The Kid Laroi’s music industry warning for young artists at SXSW

Australian global star The Kid Laroi issued a stern warning for young artists to “f…ing run” from music industry svengalis who try to promise them success.

Australian global star The Kid Laroi warned young artists to “f…ing run” from music industry svengalis who promised them success at his keynote speech at SXSW Sydney on Saturday.

The 21-year-old hip hop and pop phenomenon, whose music has generated more than 11 billion streams on Spotify alone since he broke onto the charts worldwide in 2020, said anyone who told artists they knew the secret to success was lying.

“If anybody in this audience is an artist and someone comes to you tomorrow and says ‘Hey, you listen to everything I tell you and I’m gonna make you the biggest thing in the world, f…ing run, because it’s not true, it doesn’t exist,” he said.

“I’m still learning through everything but the one thing I do know is there is no formula and there is no big secret as to how to be successful or how to do things…it’s about finding people you are aligned with.”

The Kid Laroi at the SXSW Blak future showcase. Picture Thomas Lisson

Laroi shared Justin Bieber remains his closest confidante. The pair claimed the summit of the global charts with their 2021 hit Stay, which has more than than three billion streams and is the eighth most played song in Spotify history.

Flanked by longtime friends and collaborators who have been by his side since he was 14 - hip hop artist Nooky and producers Dopamine and Keanu Beats - Laroi said it had been vital to have peers as mentors for an artist who had launched their career as a teen.

Bieber has also been credited for looking out for Billie Eilish when she achieved stratospheric success and fame.

The Laroi Kid Laroi at the SXSW Blak future showcase. Picture Thomas Lisson

“Another person I wanted to highlight today…maybe a lot of people don’t understand how much of a good leader and mentor he is but Justin Bieber, especially in the past couple of years since meeting and (living) in Los Angeles,” Laroi said.

“Not a lot of people have experienced what he’s experienced and I know I certainly haven’t, I’ve experienced a small part of it, and he’s been a super big help to me.

“For me, I always know when I have a question or when I’m confused about something, I find he’s probably the first person I go and speak to.”

The Kid Laroi at the SXSW Blak future showcase. Picture Thomas Lisson

Laroi said it took two and a half years to complete his debut album The First Time after Stay exploded around the world because of outside pressures to replicate its success.

“When Stay happened, I was very confused because anybody who might be familiar with some of my records before that, that was the only song that I had out that was like that,” he said.

“It became this thing where I was like ‘Alright, do I have to make records like this now? If I still make my other stuff, are people still going to like it?’

“And then you have the pressure of everybody coming and being like “What’s the new single? How big is your next song going to be? Can it compete with that one?

“Having that in your brain while creating, you almost forget you got to this place by trusting your musical instincts.”

Laroi and Nooky then hosted a SXSW Sydney showcase at Darling Harbour called Blak Future, highlighting up and coming First Nations artists Riah, Rox Lavi, Yung Brother and Willy J and The Chaz.

Originally published as The Kid Laroi’s music industry warning for young artists at SXSW