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