The Kid LAROI

Born Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard on August 17, 2003, in Waterloo, New South Wales, Australia, The Kid Laroi has rapidly ascended the ranks of the global music scene. Raised alongside his brother Austin Howard, he comes from a family deeply rooted in the music industry. His father, Nick Howard, is a music producer and sound engineer, while his mother, Sloane Howard, was a talent manager and music executive. His maternal great-great-grandfather was part of the Stolen Generation of mixed Aboriginal descent, making him a Gamilaraay man. This ancestral lineage influenced his artistic name "Laroi."

The Kid Laroi's early life was marked by a series of challenges. His parents separated when he was just four years old, leading to a tumultuous upbringing. At times, his mother resorted to selling drugs to make ends meet. The family moved to Broken Hill, New South Wales, where Laroi attended Sacred Heart Parish School. They later returned to Sydney, where he attended the Australian Performing Arts Grammar School on a scholarship but dropped out to focus on his burgeoning music career.

By the age of 11, Howard was already a prolific writer, filling notebooks with rap lyrics. His freestyle videos began to gain traction online, signaling the early promise of a successful career. In 2018, he became a finalist in the Triple J Unearthed competition, a significant milestone that further propelled his career.

His initial foray into music involved recording raps on his mother's phone and uploading them to SoundCloud. He formed a duo called "Dream$Team" with Adelaide rapper DJ Marcus Jr., who mentored him. His talent caught the attention of producer Khaled Rohaim, who helped him secure work writing songs for other artists. In 2017, he signed a development deal with Sony Music Australia.

The pivotal moment in his career came in 2018 when American rapper Juice Wrld toured Australia. Laroi opened for him and performed with him during the tour, gaining significant recognition. In 2019, he signed a contract with Columbia Records and Grade A Productions, which helped popularize his single "Let Her Go." In 2020, he collaborated with Lil Tecca on the single "Diva" and later with Juice Wrld on the single "Go," which became his breakout song.

His debut mixtape, "Fck Love," released in 2020, peaked at number one on the Australian ARIA Charts, making him the youngest Australian solo artist to reach the top of the chart. The mixtape also reached number one on the US Billboard 200. His songs often arise from his real-life experiences and emotions. For instance, he wrote "Tell Me Why" after the death of Juice Wrld, and his mixtape "Fck Love" was inspired by a painful romantic experience.

In 2021, he gained mainstream recognition with his single "Stay," featuring Justin Bieber. The song topped charts in various countries, including the Canadian Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot 100. That same year, he left Grade A Productions and signed a management deal with Scooter Braun. He released a second deluxe version of "Fck Love" titled "Fck Love 3: Over You," featuring guest appearances from Polo G, Stunna Gambino, G Herbo, and Lil Durk.

On October 20, 2023, he released a new single titled "Too Much" in collaboration with BTS member Jung Kook and British rapper Central Cee. The song was released ahead of his debut full-length album "The First Time," which is due out in November 2023. The music video for "Too Much" accumulated 1.6 million views within just 6 hours of its release.

The Kid Laroi has also ventured into acting, making his debut in the A24 film "Y2K" in 2023. He has collaborated with McDonald's in Australia to launch his own meal and has donated $100,000 to a youth service he attended in Waterloo, New South Wales.