Hayley Jensen citations

“Mark: I constantly admire your strength but I don't know - I heard pitching problems.”

“Marcia: Having said that, you're not Anastacia. Ok. You're trying.”

“Dicko: Great pitch and great vocally but you have problems with movement. There was also a breakdown point where you could have gained everyone but you didn’t. Vocally very strong.”

“Marcia: You look lovely. People talk to me about you and I say you're one of the kindest souls I know.”

“Dicko: Yeah, you're a fantastic lesson in persistence, actually. You came and were rejected, and then came again and have got this far. That was an absolutely fantastic song for you and I think we're beginning to see which songs are your comfort zone. I guess the question is, how are you gonna do with more up-tempo stuff? I don't recall hearing you sing too many up-tempo songs so far and if you get to the next round, that's something which you will be tested on. But that was, I thought, one of the performances of the night. I think you're doing exactly what a contestant should do in this competition and that's to rise to the occasion, rise to the challenge and grow. And that's what you're doing. You're growing on me too. I thought that was tremendous, I really do. Well done.”

“Dicko: There was something missing from that performance. It was the tick tick tick of your mind working. That was the first time we saw you sing without thinking about what you're doing. Now the trick is to follow along on that road. Simple melody sung beautifully - well done.”

“Marcia: It's lovely to see you stand so still and so metered, and sing so beautifully. I do believe in you very much Hayley, but I mean, I believe in everyone who has performed tonight. I fought for you, and I will always fight for you no matter what, because I think you're a very beautiful singer.”

“Mark: I know that was a concern for you that, wasn't it? You were really nervous about this particular performance. Why? I really, really admire you for that Hayley. I admire the fact that you are actually quite green. I mean in the studio you were green and this is a whole new experience for you but the way that you approach it, the openness of mind is really, really admirable and I think the simplicity, how you handled that was really terrific. Good on you Hayley.”

“Marcia: I love you, they love you, always sing from your heart.”

“Mark: I felt that you were singing it to your husband, but I'd suggest that you should block everyone else out and REALLY sing it to your man.”

“Marcia: Hayley well done, yeah? Well done. Um, you mightn't have been able to dance but you knew where one was and you knew where to start the song. That's all that really matters, yeah? And, ah, great choice of song as well.”

“Dicko said that he thinks Mark has a problem with her and thinks she doesn't have a recordable voice. Mark agreed but said if David Hasselhoff can sell records so can Hayley.”

“Dicko: The mountain was too high, the river too deep. Cabaret.”

“Dicko: I thought you sung a dismal song really well. You said it was a challenge for you. It was a challenge for me to listen to it cause I just couldn't follow it. I wanted to party tonight. I thought there were some great songs and that was just a bit of a speed bump in the evening for me and it's a shame cause I think you are growing. I wanted you to tear it up tonight and I think the song weighed you down but I thought you delivered it well.”

“Mark: I have to acknowledge the fact that the Australian Public loves you, they admire your tenacity and they know that you're a great girl. I'm not going to say what I think… What I am going to say is that it's been 3 weeks since we had our producer meeting where you said that you didn't know what type of cd that you wanted to perform…. What kind of record are you going to make?”

“Marcia: First of all, thank you very much for listing me as a highlight. That's very, very kind. I really mean it. You know, Hayley I've believed in you since the day we saw one another in Canberra and these guys have been giving you a pretty hard time. And I've just believed that you've metamorphosized into what you've just done. I really believe in you as a singer, as a person and I know you're one of the only people that helps in the kitchen in the house. That's good too. But you did a great job Hayley. I'm so proud of you.”

“Marcia: You look great, you're beautiful and this song suits you. You were being yourself and you did great.”

“Dicko: Yeah, I agree. Exactly what this competition is about. Um, growing, moving out of your comfort zone. That was absolutely terrific. Mark, in the last audition said that you dressed too old, a little cruise ship. I think you've listen to what he's said and come back and you look fantastic tonight. Every inch the rock star. And, um, I think I've heard that really good fireworks come out of Canberra so you're going to go off like a rocket.”

“Dicko: You looked beautiful and I enjoyed that. I didn’t think that you over thought that at all.”

“Mark: Yeah, I'm sorry to say, I'm agreeing with Dicko again. There's a mentor of mine who used to say to me, you've got to have a body of fire, mind of ice so that you're mind is going through all of those strange timings and knowing where it's got to go but outwardly you just seem to be going and being released, being free. We see too much of the work with you on that song. We're seeing too much of it. We're seeing too much of the worry and the thinking and not enough of the release. You saw too much of it to me but you know, once again your risk taking is fantastic. I really admire you for that.”

“Marcia: (Laughs) Well done Hayley! Sex kitten to boot.”

“Hayley: I know what kind of music that I like, I love to sing. Bands like George and Missy Higgins are the guys that I like and that's the kind of music that I'd like to make.”

“Mark: Um. I don't know Hayley. I don't know. Because I admire the fact that you keep challenging yourself. You know, last week was an enormous challenge for you and you keep doing that and I don't want to discourage that because it's a fantastic thing about you. But honestly, I just really don't think that you totally connected with that at the level that Anastacia actually bought the meaning of that song and what it meant to her. I didn't feel it from you. It didn't connect for me like some of the others that you've done have.”

“Dicko: It was good to see you step outside the AC role that you entered the competition as. Um, I would take those movement coaching sessions a little more seriously. Simply put, um, performing a song is about communicating emotions and whether we like it or not 80% of communication is non-verbal. You communicate with your body, you communicate in emotion, sensuality and a sense of power and that's something that Anastacia does pretty well. I think it's something that you really need to work on because actually seeing that piece before you performed highlighted the fact that that's a bit of a failing of yours. I think your voice is great. It's really holding up well and actually preferred it to the version of Anastacia or Miriam as I sometimes call him. Her.”

“Marcia: Hayley, I congratulate you from a singers point of view because that's a very hard song to sing. George are the bomb. You did a great job.”

“Dicko: Hayley, hair looks great by the way. Curls are good for you. I've got to say, look, I don't think you're a natural at this. You have to work really hard at everything you do and it's pleasing to see the way you're moving in the right direction. I think that was a really tough song to chose. Some of those timings in there, it was a bit like a maths exam at times for me trying to keep up. But I think it's a really good style for you. That type of song. That type of artist, George as well. The only problem I have with you, I've had it for the past few weeks, is I can see you concentrating and I can hear you thinking about what you're trying to do as you're doing it and I don't know. Sometimes I just think if you could switch all of that off and just let yourself go a bit I think you'd be a lot better for it. But that was very good.”

“Mark: I would say that you are the nuclear power puff girl, you are indestructible. You've asked for positive assistance in guidance and what I'd say is when you're phrasing things you don’t need to end each line the same way, it's about what you don’t do rather than what you do do… And you do look beautiful.”

“Mark: Lucky last. We haven't given you an easy time, have we? We haven't actually affirmed you… I know Marcia has. Marcia's really been your supporter, hasn't she. I know Dicko and I have really given you a kinda tough time. But you're still here. You're definitely growing on me. I'm still a bit concerned about the sort of cabaret aspects of the way you present yourself, but gee, the way you're singing is really, really, really, really fine.”

“Jeremy: I wanted to find out what this show has taught you about music and performing
Hayley: This show has taught me so much, working with John and Erina and these wonderful musicians has taught me so much.
She goes on to say that she’s learnt how to come up with arrangements quickly and how to perform and how important it is to stay true to yourself.”