While Hayley Norton and her mum Debye Gaskin have been lapping up the limelight on X-Factor as Descendance, it turns out that Simon Cowell isn’t the only fan of Hayley.
Mega star Lady Gaga also a fan – of her art.
Talented Hayley (20) submitted her art to Lady Gaga’s site, and it not only appeared on the site but the American singer used it in a Twitter post seen by millions.
The picture drawn by Hayley of Lady Gaga and her dog, Asia was used by the songstress on a tweet after she left Israel earlier this year.
And the west Belfast singer was inundated with calls as soon as it appeared.
“I was doing my make up about four o’clock in the afternoon and my phone started going off and I was getting all these messages from my friends saying ‘Hayley, Lady Gaga just tweeted your work’ and I was just looking through it saying ‘what,! What I didn’t post it’ and I couldn’t believe it.
“I had to go onto her Twitter account even though people were sending me screenshots, I couldn’t believe it, for one second and I saw that post and I cried for an hour straight and even today it still really shakes me.”
Earlier this month Hayley and her mum Debye Gaskin (40) appeared on the X-Factor facing the judges with their rendition of Macklemore, Can’t Hold Us.
Belfast XFactor stars Hayley Norton and mum Debye Gaskin (Descendance) |
Photo by Debbie Deboo
However, despite having two decades between them in age the pair were mistaken for sisters by Louis Walsh before the shocked judges found out they were mother and daughter.
Performing as Decendance on the show Hayley and Debye progressed to the next stage but Sharon Osbourne is adamant they need to go their separate ways.
Despite being challenged to go it alone without her mum Hayley says they keep each other level.
“We hold each other up all the time,” she said. “We never have a meltdown at the same time. I’ll have my little meltdown and she’ll be ok and she’ll help me out and I think these little run ins are what builds us.”
And as Hayley faces the tough choice whether to go it alone without her mother or not on the show Lady Gaga remains an inspiration.
“She’s been really significant in my life since I was about 12-years-old,” explained Hayley. “In any competitions I was in I would sing ‘Paparazzi’ from her début album. I am still inspired by Lady GaGa every day.”
Originally from Canada the mum and daughter duo did discuss being asked to split up to let Hayley blossom.
“We talked about it because we’ve watched the show and we know they split people up but we always bore it in mind so it wouldn’t come as a huge surprise,” she said. “However in saying that, you’re never prepared for a moment like that.
Photo by Debbie Deboo
A veteran of singing competitions from her early years Hayley is committed to pursuing her musical career no matter what X-Factor does.
“I just love to perform and I am determined to see myself doing it every year.”
As for Debye she says no matter what nothing will stop the pair singing together.
She added: “With the singing I’ve tried and tried on my own but there was something about us together that I thought we should give it a shot because as far as I know there has never been another mother and daughter act on the show, I think we do have something special.
“I know the judges suggested we split and that was hard to hear, it’s my dream too but my dream has always been to sing in front of Simon Cowelland I remember standing there looking at him when Sharon was saying that to us and I just thought ‘I understand, I understand everything you’re saying’.
“I didn’t want to argue, because they have such credibility behind them I didn’t think I had the right to actually say that but I did want the opportunity to prove them wrong though.
“I want what’s best for Hayley but I really do think we work well as Descendance.”
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Photos by Debbie Deboo Photography.