Pure

Hayley Westenra, the 17 year old songstress from New Zealand, has put together a debut album for America that is sure to please classical crossover fans. With a diverse selection of music from classical to folk to easy listening, all the songs fit together as a whole due to their orchestrated arrangements. Perhaps most notable in Hayley's voice is the absence of the operatic vibrato that many classical crossover artists utilize in their performances, such as Charlotte Church who most people will draw immediate comparisons to. Instead, Hayley is more like Streisand in how she holds the note crystal clear with slight vibrato towards the end. Hayley's range is quite high for a young woman and, unlike her earlier releases in New Zealand, her pitch is truly perfect. However, her music is not sterile by any means, showing room for improvement as her voice matures, but bringing a warm personality to the performances that pleases the ears and soothes the soul.

Highlights for me off this...Read more

At the ripe old age of 50 I thought I'd heard everything worth listening to by now. Then a commercial for Pure ran and I was completely speechless! I'm saying to myself, what are they FEEDING this gal ... ambrosia and nectar from the gods? Nobody gets a voice like this! Nobody!

Hayley has a divine gift. That's the deal, plain and simple. Buy this album or steal it from a friend who already has five copies. Get it by all means and rejoice in the purity and glory of songs so delicious you won't believe your ears.

If we're naming favorites, I'd start with River of Dreams, Dark Waltz, Benedictus, Amazing Grace and Across The Universe Of Time, but the list really includes everything. No clunkers, only some more heavenly than others if you know what I mean. Wuthering Heights is so different it feels like it belongs on another album but I appreciate every crazy note of it. The guitar solo at the end was a nice touch for us old rockers.

In summary: Pure is a total knockout! Get it or...Read more

I have mixed feelings about Hayley Westenra. She is gifted with a beautiful voice, which has yet to fully mature. The work on this album complements her range perfectly. She is attractive and bright in her appearances. Indeed, it's hard to find a material complaint about her. I just wish she would slow down a bit.

A fine voice is a fragile thing, and a quick visit to her website reveals that a great deal over effort is being put into the making of a Hayley into a 'phenomenon. Today she has the seemingly endless energy of a young woman at the age of sixteen. Hopefully her voice will be given a chance to mature and bloom. Right now, she reminds me a bit of the young Sarah Brightman, and so is worth respect and attention.

Avuncular musings aside, this is a very auspicious international debut. As I've mentioned, the songs are well chosen, varying from Maori folks songs to rewritten classical melodies. Her previous albums, which are less orchestral over-productions, are more...Read more