Rotorua best place in the world

Turanga Merito singing at Lakeside in Rotorua in 2012.

Turanga Merito (Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Awa, Te Arawa) is one of Rotorua's most talented expats. Despite living in Australia, Rotorua will always have a special place in his heart and he comes home to see his beloved family often. Rotorua Daily Post head of news Kelly Makiha catches up with him over the summer holidays.

Where are you living now and what do you do there?

I currently reside in Sydney, Australia -- I teach private vocals and group vocals at JMA Entertainment and LA Talent. Students range from beginner babies right through to advanced X Factor Australia, The Voice Australia, and Australia's Got Talent contestants. I am a national and international hip-hop judge for both Hip Hop International and World Supremacy Battlegrounds. These are my bread and butter jobs and then I keep weekends free for random work that may come along.

How long have you been away from Rotorua?

Eleven years.

You are the head choreographer for Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park. How did you get that role and what's involved?

My journey with Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park began when I was a kid. As an 18-year-old Maori boy from Rotorua I was selected to go on tour with Jackie Clarke, Frankie Stevens and Taisha just to name a few, where I learnt the ropes as the youngest ensemble member ever. That opportunity led to my Lion King audition through Penny Dodd the musical director -- and my connection to the event would see me return every couple of years to perform a couple of numbers. Then five years ago, while I was living in Melbourne, I got the call from Kate Ward-Smythe, the artistic director, asking if I would be the choreographer. I said "yes pleeeeease", and I had to create my own system of running things as I was living in Melbourne. The role involves me inviting groups to audition (via the Coca-Cola website, social media, and print), auditioning all the dancers, picking the dancers, hiring the dancers, allocating performance numbers to the companies and choreographing or blocking all singers so that the show runs smoothly. My location was always going to be difficult -- so the first year I choreographed everything in Melbourne, filmed it all, uploaded it to Dropbox -- sent the choreography to the dancers, and then asked them to watch the videos. Nowadays because I'm so busy doing a million different things -- I usually only choreograph a couple of pieces, hence the title "head choreographer".

Do you still work with Stan Walker? What did you do with him in the past?

Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to work with Stan Walker since 2013. We met on X Factor New Zealand season one, he was a judge and I was the vocal coach.

His mum asked me to come on the New Zealand Inventing Myself Tour, and I said "I'd love to". It was one of the most enjoyable times of my life.

The highlight would definitely be opening for Beyonce with him shortly after the tour in Sydney. I am still speechless. When you tour with an artist, they become family for life -- and Stan will always be my little Tauranga brother.

How often do you come home?

As much as I can. It used to be six times a year roughly -- but work is getting harder to leave. I was just there last week and I took my partner, Jordan, to the Ogo I think it's called, a ball down a hill where we celebrated my niece Jennifer's birthday -- it was amazing. This year I've been home to Rotorua four times.

What do you love about Rotorua?

Um, that it's the BEST place in the entire world. That I can walk down the road and see a friend from Lakes High, or a cousin, or an old teacher -- that I know where everything is -- that I can show off the Polynesian Spa to my mates when they come or Te Puia -- that my beautiful Maori people are everywhere and the thing I love MOST about Rotorua is hearing my name pronounced correctly.

I'm not a hater -- but it does hurt my ears when someone calls me "TA-ROOONGA or TOBLERONE". Yes, that actually happened once.

How have your family helped and influenced who you are today?

I don't know where to start. Wow -- my family. Mum and dad instilled in me from a very young age hard work, respect, and compassion. I believe I am the fierce multi-tasking homebody that I am because I watched my mum come home after cleaning motel rooms, cook us a meal, shower us all, sing with us, then put us to bed. I am the fierce workaholic I am because I watched the way my dad talked to people, treated people with love and kindness and I try to emulate his negotiation and interaction skills everyday.

My six sisters and my brother taught me to look after one another -- and to lean on each other for support. We are not a normal family -- we love and work super hard -- and when times get tough we lean on each other for guidance. For me personally, my sister Tepora has been my rock. On top of her incredible social work requirements -- she still has time to hear me moaning about a contract or a TV show, or a musical I'll be working on, and she brings me back to earth. I would be nowhere if it wasn't for her.

What's in store for you in the future?

I'm honestly not sure. I am one of the lucky ones that has nearly ticked off all his dreams. It depends on whatever presents itself -- but I do have something exciting I've always wanted to start -- and am looking to pursue this venture in 2016. You'll be the first to know if I proceed.