Local Focus: 'Goth Girl' Amelia Sherman proves an inspiration

Rotorua teenager Amelia Sherman features on TVNZ OnDemand's reality series Gowns and Geysers, which followed the ups and downs of the Miss Rotorua beauty pageant.

Sherman became known as Goth Girl and away from the camera she was grappling with the complexities of life on the ADHD spectrum.

"The whole point of the spectrum is it's from zero to one hundred," Sherman says.

"Everybody has something a little bit weird about them, it just depends how much you actually have."

Sherman was diagnosed with ADHD at age 17 and can sometimes get tics.

She says it's not a big deal and it's okay to be different.

"You don't need to hide it. I have stopped hiding it with all of my friends and they just sort of look at me and ignore me.

"It's a normal thing. It's not something wrong with you. It's how your brain is wired. Your brain is wired differently.

"You were born like this. It's not something you can change or fix and you won't grow out of it - you will forever have it."

Sherman says while having ADHD can be difficult, it also means that she can do some things others can't. She writes her own music and can play several instruments.

"I started playing piano when I was 11.

"I was in and out of it and I stopped for a little bit, but then I just sort of got back into it and I just started relearning all these songs and relearning how to read music.

"It's just gone from there and I've started writing songs on the piano.

"It's just a way for me to calm down from things."

Sherman was one of the youngest contestants on the show and her authenticity captured the hearts of viewers.

Producer Ngahuia Wade says it was inspiring to watch.

"I love Amelia's journey," Wade says.

"She has a whole lot of angst about not being loved - never been told that she was beautiful.

"She actually says that on television, and then realising at the end that actually she is beautiful and she nailed her waiata, even though she had to change it at the eleventh hour."

Article author Delilah Whaitiri was a contestant in the pageant.