It is one thing for an artist to write catchy and relatable songs that fans can play on repeat for hours. But for an artist to impact a new listener with their raw, emotional play on words and storytelling requires the authenticity and dedication that The Kid LAROI poured into his sophomore album. Released on Jan. 9, “BEFORE I FORGET” takes listeners on the emotional rollercoaster of loving and letting go in just 15 tracks.
Unlike his debut album, “BEFORE I FORGET” displays a more emotional and intimate version of LAROI instead of his usual playful and upbeat lyrics. In fact, due to his sudden breakup with Tate McRae, he had almost released a different album before entirely rewriting it in the span of four months.
Right away, the aspect of “BEFORE I FORGET” that drew me to the album is the amount of emotion LAROI is able to express in his voice. In addition to his unique music style, LAROI uses vulnerable storytelling, taking me on a journey that I could slowly piece together while listening to each song.
In “RATHER BE,” LAROI, fresh out of a relationship, handles the absence of someone he still loves by drowning everything out. His classic style of R&B is accompanied by layered synth music and repetitive beats that especially stand out when he utilizes rap.
He then intertwines the laid-back vibe of his music with deep lyrics such as “It’s safe to say I will never be the same.” As LAROI sings about knowing his relationship was broken but still longing for his lover again, he draws listeners to sympathize with him and carry the emotional weight of the song.
Meanwhile, “MAYBE I’M WRONG,” provides closure to the entire album. With soft yet powerful piano chords and vulnerable lyrics that touched my heart, this song has been the one stuck inside my head ever since I first listened to it.
As LAROI welcomes transparency, I realized that moving on can be more important than someone’s pride, adding a bittersweet ending to the album. His incredibly powerful words about acceptance add to the complexity of his work and make “MAYBE I’M WRONG” one of the highlights of the album.
However, one detail that could improve LAROI’s album is rearranging the songs to be in chronological order of the story he is conveying. While I was listening to the entire album, I had to piece together songs from different parts of the album to figure out its overall journey. Although seemingly small, this could take his album to another level.
Not only does “BEFORE I FORGET” now set the standard for LAROI’s future songs, but raises the bar for the depth an album can convey. And as someone who assumed LAROI to be a stereotypical one-dimensional artist, I was immediately proven wrong. With hypnotizing lyrics and moving honesty, his work hugely exceeded my expectations and introduced me to one of the most moving pieces of music I know.
