The Kid LAROI

About The Kid LAROI

The Kid LAROI went from posting SoundCloud tracks in Sydney to becoming one of the biggest pop stars on the planet before he could legally drink in the US. Born Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard in 2003, he grew up in Waterloo, a rough part of Sydney, before moving around New South Wales with his mother and uncle. His stage name came from the Kamilaroi people, his mother's Indigenous heritage.

He started making music young, really young. By his early teens, he was already working with local producers and posting tracks online. The turning point came when he met Juice WRLD during the rapper's Australian tour in 2018. Juice took him under his wing, brought him to LA, and signed him to Grade A Productions. That mentorship shaped his sound—that blend of emo rap melancholy and pop punk energy that would define his breakout work.

His early mixtapes showed promise, but "F*ck Love" in 2020 was the one that changed everything. It dropped when he was 16 and became the highest-charting debut project by an Australian artist on the Billboard 200. Songs like "WITHOUT YOU" showcased his ability to channel heartbreak into hooks that stuck in your head for days. The remix with Miley Cyrus only amplified its reach, hitting the top five in multiple countries.

Then came "STAY" with Justin Bieber in 2021. The track was everywhere—TikTok, radio, streaming playlists, your mom's workout mix. It spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the defining pop songs of the early 2020s. Suddenly he wasn't just a promising kid anymore. He was playing festivals, doing arena shows, getting co-signs from everyone.

"F*ck Love 3: Over You" arrived in 2021, expanding on the themes and sound that made him famous. Tracks like "STAY" and "NOT SOBER" leaned further into pop punk territory, while songs like "GO" featuring Juice WRLD reminded fans where he came from. The project went platinum multiple times over and cemented his transition from rap adjacent artist to full blown pop star.

He's been in album mode since, teasing his proper debut LP for what feels like forever. The singles have kept coming—"TELL ME WHY," "A THOUSAND MILES" with his girlfriend at the time. His sound keeps evolving, pulling from whatever feels right rather than staying locked into one lane. Some fans miss the rawer emo rap days, others are fine with the pop pivot.

Now he's in that weird spot where he's massive but still figuring out who he wants to be as an artist. He's moved to LA full time, works with the biggest producers in the game, and navigates the pressure of following up a career defining hit. Still only in his early twenties.

His shows skew young and high-energy, with crowds that know every word. LAROI commits physically to performances, moving constantly rather than posturing. The energy is less mosh pit and more collective singalong—people genuinely care about the lyrics. Sets feel intimate despite venue size.

Known for WITHOUT YOU, STAY, GO, TELL ME WHY, A THOUSAND MILES

See The Kid LAROI Live