Young Queen

Author(s): Parris Goebel

Biography & Autobiography | NZ Non Fiction

Crazy. Bold. Fearless.
Parris Goebel was destined to make her mark.
Young Queen is the autobiography of a dancer with a dream . . . a young Polynesian girl who grew up in New Zealand and went on to conquer the hip hop world.
In this honest memoir, Parris Goebel shares the extraordinary story of how she went from high-school dropout to award-winning dancer, choreographer and video director.
At just 19, Parris got her big break choreographing for Jennifer Lopez. She has since worked with some of the biggest stars in music, including Janet Jackson, Rihanna and Justin Bieber, creating his record-breaking video, ‘Sorry.’
A true #girlboss, Parris Goebel is changing the game.
In these pages, Parris reveals the challenges, fears and obstacles she’s faced on her journey and gives fans and readers a backstage look into her life and the lessons she’s learned.
Filled with photos from Parris’s personal collection, on tour and on set, this is a fun and inspiring read for anyone with a dream.
Empowering and motivational, Young Queen has got da juice . . . and you can have it too.
For every book sold $1 will be donated to the organisation Sisters United: www.sistersunited.co.nz



Parris Goebel is a hip hop legend. If you don't know who she is, I advise looking her up on YouTube immediately. I had seen videos of Parris' crew ReQuest dancing before I knew her name - friends would share them on Facebook and we would all be completely amazed that these incredible people - teenagers like us, from New Zealand like us - were winning world titles in hip hop dance. That was nearly ten years ago. She has just kept going from strength to strength, and now, at age 26, she has released a book about her journey so far. The part of that journey when I learned her name - when basically the whole world learned her name - was when the video for Sorry by Justin Bieber was released in 2015. It's her and her crew dancing; it's choreographed, directed and edited by her; and the long story short is that it has had over 2.9 BILLION views on YouTube. She's a big deal.

In Young Queen, Parris talks about the importance of her family, her journey to embracing her Polynesian identity, her unconventional path to success, and all the pitfalls and high points along the way. Reading it feels like you are talking to Parris herself, as her writing is very relaxed, totally genuine and, in many ways, recognisably kiwi. On the other hand, she radiates a kind of confidence that we don't see a lot of in this country - partly because we're often so quick to tear it down. Parris talks candidly about her experience of Tall Poppy Syndrome, and it's a really important part of the book. We can't help but notice that most of the orders we've received so far for this book are actually from overseas, while a lot of people here are saying "who?".

Young people in Aotearoa often turn away from paths they'd love to take before they've even set out - because it's not sensible, because of a lack of opportunity, because it's unrealistic and believing in yourself looks like arrogance. Parris is having none of that, and when she says you can achieve your dreams, she has a practical determination, an understanding of the struggle, a frankness and a track record that will make you actually believe it. It's incredibly inspiring.

This book has really wide appeal - tweens will love it as much as older teenagers, as will any young adult figuring out where they want to go in life. I would especially recommend it for teenagers who aren't such keen readers, as they will find a very relatable and encouraging figure in Parris Goebel.

- Freya and Briana


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Parris has 626,000 followers on Instagram and 220,000 followers on Facebook.
Her book includes photos, anecdotes and quotes from Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez.

Parris Goebel is an internationally recognized, multi-disciplinary artist. She is an award-winning choreographer, dancer, actor, singer and director. Born in New Zealand, and of Samoan descent, Paris founded the acclaimed dance studio, The Palace, with father Brett Goebel, and is known for pioneering the hip-hop dance style Polyswagg.
She has worked with global artists, including Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Derulo, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, and K-pop stars, CL and Taeyang. She has choreographed world tours for Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Janet Jackson. In 2014, she rose to fame after appearing in, choreographing, and directing thirteen music videos for Justin Bieber’s Purpose album, including Sorry, the #3 most viewed video on Youtube. Her Palace dance crews (ReQuest, Bubblegum, Sorority, and The Royal Family) have won eight gold medals at the World Hip Hop Dance Championships, and she has performed with The Royal Family in sold out tours all over Australia, Asia, the US, and Europe.
Parris has been awarded “Best Live Performance of the Year” and “Best Choreographer of the Year” three times by WOD International. Some of her work in television and film includes appearances on the hit Australian dance show, So You Think You Can Dance, the popular American series Dancing with the Stars, the American Music Awards, and the MTV Music Awards. She also appeared in and choreographed scenes for Step Up 5, and directed and co-starred in the film Born to Dance.
Also, a recording artist, Parris recently released the EP, Vicious. Parris is actively involved in Sisters United, the charity she founded with her sisters, Kendal and Narelle, dedicated to mentoring Polynesian women and youth throughout New Zealand.

General Fields

  • : 9780473401283
  • : Mary Egan Publishing
  • : Mary Egan Publishing
  • : March 2018
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Parris Goebel
  • : Paperback, Section sewn
  • : 264 Pages + Cover
  • : B&W Photos throughout + colour section