Pure (Hayley Westenra album)

Pure
Studio album by Hayley Westenra
Released	10 July 2003
Recorded	February–April 2003
Studio	Air Lyndhurst and Eastcote, London
Genre	Classical crossover pop
Length	48:36
Label	Decca Music Group
Producer	Giles Martin
Hayley Westenra chronology
My Gift to You (2001) Pure (2003) Odyssey (2005)

Pure is the first internationally released album by New Zealand soprano Hayley Westenra. It became the highest-selling New Zealand album, which Westenra was awarded for at the New Zealand Music Awards of 2004. It was published by the Decca Music Group label in 2003. It was distributed in the United States by Universal Classics in 2004. During its first week of sales it sold 19,068 copies.^[1] As of 2007, Pure is the best-selling classical album of the 21st century in the UK, and in New Zealand remains the best-selling album by a New Zealand artist.^[2][3]

Pure features takes on well known classical pieces,^[4] as well as pop and traditional Māori choral singing, including renditions of "Who Painted the Moon Black?", "Hine e Hine" (a song in Māori), "In Trutina", from Orff's Carmina Burana, "Wuthering Heights" (a cover of the Kate Bush hit), and the hymn "Amazing Grace". Sir George Martin co-wrote the track "Beat of Your Heart" just for the album. Also on the album is "Pokarekare Ana", a New Zealand love song that has become Westenra's signature song.^[3][5] "Never Say Goodbye" is an adaptation of the tune from Maurice Ravel's solo piano piece Pavane pour une infante défunte.

Pure topped the New Zealand Album Chart for eighteen weeks, being certified 12× Platinum, as well as topping the Australian and UK Classical Albums Charts.^[6]

Pure was recorded at Air Lyndhurst and Eastcote Studios in London, England.^[7]