Prison was life-changing for him and besides a driving offence Brider had remained clear of convictions since his release.
"I grew up in there. I was a teenager when I went in and I came out a man. I was in the Maori Focus Unit for the last two and a half years and that really spun my perspective," he said.
"All my mates were thieves growing up and everyone got up to shit. No one believed I was Maori because of my white skin. It wasn't till I went to the Maori Focus Unit I found out what being a Maori actually meant."
Brider has family in Wairarapa and was today in occasional contact with only one of his three co-offenders, his brother-in-law, but had not spoken or associated with the other two "for a while, for a long time".
"I don't contact them. There's no need anymore. What happened is not me. It's something that happened but it doesn't define who I am."
He married in Wairarapa a year ago and about the same time landed a job at a Masterton service station, where a constant flow of customers were yesterday wishing him well in his X Factor bid.
Brider said in a background piece for his appearance on X Factor that Jeremy Frew was his friend.
"I met some dudes and we went to a bonfire ... there was a commotion with two of them and one of them stabbed the other one and he ended up passing away, who was also my friend, the guy that died.
"So we got jointly charged for it and I went to prison for six years."
In a statement following controversy over Brider's appearance on the talent show on Tuesday night, TV3 said Brider had "disclosed his criminal record when he entered The X Factor NZ and as a standard part of the process a police check was run.
Jeremy Frew's mother, Donna Travers, said the family should have been notified the episode was going to air and ensured the facts were told correctly.
"It's devastating for us, it revictimises us. My sister and my daughter were watching it and they had no idea it was going to be on.
"What really got to us the most was that he said Jeremy was his friend. That was the worst thing that guy could have said. My son was scared of him and his mates and he said it on the day he was killed."
Brider performed a reggae version of the song The Real Slim Shady by Eminem on the show and said his "song choice nailed it". The show judges agreed and he will go on to the X Factor bootcamp.
Brider debuted as a solo performer in Masterton in 2011 and had since performed numerous times in a duo and founded the roots reggae band Th@sus.
He infrequently plays songs he penned himself and had recorded some original tunes at home. Brider was performing at King Street Live in Masterton on Saturday.
"This town has given me an opportunity to live how I should. Since the jail sentence I used to get so far then there's another wall put there, and then again and then again and then again. Today it's just another wall to tear down.
"I don't need to be reminded by headlines and stuff about what happened.
"I know what I did and all I need from the public is support.
"I'm not looking for pity or forgiveness, just support."
