Post by martindn on Aug 29, 2013 20:34:39 GMT
If Hayley were to do an album of the quality of Shania Twain's Come On Over I could easily convert to being a Country music Fan. Very true, one of the few country albums I own and still enjoy. But I'm afraid to my ears, the rest of country for the most part isn't up to that standard. Martin D |
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Post by Simba on Aug 30, 2013 3:52:56 GMT
That's wonderful! Shania Twain is one of my favorite singers too! Her "From this moment on" would really suit Hayley like magic. |
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Post by Libby on Aug 30, 2013 4:13:42 GMT
That's wonderful! Shania Twain is one of my favorite singers too! Her "From this moment on" would really suit Hayley like magic. Yes, actually the style of that song, and also "Still the One" (if that's what it's called), would be an okay country style for Hayley, if she wanted to do a few country songs. I think that would be considered more pop country. Just as long as she doesn't make her songs sound like Taylor Swift's. The tunes are just too simplistic and immature-sounding. But something like the Shania songs you mention are more emotional songs, that sound more meaningful. But the old-time country, more like Dolly Parton used to do (and Hayley likes Dolly Parton, remember) might suit her better. She did Jolene, remember? As far as rock goes, something along the lines of what Josh Groban did on his latest album might suit her. He recorded a song called Hollow Talk, which is originally by a band from Denmark. That style, which is really a soft rock, would be the only style that I think would suit Hayley, because it's much more melodic than classic rock, heavy metal, etc., it allows for great use of vocals, and singers like Hayley need songs that allow them to show off their strong vocals. Even songs that Muse have done could be an example of the style of rock that might work. Their Exo-Genesis symphony is an example of a sort of classical rock sound. The song Redemption is actually a very beautiful song. I'm not saying Hayley should sing anything by Muse, but that would be a suitable rock style for her, if she wanted to do any rock at all. I still don't think she would ever start doing one genre, and I don't think that would help her. Steve, you seem to think changing genres will do her more good, but I say, her music style has always been just fine, though more original songs would certainly be better. It's the lack of promotion that's the main problem, I think, and like Martin says, little if any radio play. |
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Post by martindn on Aug 30, 2013 20:25:08 GMT
Yes, I have always said if people heard Hayley they would love her. The trouble is most never get to hear her. Pop (in its widest sense) fans dismiss her as a classical soprano, and classical purists dismiss her because she is not operatically trained and sings stuff that isn't serious classical music. She doesn't fit in the folk idiom either, although she is a very fine folk singer. So she falls through the holes, because of the genre obsession of most radio stations and media outlets.
What Hayley performs is MUSIC. What she is, as she has repeatedly said is a SINGER. She is not a slave to concepts of what fits in her genre. She sings what she likes and that is a broad church. Her songs are always positive and uplifting, that is her genre if there is one. Never political or smutty. Never overtly sexual. That is a refreshing change, I listen to music to be inspired and uplifted, not to be depressed or sickened as with so much of the stuff around. She appeals to our higher aspirations, not to our base instincts that have nothing to do with music. That is unusual, even radical these days. And I applaud Hayley for sticking to her principles.
Martin D
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