The Kid LAROI perform ‘Stay’ for 2021 ARIA Awards

LAROI closed the ARIAs with a rocking performance of “Stay,” shot live with an exhilarated crowd and full band. The Sydney-born rapper is still a kid, but he’s had the kind of year most grown-ups can only dream of.

Since the turn of 2021, the teenage singer rapper has bagged his first leader on the Billboard 200, and the Billboard Hot 100 with “Stay,” his global hit with Justin Bieber.

The Australian artist whose real name is Charlton Howard also hit No. 1 on the singles and albums charts in his homeland, busting records in the process.

Along with the success, he received full-blown recognition from the music industry. Earlier this month, the Kamilaroi musician snagged his first APRA Music Award for best newcomer, the National Indigenous Music Award for best artist, and he’s shortlisted for best newcomer at the 2022 Grammy Awards. The Kid LAROI won two awards back home in Australia this week, receiving the Best Artist and Best Pop Release honours at the 2021 ARIAs, both for his Justin Bieber collaboration ‘Stay’.

Image Courtesy: Live Nation

“How good is Australian music?” LAROI said when accepting the award for Best Artist. “I feel so blessed and overwhelmed at all the love and support.”

“It’s incredible that I’m getting this much love, especially from home. That means the world to me. Starting this, that’s all I ever wanted to do, was just bring up the culture and show the world how good Australian music was.”

Image Courtesy: HipHopDX

LAROI closed the show with a fantastic performance of “Stay,” shot live with a bouncing crowd and full band.

Backing band in tow, it marked LAROI’s final recorded performance before announcing earlier this month that he’d be embarking on a short hiatus to “take some time away from everything” and focus on his debut album.

Image Courtesy: NME

“Last week I went on a small vacation of the first time in a while. During that time, I started thinking and I made the decision that I need to take some time away from everything and focus on the next project; my debut album,” he added, signalling a short hiatus.

That time away will be fairly brief, however – his first ever world tour will kick off in late January with stops in the US, Europe, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Watch his performance at the 2021 ARIA Awards below.

—Silviya.Y

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