It's an accomplishment he's typically self-effacing about, merely saying "I was really grateful for the opportunity".
After performing at February's Opera in the Pa this multi-talented young man's singing days will be behind him.
He's determined the military's where his future lies; it's been his career choice "forever".
Before we progress further this is one of those Our People where a name clarification's needed.
Although he's been known as Hohaia since intermediate school, Nelson is this 18-year-old's given first name. Hohaia his second.
He answers to both. "I guess I got called Hohaia because late great-uncle, Don Macfarlane, was a colonel and former New Zealand military attaché in Indonesia and Singapore."
A cousin, John Morrison Macfarlane, is in the Queen Alexander Mounted Rifles.
"He's accomplished a lot in the army too, I've had some awesome role models."
On the music front Hohaia can't remember a time when his paternal koro (grandfather), the late John Macfarlane, wasn't "getting the guitar out". His mum's dad, Ron Hall, is "an awesome drummer".
Awesome is a word that peppers Hohaia's conversations.
His parents, Bruce and Leah Macfarlane, have been Rotorua entertainment fixtures since way before their son's birth; Country and Western's their speciality.
"I grew up listening to Tennessee Whiskey. I've always sung, I guess as a family we have a real musical appreciation, I've been surrounded by it, I started singing properly in front of people at Lakeside."
Lakeside was a transition from his Maori Performing Arts comfort zone; he's a regular in the Mitai Village cultural group and with the Whakarewarewa-based Tuhourangi-Ngati Wahiao cultural group, performing at Te Matatini national kapa haka championships in Hastings last year
"I never thought kapa haka was my cup of tea then I saw Te Matatini on TV when it was in Christchurch in 2015 and thought 'gee, that's pretty cool, I'd like to give it a go'."
He did and found it "really awesome".
He's in his second year with the Boys' High-Girls' High national award winning kapa haka team, Te Ropu Raukura.
That's where the group's vocal coach Elisha Hulton (Our People, December 17, 2016) talent spotted him.
"She got me into Lakeside, she's been very very supportive not just with music but my career choice."
Nor are Hohaia's musical talents restricted to his tenor voice and "Maoriness," his Scottish side's had a look in too.
"I've always loved the bagpipes, I was in the [Rotorua] pipe band for three years, was gutted I had to leave but because of my other commitments I had to give it away.
What, more commitments?
"Oh yeah, I'm also in the cadets [Rotorua District Cadet Unit], there my instrument is my rifle."
His leadership skills are on display on the parade ground and beyond too. He's company sergeant major.
Consider this direct Hohaia quote and it's not a taxing exercise to see why roles of leadership and responsibility have come his way.
"One thing I tell my cadets is that there's an imaginary big brick wall of endurance in front of them, their goal is to bust through that wall to achieve that goal . . . it's all in your head."
Pretty meaningful for an 18-year-old, wouldn't you say?
Which segues us into his year of leading his school, he'd never dreamed he'd be head boy of the seat of learning with which both sides of his whanau have been associated virtually since its foundation.
Put the hard word on Hohaia what he thinks it was that won him the role and he again credits mentors. In this case his kapa haka tutors Jamus and Kimiora Webster.
"Contenders were challenged to give a speech to the junior school, I asked them what it should be about. They said 'why don't you talk about Maui?'
"I did, saying he was a great leader, I told them at 13 they were entering manhood but still growing as men, they reacted really well. I guess it was a success, it helped with my delivery that I'd been in Manu Korero [speech] competitions."
Head of school duties have made an inroad into classroom time, he's sitting only two level 3 NCEA papers, Calculus and English, both this week. "I've never been good at maths but love calculus."
Encouraged to expand on the role he's been entrusted with and the answer's immediate: "It's a huge honour, I am proud of my school, love Boys' High. I'm not saying I'm the cream of the crop, far from it, there are many at the school who are equally capable, some probably more so.
"But for me the great thing about being head boy is having the opportunity to nurture juniors, help them and be a role model for them like so many people have been for me.
"When I got the post I promised myself I would never change anything about myself, if they [the school] had wanted me to change they wouldn't have entrusted me to do it, carry the responsibility."
HOHAIA (NELSON) MACFARLANE
Born: Rotorua, 2000
Education: Otonga Primary, Rotorua Intermediate, Boys' High
Family: Parents Bruce and Leah Macfarlane, sister Nathalie, 20, large extended whanau
Iwi and clan affiliations: Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao, "the Scottish Macfarlanes."
Interest: Whanau, school, music. "Anything military, I have such a passion for wanting to be deployed overseas, Iran, Afghanistan I'm a little bit crazy, eh?" "Cross fit high intensity work out, despite coming from a sporty, rugby playing family I don't play sport at school."
On his future: "The army's my dream job, it's what I really want to do. At the end of the day I'm not going to be a singer, I'm there to be a soldier and do my duty to the best of my ability."
On Rotorua: "I love this town, it's so diverse, there aren't many places in the world where you can drive 5 minutes down the road and be at a mall or in the forest."
Personal philosophy: "Have the will to succeed, achieve your goals, giving up's not an option."
