Hayley Dee Westenra (born 10 April 1987 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a … Read Full Bio ↴Hayley Dee Westenra (born 10 April 1987 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a New Zealand soprano of Irish heritage. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached #1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide. Westenra has received awards for her contribution to music, both in New Zealand and elsewhere.

Pure is the fastest-selling international début classical album to date, and Westenra became an international star, aged 16, when the first of her international albums were released. In August 2006, Westenra joined the Irish group Celtic Woman and toured with them on their 2007 Spring Tour.

Westenra has performed for dignitaries around the world. She is the youngest UNICEF Ambassador to date and has contributed to charities around the world.

Hayley Westenra's music was featured prominently in the 2007-2008 Nintendo Wii game, Endless Ocean.

See also (references):

- Official website: www.hayleywestenra.com
- This bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayley_Westenra

Ave Maria
Hayley Westenra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ave Maria, Ave Maria
Ave Maria, Ave Maria
Ave Maria, Ave Maria
Ave Maria, Ave Maria
Ave Maria, Ave Maria
Ave Maria, Ave Maria

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Hayley Westenra's "Ave Maria" are quite simple, as the entire song consists of just the repeated chorus: "Ave Maria, Ave Maria." However, the use of repetition in this case serves to emphasize the power and importance of the words themselves. "Ave Maria" means "Hail Mary" in Latin, and the phrase is often used in Catholic prayers and hymns.

The use of this phrase in a song is likely meant to evoke a sense of spiritual transcendence or reverence. Westenra's ethereal vocals and the soaring orchestration create a sense of awe and wonder, as if the listener is being transported to a sacred space. The repetition of "Ave Maria" also has a meditative quality, allowing the listener to focus on the words and allow them to sink in on a deeper level.

Line by Line Meaning

Ave Maria, Ave Maria
Hail Mary, Hail Mary

Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, ROELOF W. ROEL ZAADNOORDIJK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Czechleo30

15y↑53

I just lost my mother yesterday and this version of Hayley is helping me to cope with the pain... Mom wherever you are, I will always love you....

John Mc Donagh

2y↑2

Your Mother is absolutely 100% in Heaven.

Mark Unwin

God bless your mother...god be with you..

津多則光

2y↑16

曲と声音がこれほど美しく融合して心に響いてきた歌は聴いたコトがなかった。ほんとうにすばらしいHayleyさんのAve Mariaです。永遠の歌声だと思います。

Katerina Love

8y↑188

How I imagine an angel would sound. Pure and perfect voice.

Kit Cloudkicker

8y↑2

my thoughts exactly

Cory Jones

7y↑6

I'm not convinced she's not an angel.

Donald Edward

7y↑1

I don't know of any angels in an operatic work.

Aleksandr N

1y↑6

Манера исполнения и голос восхитительные!⭐⭐⭐

Eileen Pollock

2y↑14

What a pure, beautiful voice!

加世泰生

51w↑1

私にとってヘイリーの歌声は人生の一部になってます。素晴らしい天使のような、女神のような、本当に感謝してます。これからもご活躍を心から望んでいます！

Mad Machina

13y↑6

I listened to all the other versions I could find on you tube... and this still takes the cake... how is she not getting supreme notoriety for this performance?!?!?!

Denise Martins

45w↑1

Quanta beleza que nos leva ao mais profundo encontro com o sagrado! Senhor Obrigada por teu er ouvidos para apreciar tanta beleza!🇧🇷🙏❤️🇧🇷🙏❤️

Friedrich Hufen

44w

The voice of an angel

John Mc Donagh

2y↑8

I'v being seriously struggling with my faith for Months, I had spoken with a very brilliant French Priest previously. I heard this song on local radio, lyric f.m. while sitting at the traffic lights. Then I something beautiful and amazing happened to me, I received the love that only a Mother can give, with absolute love and peace.

Sunny Peace

2y↑2

Congratuation!
At that time,
Your heart is with The God
And so you are blessed.

Lex Z.

14y

She sings like an angel!..... Amazing:*

ピンの介

13y

She sings like angel. Amazing...

Elke Osterloh

15y↑7

Unbelievable. I love her voice. So clear...sounds like an Angel. Make me cry.

yoshihiro ogasawara

11y↑8

美しく透明感のある歌声素晴らしい！

Orxan Kerimov

37w

Definitely she has a good voice and feeling of rhytm

Rhiannon9999

14y

I can't find words... She is just fantastic!

Nomad319

14y

its amazing... its already such a badass song... but just her voice is like it was written for it.

kimura3033

15y

This is by far the best Ave Maria I've ever heard.

Kathi Boothe

6y↑10

I listened to this song often when caregiving for my Mom. It was just so beautiful! I viewed my last year of taking care of my Mom (2013) as walking with her to heaven’s gate. When that hour actually came, I had Pandora on and sat reading aloud some Bible verses. Ave Maria came on Pandora and my Mom actually died during those ten seconds of the swirly violin music. I pictured it as the gate to heaven opening to receive my Mom, and that I was given just a taste of the glory to be found on the other side. This song always moves me to tears and reminds me of God’s thoughtfulness to me as my Mom reached heaven’s gate.

J Fluman

I want to encourage you. The fact that you said you often listened to this song when caretaking for your mother and you had that specific view; that mindset while taking care of her. Then when the time came and she departed from this realm, that same song was playing, to me, that's synchronization. It's another way the Lord speaks to us showing us He's there and we're on the right path. That confirms to me that she is with the Lord. I pray that this song will always bring thoughts of goodness, memories, and peace when you hear it.

Additionally, since it has been 5 years since she passed, 5 is the number for grace and in some cultures it serves as the link between heaven and earth. I pray that you'll be shown even more grace this year. I don't know if you're feeling her loss more this year than previous years, but I do hope that this comment blesses and uplifts you.

Raja Moorthy

1y↑1

May her soul rest in peace in Heaven.

Mervi Malmberg

Elegantza ❤️🙏❄️

Guillaume

14y

C'est magnifique ! Quelle voie ! Merci !

Dawn Michelle Seidl Godsey

Absolutely Angelic. Devine gift from above.

Cândido José

2y↑2

She is divine. A gift from God. ❤️🙏🏼💐

jovanottaaa

15y

Wonderful, wonderful voice!!!!!!!

Maria João Couceiro

9y↑9

Estou hipnotizada por esta voz, por esta melodia, belíssimas! Já a ouvi vezes sem conta.

Anny Tennant

Né

顏嘉慧

11y

What an angel-like voice. She is an angel on earth with no doubt. And I'm just wondering... Who is the composer?

Alice moviestarplanet

13y

Beautiful voice!

Hail Freedom

11y

I'm so glad that you can hear and understand this. You're right. She uses jaw vibrato (to produce vibrato she does not have naturally) and drops her larynx. She produces a strange and swallowed tone. I have heard from a friend that there are good voice teachers getting young students in their preteens that now have nodules on their vocal chords from being taught poor technique from money hungry voice teachers. It's sad and scary! The pop music industry is no place for musically gifted children!

Susan Dahl

14y

This was great! Soooooo angelic! Awesome!

Kevin Willems

13y

Wonderful vocal control and intonation!

Aural Abuse

4y↑8

She has an almost synthetic perfection to her voice

Katerina Kemp

Nah not synthetic at all.

Маша Корнеева

Бесподобно!!Супер!

nol2ik_stendof_2

Маша Корнеева я с вами согласен!

Ernesto Castaldo

42w

Eccezionale, mi tocca l'anima profondamente, sento tutta la spiritualità di questa preghiera.

troopcom

13y↑1

Keep singing Hayley, I know that this is a God given talent!

秋草

41w↑1

すごい癒される
天使の歌声

avemariaclark

12y

I'm so happy to have added this video to my AVE MARIA playlist. Thanks for posting it!

Gtdman545

7y↑3

She sings only two words in the whole song but she does it so well it gives me goosebumps every time lol

Paul Seymour

13y

Fantastic such a pure voice

Marcos Guerra

11y↑3

jamas había oído cantar así a nadie¡¡ esta canción es un regalo de dios para quien lo busca, gracias Virgen mía por dejarme sentirte en esta canción ....

Jamaal W.

15y

a beautiful song matched perfectly with a beautiful voice.

Asi Hendrickson

2y↑2

I was at a shop two days ago & I bought her Cd
This might sounds funny, I live in New Zealand & I know more about overseas singers and musicians & their songs & much of Kiwi musicians
I am glad that I bought her album & she got a voice like an Angel 😇 🙏, Happy Sabath everyone, aroha from Aotearoa, New Zealand 'ofa atu 💗

Raja Moorthy

6y↑61

There are no words to describe the beauty of this angelic voice... Spectacular... Breathtaking... Exquisite... Sublime...Magnificent... Ethereal.... Pure... Divine... Perfect... One of the all time best version of Ave Maria....Absolutely one of the best voices ever....Truly a gift from the Heavens.... A treasure of earth and not just New Zealand... Too bad it is not live.

Emilio Cueva

3y↑4

👏 una exquisitez de voz, de interpretación y belleza👏

Claire Livefreeordie

This was lip synced?

Katerina Kemp

@Claire Livefreeordie lol whatever🤣🙄🤣

1 More Replies...

Yury Gerasimov

4y↑27

I feel like I’m in heaven listening to her version of Ave Maria

the sweeter

12y

I love this voice

Fred Hill

6y↑5

Just a heavenly voice, like no other.

John Tellez

13y

She is an angel!!

Maria Shutter

8y↑25

1:29 still sends chills down my spine 10 years later

MrReed314

14y

Beautiful..Stunning..Poor Charlotte Church, she damaged her voice by switching to pop for a while..Haley has always stayed with what her voice was meant to be..Now there is no better woman who sings classical then Haley Westerna..

愛音咲月

6y↑11

Beautiful！
こんな美しい歌だったなんて…

Yuri Pronin

10y↑1

Так красиво, что нет слов... so beautiful, voice and music and everything.

TommyBoy24

lay back, close your eyes and take in every single word of this song with her amazing voice, its so relaxing and soothing, one of my favorite singers ever

Arjen van der Brug

13y

Wooow. This is sooo beautiful. Can't find enough words!!

ritamaria55

15y

Wonderful, beautiful sound.

Thomas P. Regan

8y↑10

She's a beautiful woman and has a amazing voice 🍀

Luimar Vieira

7y↑8

Minha nossa , que voz formidável!

Robert Gilbert

2y↑1

Incomparable!

dario cruz

12y↑1

A "excelência " da voz e sensibilidade interpretativa" de Hayley Westerna, atingem porventura o seu máximo esplendor nesta excelente composição musical, que nos transmite serenidade interior e um estranho encantemento ...

Kiera Hanley

14y↑2

Hayley Westenra is the best singer in the whole world, whenever i listen to her she gives me the goosebumps! i love to sing too, and i hope one day i will be able to sing like her! x x x x xx

Padmini Joy

31w

Beautifil Blessed song. Thank you soooo much, dear.
Thank You, Jesus!! Thank You, Jesus!!
Amen, In the Sweet Name of Jesus Christ!!

Dominic Ferro

4y↑1

The clarity in her voice is unparalleled

David Patrick Cox

7y↑3

Beautiful angelic voice!! Love this Caccini version - her voice certainly does it justice. ♪♫♪♫♫

plumeria66

David Pádraig Cox Vladimir Vlavilov wrote this, not Caccini. In 1970. He dedicated to baroque composer Caccini.

movingforwardcarefully

14y

So soulful!

macedo s

14y

a beautiful voice, a beautiful woman.

Stranger

13y

she sings like an angel <3

Derek Kirby

15y

beautiful lady..wonderful voice...this is perfection...

Ethel Lisbeth

15y↑1

I love the emotion that comes off her...she sounds so clear and pure

Ojos Cafes

7y↑8

Una verdadera voz de ángel!

Евгений Николаенков

13y

молодчина, умница, Хейлин!.. ты большая умничка!... мы все тебя очень, очень любим!!! ))) твои поклонники из России

MARY K

1y↑1

Its as if shes not even singing! She did not have to open her mouth wide to reach the high notes - simply a God-given talent !! Just amazing - absolutely no effort !!

renwish vitug

13y

her voice sounds like an angel....

FromTheseWounds

10y

Such a beautiful voice...

Luiz Paulo Moraes

The correct speaking of the words “Ave Maria” as it is in Latin just adds to the clarity and beauty of her voice. One of the best interpretations of this work

blackroze80

14y↑10

This video was literally a spiritual experience,facilitated by the miracle called Hayley Westenra. Truly, she is a gift from God for all of humanity.

Christin Haberer

14y

like an angel!!!! i often listen to this!! it is so beautiful

Feeluck

15y

wow i heard the song and started to cry cause its sung with such a brilliance! very great :'(

holymotclare

11y

Beautiful! Love this.

KCS

13y

This is so haunting and chilling. I like it even better than Celtic Woman's version.

Clay Zeballos

14y

she don't have voice... she have the sound of life... amazing!!

ProbablyHomer

10y↑44

Hayley is first class. Amazing voice and sweet person.

Judy Lam

H Miller is

Kazue Bruha

14y↑2

Voice of angel...

Malika !

I love the notes she uses 😍 she really makes songs her own 😊😍

scgt35

15y

One of a good rendition, thanks for sharing.

James Parks

14y

First time I heard this song was in the movie Przzi's Honor. Loved it ever since. This is a great rendition.

gigimk1

14y

THIS IS SO ENCHANTING LOVE IT

Avyanne Yee

15y↑15

she is totally blessed with everything

Joshua

13y

This gives me chills...

Wicked Publishing

Oh my gosh, I have chills. Her beautiful voice...

Suitecake

15y↑2

Her voice is one of the finest I have ever heard, and this rendition utilizes it perfectly, with every swell accentuating her emotion and every subtle note displaying her mastery. Beautiful.

dapsapsrp

14y

All I can say is WOW! Her voice is ideal for this kind of music. She has excellent range, tone and clarity.

Lucy Almiranez

Beautiful!!! Thank you, Daniel, for this upload.

Subaru Racer

14y↑5

The best rendition of Ave Maria I have heard!

Mateusz Szlachetko

12y↑1

Super wykonanie , idealnie, ten śpiew robi niesamowite wrażenie. Brawo - dla mistrzyni śpiewu. Brawo. i Brawo!!!!!

Poohbear

3y↑1

We saw Haley in concert in Birmingham United Kingdom in 2007 unfortunately there was a bad snow storm and the concert hall was almost empty but it meant we could move places closer to the front. Hayley was sublime...