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Home / Entertainment

Sense of humour wanted for love duet

By Jarrod Booker
26 Oct, 2007 04:00 PM4 mins to read

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Hayley Westenra likes funny, caring guys. Photo / Simon Baker

Hayley Westenra likes funny, caring guys. Photo / Simon Baker

KEY POINTS:

For the guys out there looking to snag an attractive, internationally successful celebrity - listen up.

This is what Christchurch songbird Hayley Westenra is looking for in her "Mr Right":

"Sense of humour. Number one. Just someone who can make me laugh. I think everyone appreciates that, but
I think it's really important," Westenra said.

"A great personality, caring. I like a guy with a gentle kind of side to him, but also someone who can look after me."

Her soul-mate doesn't have to share her love of music, or even like her music.

"I went through a stage where I was like 'I have to marry a musician'. But now I'm not so sure. It's very important for the guy to have a focus of their own."

In her newly published autobiography, Hayley Westenra - In Her Own Voice, the young singing sensation gives only a brief insight into her love life, or lack of it.

But she gave a little more away when pressed by the Weekend Herald this week.

She's been on plenty of dates, but is yet to have a serious relationship.

At only 20, she feels she still has plenty of time to meet her soul-mate, even if her mum is growing a little concerned.

"She's like 'you've got to make sure you allow enough time to go out and party and meet people'. Well, you know what, a lot of the time you end up meeting people while you are working.

"I have friends that are 34 and they are still looking for Mr Right. I hope I don't have to wait that long."

Westenra is sharing her life in writing because she says she wants the public to get to know the real her.

And the real Westenra is no longer a shy teenager, she is a confident woman.

In the book, she details her rise from busking on the streets of Christchurch to topping the classical charts in Britain, performing for presidents and royalty, and becoming New Zealand's biggest-selling artist ever.

Often she feels she is wrongly portrayed in the media.

For example, despite the angelic image she does occasionally "party hard".

"You can't be living in London [where she has just bought a two-bedroom flat] and not going out and partying hard occasionally."

She enjoys the odd Baileys, Guinness with a little blackcurrant added, or a good red wine.

"I'm still learning just how much I can drink without getting a hangover the next day.

"I'm quite conscious of not drinking too much when on tour, so I do appreciate those small things."

Fame has come at a cost for the young musician.

She has been forced to abandon her annual family camping trips because of too much attention from other campers, and she has stopped visiting Germany because of fears about two stalkers.

One of the two obsessed fans tried to grab her at one of her performances in Berlin, before being dragged away by security.

"It freaked me out. Having this invasion of your own space - up until then I kind of viewed the stage as my own space.

"It's a shame for my other German fans, who are quite normal."

Westenra's immediate future is as hectic as her career has always been.

She has a three-week tour of Japan coming up, before concerts in Britain and setting up her new flat.

She will be back in New Zealand at Christmas to spend time with family, before a series of vineyard concerts in February with Dave Dobbyn.

Then it is on to recording her new album, which she promises will be "unique".

As for whether a boyfriend might be part of the plans, only time will tell. Watch this space.

Hayley Westenra - In her Own Voice, co-written with Darren Henley and released by Random House New Zealand, is on sale now. RRP $37.99.

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