Hayley Westenra on TV3: 'I refuse to dress like a tart'

Kiwi soprano Hayley Westenra has taken a stand against the music industry, saying she 'refuses to dress like a tart' to sell records.

The 21-year-old singer claims she has been in a battle with her record company over her wholesome image.

"Oh there's definitely the pressure," says Hayley's mother Jill. "You've only just got to see the artists that are in the media all the time and why they're in the media and you can see it works."

Unlike other young performers who have happily morphed from starlet to sexpot, Westenra has staunchly refused.

"Occasionally, I have had to stand my ground on image issues," she says. "I am not a tarty person and I don't wear those clothes when I am out, so I don't wear them to perform or for interviews either."

"Hayley's had that pressure since she was 18, and now that she's 21 they think well, surely now," says Jill. "But she's not prepared to compromise her standards."

Her record label Universal says talks about her image have always been age appropriate.

But the man who discovered the Christchurch-born star says an image revamp would do her career no favours.

"I think viva la difference," says Hayley's Former Agent Gray Bartlett. "Because in Hayley's case she is a certain type of personality. She's got a wonderful idea of her market and she's doing exactly the right thing."

And that proved true in her hometown today.

"I think she looks good, she's very clean, she's not too Americanised," says Lizzy Ryan. "I think it's a good picture for our country."

"It's good she's not conforming to other peoples ideals - you saw what happened to Britney," says Jon Skurr.

The starlet's stand already winning her new fans.

3 News

Don't miss the video which features Jill: http://www.3news.co.nz/Video/Entertainme....ault.aspx#video

Hayley Westenra fights attempts to turn her into a 'tart'

From The Telegraph

When Hayley Westenra sang in front of the Queen last night at the Festival of Remembrance, at the Royal Albert Hall, she looked characteristically demure.

The soprano tells Mandrake that she has, however, been involved in a battle with her record company after it allegedly tried to pressure her into dressing like a "tart".

She says: "Occasionally, I have had to stand my ground on image issues. I am not a tarty person and I don't wear those clothes when I am out, so I don't wear them to perform or for interview either. 

"It's funny because there are always people at record companies who push you to change yourself. They don't care about your longevity as an artist."

Hayley, who has just returned from Iraq, where she was singing for British Forces in Basra, signed with Universal when she was 15 and her album Pure sold more than two million copies. The company, whose artists include Kylie Minogue, says it's "not sure which people Hayley is referring to", but admits that it has discussed her appearance.

"We are very committed to her as an artist and her long-term career," says its spokesman. "Over the years there may have been discussions over her image, but we have always been open and honest about our views and never suggested anything inappropriate for her age."

Universal confirms that it wants to change her style. "Now she's turned 21 we have encouraged Hayley to think freely about how she presents herself and to be on-message with singers and artists of her own generation," says the spokesman.

Hayley adds: "When I was younger, I just wanted to fit in and I was so health conscious, and at one point a bit too skinny. In the last year I have realised that it's not the key to living and being happy."

Singing poppy sellers: Hayley Westenra and Jonathan Ansell

Multi-million selling classical artists, Hayley Westenra and Jonathan Ansell, took to the streets to sell poppies at 1pm, Friday 31st October at Waterloo Station (opposite Platform 16) – singing as they sold.

On hearing reports of a lack of poppy sellers this year, singers Hayley Westenra and Jonathan Ansell volunteered to support The Royal British Legion by selling poppies themselves at Waterloo Station. Anyone lucky enough to buy a poppy from the stars was able to hear two of the most remarkable voices of our time. Alongside Hayley and Jonathan was Poppy Man – the symbolic representation of the help The Royal British Legion gives to serving and ex-Service people and their families. 

The Royal British Legion is looking to recruit a ‘new generation’ of 10,000 Poppy Appeal collectors between now and November 11th in a bid to meet an ambitious £32 million fundraising target.

Miss Westenra is fresh off the plane from Basra, where she launched the Legion’s 2008 Poppy Appeal, raising morale by singing to the troops. Having been deeply affected by her experience in Basra, Hayley feels strongly about continuing her work with the Legion back in London.

"When I was in Basra I spoke to a lad, just 19 years old, who had been driving a tank on the front line. When I look at photographs of soldiers marching home from war in 1918 and the faces of the men and women around me in Basra, what strikes me is how young they all are – and that the Legion has been there for all of them. Wars may change, but the need for a charity to deal with the human cost of conflict remains very much the same." 

Jonathan Ansell, who will be performing a duet with Hayley at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on 8th November, wants to encourage the younger generation to get involved:

“People think of poppy selling as a job for the older generation, but there’s no reason why young people can’t be involved as well. The cause is as relevant to us today as it ever has been.”

Both Hayley and Jonathan feel that it is extremely important to remind people going about their everyday lives to think of the 4,500 British Armed Forces personnel in Iraq and nearly 8,000 others in Afghanistan - and are pleased to have the opportunity to do this through their gift of singing.

Between them, the tenor and soprano have sold over 10 million albums and sell out some of the world's biggest concert halls, so the commuters at Waterloo Station received an extraordinary treat.

The Poppy Appeal takes place in the two-week period running up to Remembrance Sunday on 9th November and Armistice Day on 11th November, when the nation pauses for a Two Minute Silence to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice during their service for their country.

From The Royal British Legion