Rotorua-born Ngahere "Nuz" Ngatai hopes making it on TV3's new series The GC will help his music career.
Nuz, 27, features in TV3's new reality show, starting tonight, which follows the lives of 11 young Maori as they live, work and party on the Gold Coast.
It's been likened to hit reality television shows Jersey Shore and Geordie Shore.
Nuz said unlike Jersey Shore the lads on The GC hold to a code of "gym, tan and eat" rather than Jersey Shore's fashioned code of "gym, tan and laundry".
"It's a good friendly bunch but there are some personality conflicts," Nuz said.
"I'm the easy going sort but Jade-Louis, my partner in crime, likes to stir it up a bit. It captures more of our real life.
"The way we talk to each other is real, it's very unscripted so I'd say it is more like the British show The Only Way Is Essex than Jersey or Geordie Shore."
Mozzies' (Maori Aussies) favourite phrases include "mumsies" (meaning girlfriends), "neff" (friend), "creep on" (scoring) and "what doing?" (what's up?).
Nuz joined the show mainly to gain exposure for his career as a singer.
"It's hard enough as it is to get exposure, if you can make it on to any screen it helps," he said.
He had been working in the Gold Coast for about five years, commuting daily from Brisbane, about an hour's drive.
"I work a lot of weddings, parties and functions. Mainly around Broadbeach,'' Nuz said.
He and his best mate Jade-Louise were on X Factor Australia last year and he heard about the show through her.
"My role on the show was to be Jade's best friend so the TV3 guys would just follow us around every now and again,'' he recalled.
Nuz and his family moved from Rotorua to Brisbane when he was two years old.
The 30-minute show begins tonight at 8pm on TV3.
Watch the trailer for the show:
And listen to The GC's soundtrack single from Jade Louise, featuring a guest spot from rapper Savage: