The Kid LAROI's Ready For (Another) Homecoming

When asked about his recent trips back to Australia from the U.S., musical superstar The Kid LAROI opens with the same statement as any Aussie who’s done the arduous flying route: “It’s one hell of a flight.”

LAROI’s been living in the U.S. for a few years, and he doesn’t take the chance to come home for granted. “Every time I come back—I just came back for SXSW Sydney, and I was only in the country for 24 hours—it’s worth every second of it. I love getting home whenever I can. It’s tough sometimes because of work. But, I mean, I feel like it grounds me in a way that I haven’t really found anything else [in the U.S.] does in the same way.

The 21-year-old has redefined what it means to be a rapper from Australia, though, by now, he’s expanded his sonic palette to become chameleonic. His debut album, THE FIRST TIME, is proof of his musical expansion in recent years and includes balladry, rock-esque anthems, and even a feature from trap alchemist Future on “WHAT’S THE MOVE?”

The global success of acts like ONEFOUR, Lithe, and LAROI himself was long considered a pipe dream, until it happened. He’s helped close the figurative gap between Australian artists and the rest of the world, and is inspiring the rest of the scene to reach for more. From being championed early on by tastemaking platforms like triple j Unearthed and AUD’$, to being welcomed under the wing of the late Juice WRLD and signing to Sony Music/Columbia Records—LAROI’s packed more into his 21 years on Earth than most will manage in a lifetime. He’s collaborated with global superstars like the ever-prolific YoungBoy Never Broke Again, K-Pop superstar Jung Kook, and SoundCloud hero Corbin, and played packed-out shows and festivals across the globe.

LAROI is in a reflective mood throughout his chat with Complex. Looking back at his year, he says, “I’ve done some childhood dreams. The NRL Grand Final was a big one for me. It’s the first one that comes to mind. It was a humongous opportunity. I went to Bora Bora for vacation too, which was fucking awesome. I’d say those two things have been the two highlights of my year, for sure.”

The move to the U.S. helped him take the necessary steps towards superstardom. Nevertheless, he’s kept a keen eye on the growth of Australia’s music scene, and he’s heartened by what he’s been seeing. Comparing and contrasting Australia and America’s music scenes, he says, “Obviously the sound is different. But I think there’s more access out here than back home to a wider range of facilities and different people. The scenes in the U.S. are much more built out. I think the cool thing about back home is that there’s a lot of growth that’s happening, and that’s something I’m pretty proud of.

“Even since five years ago when I relocated to America, just seeing how much the scene back home has grown has been really awesome. And there’s just so much potential for it to keep growing and blossoming. I do think that one day we can get to a place where we’re at the rate [of] whatever’s going on out here.”

LAROI is just about to touch back down in Australia and embark on the home leg of his THE FIRST TIME tour. Playing shows in Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, and Perth, he’ll be supported by Quavo and Australian drill titans ONEFOUR, who are closely connected with LAROI. He's excited for them to warm up the stage for him, saying, “It’s really dope to see them finally be able to just step out and do their thing because they’re so fucking good at it.”

ONEFOUR have official billing this time, but on LAROI’s first Australian tour in 2022, they made a surprise appearance during his second show at QUDOS Bank Arena in Sydney. Playing shows under the END OF THE WORLD banner, it was a victory lap, but one that didn’t go off without a hitch. Forced to postpone a pair of Melbourne shows due to illness, he hasn’t had the best luck coming back home, with the Australian leg of THE FIRST TIME tour previously pushed back from February to November.

When asked what’s changed since his last Australian performances, he says, “It’s funny. That was my first tour, my first official headline tour ever, and I just kind of got thrown into arenas. It was great, but I think now I’m much more prepared and ready. I think this show is a lot more dynamic and has a lot more depth than the last one did. A lot more preparation has gone into it. It’s just a way better show in every aspect, to be honest.”

He’ll be showing off songs from both THE FIRST TIME and its deluxe edition, which features an expanded version of “NIGHTS LIKE THIS,” the hip-shaking “GIRLS,” and the Player-sampling “BABY I’M BACK.” Together, THE FIRST TIME’s tracklist captures LAROI at his most authentic; stripped-back slow-burners like "BLEED" might not have reached the same chart heights as his smash hit “STAY,” but across the record, there’s rarely a moment that feels forced.

LAROI set out to listen to himself as much as possible when making THE FIRST TIME, and his confidence in the project is palpable. If you look at social media, though, you could have forgiven him for giving in to outside voices when crafting his debut album. He’s developed a particularly vocal fanbase, who are often calling for the release of grails (a term used in the leak community for highly anticipated tracks). Discussing the construction of THE FIRST TIME’s tracklist, he says he’s found a balance he’s happy with. “Ultimately, I don’t do anything unless it feels right to me anymore,” he says. “I went through a period where I listened to other people around me a lot, and I put a lot more trust into people’s opinions than my own. If I remember anything good that’s happened for me, it’s usually been because it was my own opinion, and oftentimes, I’ve just learned that following my opinion and my gut is always best, because the only person I can blame when something goes wrong or right is myself.

“And that’s the best feeling, knowing that I made a decision and I didn’t rely on somebody else, or I didn’t trust somebody else. I think just instinctually trusting myself every time is something that’s become a really big thing for me." While he still considers what fans in particular have to say, ultimately, if something doesnt feel right, LAROI isn't doing it.

When asked about truly believing in his music, LAROI gets philosophical. “People forget as well, it’s not just about putting out the record, right? It’s about going out there and like promoting it and touring it and telling people that it’s fucking good,” he begins. “I don’t want to go out there and be telling people something’s good if I don’t believe it’s good, right? Or, I don’t want to be out here performing stuff that I don’t even fucking like. I think that defeats the whole reward system of being an artist. You want to feel rewarded for your work, and that doesn’t always necessarily mean statistics or, you know, financial gain.

As for his thoughts on the most rewarding part of being an artist? Again—it comes down to being proud of one’s work. “One day, when we all leave this Earth, the only thing that we as artists will have is what we put out into the world. That’s what you want to be proud of. All the other stuff is going to get lost in time and forgotten.

“The things that stick are ‘Is the music good? ‘Is the record cover good?’ ‘Is the music video good?’”