The Kid Laroi recalls heartbreak with sophomore album ‘Before I Forget’

Recommended Tracks: “PRIVATE”, “NEVER CAME BACK”, “BACK WHEN YOU WERE MINE”
Artists You Might Like: Juice WRLD, iann dior, charlieonnafriday

Three years and one scrapped album later, The Kid Laroi delivers his most vulnerable project yet. Seeped in sorrow, BEFORE I FORGET is, point-blank, a breakup album. It blends hip-hop, R&B, and pop, with features from Australian producer and artist Lithe as well as bedroom pop musician Clara La San. Working alongside Andrew Aged (Mk.gee, FKA Twigs), Laroi explores themes of heartbreak, regret, and life without the person it used to revolve around.

At only 22, Laroi has cemented his place in the hip-hop and pop worlds, building on 2023’s THE FIRST TIME, his Billboard-topping collaboration “Stay” with Justin Bieber, and standout solo tracks like “GIRLS” and “NIGHTS LIKE THIS.” The first hints of a new album appeared via a cryptic Instagram story revealing the album’s title, followed by the release of “A COLD PLAY,” the album’s lead single.

BEFORE I FORGET expands on the fracture of a relationship, acceptance, and closure. Leaning heavily into an 80s-inspired synth sound mingled with early 2000s R&B influences, the project brings a new intimacy that the singer-songwriter calls “my favorite thing I’ve ever made.”

The Kid Laroi first asks “What happened to the things we planned?” in “ME + YOU,” an opener sonically reminiscent of The Weeknd’s “Tell Your Friends,” setting a reflective and longing tone for the remainder of the album. He remembers the last time he held and comforted his partner in “JULY,” explaining “They gas you up and give you seven different reasons to hate me.” It is here that he introduces – and frequently refers to – the public and media as “they.” This theme surfaces in the album’s standout track three, “PRIVATE.” With its shining chorus and infectious melody, it’s easy to forget that the song revolves around a fractured relationship.

“COME DOWN” takes the 80s synths from its previous song and amplifies them, folding seamlessly into “RATHER BE feat. Lithe,” which includes a direct lyrical callback to “Sports Car.” The tempo change before Lithe’s feature keeps the song dynamic, even if the vocals feel slightly muddled. With a chord progression borrowed from 3 Doors Down, “5:21 AM” becomes side A’s stripped, unexpected acoustic ending, centered around the question “Can we just get through the night?” a subtle twist on the idea of “never going to bed angry.”

Lead single “A COLD PLAY,” originally released in September, comes back biting, expressing emotional exhaustion captured in the refrain “fix you, fix you, fix you.” Clara La San’s vocals in “THE MOMENT” complement the early 90s R&B sonics, offering a brief sense of relief as Laroi admits “You make it all okay, hold me through the night,” before the album drifts into the sweeping acceptance of “NEVER CAME BACK.”

Said to be the only track from the original album, “I’M SO IN LOVE WITH YOU” might feel out of place; however, it adds a brightness to a largely somber second half. The album’s closer encapsulates the genres explored throughout the project, blending shimmering synths and twinkles with acoustic elements. Laroi’s vocal and melodic rapping appear while staying true to the 80s and early 2000s R&B influences. “BACK WHEN YOU WERE MINE” reflects on how everything feels different when you are together; defending your partner’s rights and wrongs while sacrificing parts of yourself in the process.

The Kid Laroi acknowledges that, with the relationship now over, there is no one left to defend, signaling a quiet but complete acceptance. In stark contrast to THE FIRST TIME, BEFORE I FORGET pulls at broken heartstrings, ultimately leaving Laroi once love-struck and now emotionally strung out.