Stratford mum finds voice in Oz

If you thought you recognised one of the stars performing on Australia's The Voice currently screening on television in New Zealand, you might have seen her about town or even have met her over a cuppa.

Paula Parore, Stratford mum, left New Zealand five years ago with her three girls, Janaya, now 19, Cheyenne 16 and Portia, 11, for a brighter future in Australia.

The Stratford Press caught up with Paula over the internet, and the 36-year-old says she is still in close contact with her friends in Stratford, having lived here since the age of 5. Mum and dad, Joan and Parata Parore, her eldest daughter and sister, Nora Parore, she says are still very active members in the community in Stratford.

``My weekends when I was younger and even older consisted of netball and rugby. Stratford Rugby Club was where our ties were. I worked at Riverlands and Fonterra many years ago.

``I never really sang when I was younger, more just for fun than anything. I was always too shy when it came to that _ not a shy person in life but with my music definitely.''

She says moving to Perth was one of the hardest things she ever did.

``We came here because I needed a fresh start in life. To leave all I loved was heartbreaking but I knew I needed to try something new and not just be complacent with life as it was.''

She says back home she didn't have any aspiration to be a singer.

``I found the talent that was already there was something I couldn't compete with, so I didn't even bother; just random nights at karaoke was as far as I went.

``I did win the very first Taranaki Idol. That was such a buzz. Before I left New Zealand I caught up with two friends, Ash Haimona and Aidan Morrell, and they invited me to sing with them at the Festival of Lights in New Plymouth the night before I flew out to Australia. I can thank these two boys for lighting the fire within me to want to sing in public.

``My singing started here in Perth probably three years ago when I was at a work function and my friends asked the band if I could sing a song with them. So I sang my first song Give me one reason by Tracy Chapman in front of 800 colleagues from work and they went nuts.''

Later, Paula was runner-up in a TV singing reality show, Perth Star, then created her own band, Decadent Soul.

``From this band we created a branch-off trio that we called Box Party. This is with my husband Clayton Petera, [who she married in February], and my cousin David Taogaga.''

Paula says she will be in Australia for a few more years - to finish what she has to do, but that she still calls Taranaki home.-->-->-->-->-->