The Kid LAROI - A Perfect World Tour

It’s not every day you meet a newly 19-year-old with the confidence to set his sights on rap royalty—and the audacity to actually go for it. Factor in that he’s from Australia, and The Kid LAROI’s meteoric rise feels even more improbable. But after scoring a #1 major label debut, earning multiple platinum records, and racking up millions of streams, the rapper born Charlton is proving that for a new generation of talent, yesterday’s borders aren’t today’s barriers. Anyone, it seems, can make it in America. Born and raised in Sydney—aside from a short stint in the countryside—LAROI grew up with his mother, who is of Aboriginal descent, and his French father. His upbringing was far from glamorous. Raised primarily by his mom and uncle, he spent his early years in a gritty environment. When they weren’t hanging out at The Fact Tree, a local youth center where kids played video games and pool, LAROI and his friends were out on the streets. “We used to just mess around,” he says, describing his childhood with little romanticism. Meanwhile, the adults in his life did what they had to do—often outside the law—to keep food on the table. From a young age, LAROI immersed himself in one of America’s most powerful cultural exports: hip-hop and R&B. He idolized icons like Tupac, Erykah Badu, The Fugees, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West. Making music wasn’t just a dream—it was a calling. He began writing raps as a kid, filling notebooks with lyrics and refining his craft. But it wasn’t until he uploaded freestyle videos online that his talent started gaining traction. “A guy reached out to me on Facebook and offered studio time for free,” LAROI recalls. “I made a bunch of songs and posted them to SoundCloud.” After his uncle’s tragic murder in 2015, LAROI and his mother fell below the poverty line, moving into project housing. Through it all, he doubled down on music. Unapologetically raw and audacious, LAROI’s lyrics reflect his age and lived experiences. His 2020 breakout single “Without You,” with a music video now boasting over 71 million views, showcases his knack for unfiltered storytelling. But beyond his lyrics, it’s his gift for infectious beats and melodic, tightly crafted hooks that has drawn attention from industry heavyweights. His rise accelerated after competing in Australia’s Triple J Radio competition in 2016. The momentum carried him to stages alongside artists like the late Juice WRLD—whom he called a mentor and close friend—and groups like THEY. In 2018, he dropped his debut EP 14 With A Dream, executive-produced by frequent collaborator Miracle, with the standout track “Blessings” helping him build buzz. A viral freestyle over Drake’s Tay Keith-produced “Nonstop” only added fuel to his ascent. “It’s really what I’ve always imagined... I always knew it was bigger than that,” LAROI says of his crossover success. With his most recent EP FCK LOVE 3 (OVER YOU)* debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and his smash hit “Stay” spending six of its 17 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, The Kid LAROI has firmly planted himself in the global spotlight. And he’s just getting started. “I love everything I make. I take music super seriously, and I look at it as art,” says the teenage phenomenon. With undeniable self-belief and a track record to match, LAROI—against all odds—is making it easy for the rest of the world to believe in him too.