Posted: Thursday 30th October 2008

Hayley Westenra made history with her debut album Pure when it became the fastest-selling international classical debut to date. Since then she's had two more best-selling albums and at the age of 21 she's releasing her first retrospective, River Of Dreams - The Very Best Of Hayley Westenra.

We caught up with the lovely Hayley to talk about the album release, her career so far and to find out what's she's got in store.

1. Tell us what you've been up to so far this year.

Lots! This year has gone by so fast... The highlights for me have been a vineyard concert tour around New Zealand in February, recording two albums especially for Japan (Japanese songs sung in English - I had great fun working on the lyrics), outdoor summer concerts around the UK, Andrew Lloyd Webber's 60th Birthday celebration in Hyde Park, 'Music On Fire' out at Sandhurst Army Training Academy (quite the spectacular!), a trip with UNICEF to Ghana to revisit my past project and start a new one and I've just come back from launching the Poppy Appeal and visiting the troops in Basra - which was one of the most amazing experiences of my life....and now the release of my 'Best Of' album which is the culmination of the last six years of my work.

2. Your new album, 'River Of Dreams', is a greatest hits collection. Why did you decide to release one so early in your career?

Because, by music industry standards, I've been around for an age!

3. What is your favourite song on the album?

Well, I have many!! Haha. One of them is one of the three new songs I recorded for this album -Songbird - Fleetwood Mac's beautiful, anthem-like ballad.

4. How does it feel to have achieved so much already in your life?

It feels good when I reflect on my life so far, but there is still so much more I want to achieve.

5. How important is commercial success to you?

It's important to a certain extent. It helps pay the bills!

6. Would you ever be tempted to record a pop album?

The music I create does actually occasionally spill over into pop, it covers classical and folk too, so it's not like I'm feeling restricted in any way and have a strong urge to break out of a box - in that respect I feel very lucky.

7. What's next for you?

More concerts and more recordings and continuing with my charity work.

8. What are your plans for Christmas?

Hopefully sunshine, a Kiwi barbeque and some quality family time.

9. What's on your iPod at the moment?

Damien Rice and Paolo Nutini are currently on heavy rotation.

10. What are your plans for the rest of 2008?

I'm currently on tour around the UK and then I head over to Japan for a couple of shows in December, then back to the UK, then Canada and then home sweet home. Just in time for Christmas.

Hayley's album River of Dreams - The Very Best of Hayley Westenra is out now.