Yous get Maori right, I'll talk proper English

X Factor judge Stan Walker says he'll get his English right when everyone starts getting Maori pronunciation right.

In honour of Maori Language Week, the 22-year-old singer has told the Northern Advocate that it's time Kiwis started pronouncing words, such as Aotearoa, correctly, before criticising him for his English pronunciation.

Walker will be performing in Whangarei on October 4 as part of his nationwide World Tour of New Zealand, in which he will perform 23 shows from Invercargill to Whangarei throughout September and October.

Since the popular TV3 series X Factor began airing in May, Walker's expressions - such as, "Yous done really well", "Don't let your nervous take over" and, "I'm going to go out on a whim here" - have been criticised.

After one episode Walker hit back at critics who had taken to Twitter to judge the judge. Walker told viewers they should embrace his form of "hori" English.

"To all the well spoken people in Aotearoa, u will all need to learn a new english. Its called Hori lol. Cos thats basically all i speak haha [sic]," he tweeted.

In an interview with the Northern Advocate ahead of his national tour, Walker said he'd improve his English when te reo was given the respect it deserved and Kiwis pronounced his native tongue properly.

"I'm going to keep speaking like this until people get their Maori right."

His main message to critics of his mangled English is: "I don't care".

He feels that in his home country he can be himself. "I have to talk flash in Australia.

"I'm proud to be from New Zealand. I'm proud to be Maori."

X Factor NZ is up to episode 23, with the top five battling it out tomorrow night.

Read a full interview with Walker in next Saturday's Northern Advocate.