This month Indigenous rapper The Kid Laroi became the youngest solo artist to ever top the ARIA charts.
The 17-year-old’s mixtape project F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) eclipsed a record set by Delta Goodrem, whose 2003 album Innocent Eyes became #1 when she was just 18.
With Delta’s record standing longer than he’s been alive, the teen from Sydney’s Waterloo admitted to KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O show on Wednesday that he wasn’t overly familiar with the singer-songwriter’s catalogue of music.
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Generation divide: Rapper The Kid Laroi, 17, (left) beat Delta Goodrem’s (right) ARIA album record with F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) this month but admits he’s NEVER listened to her songs in an interview with KIIS FM’s Kyle And Jackie O on Wednesday
‘Obviously I know who she [Delta] is, and obviously growing up Australian I grew up hearing that name a lot,’ he told hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson.
‘I don’t know a lot about her music if I’m being completely honest, but I know my mum listens to it and my mum is familiar… but me personally, I never really listened to it, but definitely have huge respect for her,’ he added.
On Sunday, after 28 weeks in the ARIA top 50 album charts, The Kid Laroi’s 2020 release F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) finally reached #1.
‘Personally, I never really listened to it, but definitely have huge respect for her’: The rapper admitted Delta is a ‘household name’ in Australia, but he was never as familiar with her music as his mother was
Throwback! Delta’s debut album Innocent Eyes hit number one on the ARIA album charts in March 2003, when she was 18. Pictured in 2003
Kicking goals! Rapper The Kid Laroi, 17, made history as the youngest artist to top the ARIA charts with his mixtape project F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) in February 2020
‘#1 in my own country. Words cannot describe this feeling’: Indigenous rapper The Kid Laroi – whose real name is Charlton Howard – celebrated the milestone win on Twitter
‘#1 in my own country. Words cannot describe this feeling. Anybody who knows me, knows that where I’m from means everything to me. I’m more than blessed to have my country behind me, and I promise that I won’t let them down,’ he wrote in a series of Tweets.
‘One of my biggest goals in this whole music s**t from the beginning has always been to show the rest of the world what Australia has to offer, and how much raw and unseen talent that we have. It’s not an overnight process, but I can feel it slowly happening.’
The Kid Laroi signed off with: ‘& I’m taking this s**t all the way too. I love you so so so so much family. I cannot thank you enough. Australia to the world.’
Delta’s debut album Innocent Eyes hit #1 on the ARIA Album Charts in March 2003, when she was 18.
Interestingly, her The Voice mentee Harrison Craig came close to beating her record in 2013 with his debut album More Than A Dream.
Harrison was 18 years and 10 months when he earned the top spot on the charts.
‘I cannot thank you enough!’ The Australian rapper thanked all of his fans in his home country for the incredible support that has also seen the album F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) earn ARIA’s gold album accreditation for selling more than 35,000 units
Success: The Kid Laroi was nominated for Breakthrough Artist, Best Male Artist and Best Hip Hop release for F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) at last year’s ARIA Awards
Meanwhile, The Kid Laroi, real name Charlton Howard, has already collaborated with major artists, including OneFour, Machine Gun Kelly, Marshmello, and his late mentor Juice WRLD, who died in 2019.
He was nominated for Breakthrough Artist, Best Male Artist and Best Hip Hop release for F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) at last year’s ARIA Awards.
He also secured two spots in Triple J’s Hottest 100 for 2021 with So Done (#37) and Go feat. Juice WRLD (#60).
The rapper rose to fame in 2018 at the age of 15 as a finalist in the Unearthed High competition for high school musicians by Australian radio station Triple J.
Following his dream: He rose to fame in 2018 at the age of 15 as a finalist in the Unearthed High competition for high school musicians by Australian radio station Triple J
Moving up: After Juice WRLD’S death in late 2019, The Kid Laroi secured a record deal through Grade A with Sony Music, and relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles with his family
In 2019, he opened shows in Sydney and Melbourne for late rapper Juice WRLD, and was later signed by Juice’s managers, Grade A Productions.
After Juice WRLD’S death, The Kid Laroi secured a record deal through Grade A with Sony Music and relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles with his family.
The Kid Laroi is part of the Gomeroi/Kamilaroi/Gamilaroi community of northern inland New South Wales, and his rapper name ‘Laroi’ is in reference to his Indigenous roots.
The Kid Laroi is part of the Gomeroi/Kamilaroi/Gamilaroi community of northern inland New South Wales, and his rapper name ‘Laroi’ is in reference to his Indigenous roots