Westenra fears Simon Cowell slating

Hayley Westenra has said she thinks Simon Cowell would "slate" her if she went for an X Factor audition.

The soprano found international fame as a teenager, with her album Pure selling more than two million copies, but Westenra said she's glad she didn't need a reality show to launch her career.

Hayley, 22, said: "I don't know how I'd have fared on a reality show, I think Simon Cowell would have slated me."

She continued: "You have to be a certain type of singer and have a certain type of appeal."

However, Hayley admitted shows like The X Factor occasionally produce some genuine talent.

She said: "A lot people can run down these shows but they can bring up a lot of good talent. There's a lot of great talent out there and it can be hard to find an opportunity to get noticed."

Hayley performs on the Children in Need charity album Bandaged Together, singing We All Stand Together with Any Dream Will Do winner Lee Mead and featuring Sir Terry Wogan.

The album is available from Tesco stores on November 9.