The 'Stay' artist spoke with ET about his new documentary, 'Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About a Kid Named LAROI.'
The Kid LAROI is taking fans on his journey to stardom over the past few years with a new documentary about his career, which will also reveal more about his personal life and his outlook on the world.
The 20-year-old Australian artist recently spoke with ET's Denny Directo about his forthcoming doc -- Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About a Kid Named LAROI -- and the "support" and advice he's gotten from some of his famous friends.
"It's kind of like a recap of the past four years," he said of the film, adding that making the doc involved him putting a lot of himself onto film. "It's like you're sharing pieces of things that are a little personal [as well as] vulnerable moments."
"It’s just cool to look back at everything," he added. "I just wanted to make music ever since I was a little kid. I always knew that I wanted to do that for the rest of my life. [And] all I wanna do is make good music and have good people around me."
He's certainly found some good people to keep around him -- including Justin Bieber, with whom he recorded the hit single, "Stay," in 2021. In the new doc, fans get to see the first time Bieber called him to talk about a collaboration -- and he was in the shower.
"I knew he was gonna call me at some point because he asked me for my number," LAROI recalled. "I sent it to him, so I was kind of waiting and I think I had just finished playing basketball or something and I was like, 'I'm gonna hop in the shower,' and I heard the ring, and I knew it [was him.] I was like, 'F**k!' I knew it, and so I was really excited."
Getting to work with Bieber, 29, had a big impact on LAROI -- not just in regard to his career, but in the way he looked at his own journey and relationship with fame.
"Just being around him and who he is as a person is really inspiring," he shared. "He's been through so much and had so much learning experience and he's just really a special person. He has a really cool perspective on life and he's always been very honest and vulnerable with me, and he always encourages me."
LAROI was equally effusive when it came to his friendship with Post Malone.
"He's a very, very sweet guy and when you're around infectious energy like that, around people who are so honest and nice and welcoming, it does change your whole [outlook]," said LAROI, who features on Malone's 2022 track, "Wasting Angels."
"It makes you feel really happy, it makes you wanna pass it on," he continued. "So he's always really sweet and just being around his energy makes me wanna be better."
Whether it's hanging out with Bieber or Malone -- or spending time with Tate McRae -- LAROI explained that there's a connection with other artists that is unlike any other friendship he could have.
"It is a very specific feeling or thing that you go through... not many people would know unless you're just doing it," he said. "So it's cool to be able to have people who are able to go through [it] and also just be super cool and welcoming and open."
That bond -- along with the isolation and emotional turbulence that can come with fame at a young age, as well as just the anxiety of youth in general -- are all elements that play a role in his documentary.
"The goal of this documentary was to hopefully inspire people and let people know that whatever they might be going through, they're not alone in it, you know?" he shared. "We're in this together, you know? I think that's the important thing."
"It's important to see other people being vulnerable, especially when we get to have platforms and stuff," LAROI added. "We wanna show people what it is to be vulnerable and open and honest and stuff like that."
Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About a Kid Named LAROI will be out Feb. 29 on Prime Video.
RELATED CONTENT:
