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The First Time (The Kid Laroi album)

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The First Time
Studio album by
the Kid Laroi
Released10 November 2023 (2023-11-10)
GenrePop rap[1]
Length51:30
LabelColumbia
Producer
The Kid Laroi chronology
F*ck Love
(2020) 		The First Time
(2023)
Singles from The First Time
  1. "Love Again"
    Released: 27 January 2023
  2. "Kids Are Growing Up (Part 1)"
    Released: 10 February 2023
  3. "Where Does Your Spirit Go?"
    Released: 21 April 2023
  4. "Too Much"
    Released: 20 October 2023
  5. "What Just Happened"
    Released: 27 October 2023
  6. "Bleed"
    Released: 3 November 2023
  7. "What's the Move?"
    Released: 8 November 2023
Singles from The First Time (Deluxe Version)
  1. "Heaven"
    Released: 26 January 2024
  2. "Girls"
    Released: 28 June 2024
  3. "Baby I'm Back"
    Released: 27 September 2024

The First Time (stylized in all caps) is the debut studio album by Australian rapper and singer the Kid Laroi. It was released on 10 November 2023 through Columbia, with the deluxe edition being released on 9 August 2024. The album contains guest appearances from Jungkook, Central Cee, Future, BabyDrill, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Robert Glasper, and D4vd. The deluxe edition adds an additional guest appearance from Lil Yachty. Production was handled by FnZ, Parisi, Omer Fedi, Blake Slatkin, Bnyx, F1lthy, Emile Haynie, Clams Casino, Michael Uzowuru, Shellback, Cirkut, Louis Bell, and Mk.gee, among others.[2]

The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the National Indigenous Music Awards 2024.[3] At the 2024 J Awards, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year.[4]

At the 2024 ARIA Music Awards, the album was nominated for Best Hip Hop/Rap Release and earned Laroi a nomination for Best Solo Artist.[5]

Background and release

[edit]

In January 2022, Laroi first revealed the then-potential title of the album before referring to it as Kids Are Growing Up in March.[6] On 12 January 2023, Laroi posted an album trailer on YouTube, first teasing the album title and announcing the lead single "Love Again".[7] To release "the best music possible", he had "to take some time away from everything".[8] The era officially kicked off on 19 January with a 95-second intro song "I Can't Go Back to the Way It Was (Intro)", which did not end up on the final tracklist.[9] In an interview with Billboard in February, he explained that his debut was born out of "little ideas" and distanced himself from his previous mixtape F*ck Love 3, calling it "immature" and "a heat of the moment statement".[10] On 2 August, after four months of silence on the project, he announced that the album was finished, except for mixing and mastering.[11] He referred to the record as "the best music" he had ever made up to that point, and mentioned a short film accompanying the album release.[12] The rapper and singer reassured fans of The First Time being his best work in an official announcement post of the album on 25 October, following the release of the single "Too Much" with Jungkook and Central Cee.[13] Laroi shared the album tracklist on 1 November in an Instagram post.[14] The album's deluxe edition was released on 9 August 2024.[15]

Singles

[edit]

The lead single of the album, "Love Again", was released on 27 January 2023.[16] The second single, "Kids Are Growing Up (Part 1)", was released on 10 February 2023.[17] The third single, "Where Do Your Spirit Go?", was released on 21 April 2023.[18] The fourth single, "Too Much", a collaboration with South Korean singer Jungkook and British rapper Central Cee, was released on 20 October 2023.[19] The fifth single, "What Just Happened", was released exactly a week later.[20] The sixth single, "Bleed", was released exactly a week after that.[21] The seventh and final single, "What's the Move?", a collaboration with American rappers Future and BabyDrill, was released on 8 November 2023, two days before the album was released.[22]

On 26 January 2024, "Heaven" was released as the first single for the album's deluxe edition.[23] On 28 June 2024, the deluxe edition's second single, "Girls", was released.[24] "Baby I'm Back" was sent to Italian radio stations as the deluxe edition's third single on 27 September 2024.[25] The single "Thousand Miles", released on 22 April 2022, is also included on the deluxe edition.

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic58/100[26]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[27]
The Guardian[28]
NME[1]
Slant Magazine[29]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, The First Time received "mixed or average reviews" based on a weighted average score of 58 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.[26] According to Slant, "The First Time features some of his weakest hooks to date and a slew of songs that are so unsatisfyingly short so as to feel half-finished."[29]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In Australia, The First Time debuted at number three on the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming Laroi's second top-three entry, following F*ck Love.[30] It became his second top-40 album in the United Kingdom, entering the UK Albums Chart at number 29.[31]

Track listing

[edit]
The First Time track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Sorry"
3:12
2."Bleed"
  • Fedi
  • Slatkin
2:49
3."I Thought That I Needed You"
2:51
4."Where Do You Sleep?"
  • C. Howard
  • Mulé
  • De Boni
  • Fedi
  • Slatkin
  • Dylan Cleary-Krell
  • Dylan Teixeira
  • Austin Howard
  • Anthony Hester
  • FnZ
  • Fedi
  • Slatkin
  • Dopamine
  • Dez Wright
  • Nami
  • Auz the Kid
3:12
5."Too Much" (with Jungkook and Central Cee)
3:23
6."Tear Me Apart"
  • C. Howard
  • John Cunningham
Cunningham1:54
7."Strangers (Interlude)"C. Howard 0:25
8."Nights Like This"
Clams Casino1:26
9."What's the Move?" (with Future and BabyDrill)
  • C. Howard
  • Nayvadius Wilburn
  • DelQuristo Wilson
  • Mulé
  • De Boni
  • Zito
  • G. Parisi
  • M. Parisi
  • Mickey de Grand IV
  • Gerard Ferrer
  • FnZ
  • Dopamine
  • Parisi
  • De Grand
3:19
10."Strangers Pt. 2 (Interlude)"
  • C. Howard
  • Bieber
 0:43
11."Call Me Instead" (featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Robert Glasper)
  • Uzowuru
  • Fedi
  • Slatkin
  • Bock
3:17
12."Deserve You"
  • C. Howard
  • Sampha Sisay
  • Mulé
  • De Boni
  • Zito
  • Keanu Torres
  • Andrew Franklin
  • FnZ
  • Dopamine
  • Keanu Beats
  • Pro Logic
2:37
13."What Went Wrong???"
  • C. Howard
  • Saint Fort
  • Graham Jonson
  • Bnyx
  • Quickly, Quickly
  • Nicco Catalano[v]
2:37
14."The Line" (with D4vd)
  • Fedi
  • Wiggins
2:32
15."What Just Happened"
2:42
16."You"
2:16
17."Love Again"
2:26
18."Where Does Your Spirit Go?"
3:25
19."You Never Forget Your First Time..."
  • C. Howard
  • A. Howard
  • Walsh
  • TJ Mizell
  • Elisha Herbert
 2:04
20."Kids Are Growing Up"
4:20
Total length:51:30
Deluxe version additional tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Baby I'm Back"
2:51
2."Stick with Me"
  • Dopamine
  • Khaled Rohaim
2:32
3."Pick Sides"
  • C. Howard
  • Walsh
  • Haynie
  • Fedi
  • Omer Fedi
  • Emile Haynie
2:52
4."Nights Like This Pt 2"
  • C. Howard
  • Zito
  • Volpe
  • Clams Casino
  • Dopamine
2:46
5."Hatred" (featuring Lil Yachty)
  • C. Howard
  • Miles McCollum
  • Brandon Mitchell
  • Gentuar Memishi
  • George Hunter
  • Shakir Givens
  • Spencer Jewesson
  • Lil Yachty
  • GENT!
  • MitchGoneMad
  • Snubnose Frankenstein
  • WessGoneMad
2:52
6."Girls"
  • C. Howard
  • Alexander Izquierdo
  • Jason Cornet
  • Jon Bellion
  • Pete Nappi
  • Chahayed
2:32
7."Thousand Miles"
  • C. Howard
  • Andrew Wotman
  • Walsh
  • Bell
  • Andrew Watt
  • Louis Bell
2:44
8."Heaven"
  • C. Howard
  • Walsh
  • Slatkin
  • Bell
  • Fedi
  • Omer Fedi
  • Blake Slatkin
2:54
Total length:73:33

Notes

  • ^[p] signifies a primary and vocal producer.
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.
  • ^[v] signifies a vocal producer.

Sample credits

  • "Sorry" contains samples of "That's Love", written by Khadi Jon Anwar, and performed by Sugar Hill, and "Takes a Little Time", written and performed by Tommy McGee.
  • "I Thought I Needed You" contains a sample of "Pictures", written and performed by Dave Dust.
  • "Deserve You" contains a sample of "Can't Get Close", written and performed by Sampha.
  • "You" contains a sample of "Can We", written by Jim-E Stack, Kacy Hill and Micah Gordon, and performed by Stack and Hill.

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

  • The Kid Laroi – lead vocals
  • Marco Parisi – keyboards, programming (tracks 1, 9)
  • Giampaolo Parisi – programming, synthesizer (tracks 1, 9)
  • Omer Fedi – guitar (tracks 2, 11, 15, 17); keyboards (2, 5, 11); bass guitar, programming (tracks 2, 15, 17), drums (2), synthesizer (5, 15, 17), strings (5), piano (10)
  • Blake Slatkin – programming (track 2, 15), keyboards (2), bass guitar (5); guitar, synthesizer (15)
  • Jasper Harris – keyboards, strings (track 5)
  • John Cunningham – guitar, piano (track 6)
  • Justin Bieber – writer (5), vocals (track 10)
  • Ely Rise – bass guitar, keyboards (track 11)
  • Robert Glasper – piano (track 11)
  • Ryley Ladd – vocals (track 11)
  • Shellback – bass guitar, drums, guitar, programming, synthesizer (track 15)
  • Cirkut – programming, synthesizer (track 17)
  • Austin Howard – vocals (track 19)
  • Billy Walsh – vocals (track 19)
  • Elisha Herbert – vocals (track 19)
  • TJ Mizell – vocals (track 19)

Technical

  • Randy Merrill – mastering
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing (tracks 1, 3, 4, 9, 12)
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (tracks 2, 5, 16–18, 20)
  • Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (tracks 6, 14)
  • Antonio Zito – mixing (track 8), engineering (tracks 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 12)
  • Graham Cruser – mixing (track 13)
  • Nicco Catalano – mixing (track 13)
  • Blake Slatkin – engineering (tracks 4, 15)
  • Eric Manco – engineering (track 9)
  • Omer Fedi – engineering (track 15)
  • Shellback – engineering (track 15)
  • Jeremy Daniels – engineering assistance (track 13)
  • Bryce Bordone – engineering assistance (tracks 15, 17)

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for The First Time
Chart (2023–2024) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[32] 3
Australian Hip Hop/R&B Albums (ARIA)[33] 1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[34] 50
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[35] 16
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[36] 19
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[37] 30
French Albums (SNEP)[38] 165
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[39] 65
Irish Albums (OCC)[40] 33
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[41] 7
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[42] 3
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[43] 129
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[44] 78
UK Albums (OCC)[45] 29
US Billboard 200[46] 24

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for The First Time
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[47] Gold 40,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[48] Gold 7,500‡
United States (RIAA)[49] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Smith, Thomas (10 November 2023). "The Kid Laroi – 'The First Time' review: rapper reflects on his rapid rise". NME. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  2. ^ Lochrie, Conor (10 November 2023). "The Kid Laroi Drops Debut Album The First Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  3. ^ Mary Varvaris (19 July 2024). "The Kid LAROI & Barkaa Lead National Indigenous Music Awards Nominations". The Music. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  4. ^ Varvaris, Mary (1 November 2024). "Amyl And The Sniffers, Speed, Emily Wurramara Lead 2024 J Award Nominees". The Music. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  5. ^ "ARIA Awards 2024 nominations — everything you need to know". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  6. ^ Barlas, Jon (4 July 2022). "The Kid Laroi's debut album The First Time seems to be inching closer". Our Generation Music. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  7. ^ Chow, Aaron (12 January 2023). "The Kid LAROI Drops Trailer For Debut Album The First Time". Hypebeast. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  8. ^ Mier, Tomás (12 January 2023). "The Kid Laroi Drops Trailer for Upcoming Album The First Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  9. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (19 January 2023). "The Kid LAROI Looks 'Back' on Lead Song From Debut LP, The First Time". Spin. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  10. ^ Disalvo, Tom (22 February 2023). "The Kid LAROI says F*ck Love 3 is "immature": "I don't agree with the message of the album"". NME. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  11. ^ Armstrong, Megan (2 August 2023). "The Kid Laroi Shared New Details About The First Time, His Forthcoming Album That Will Include A Short Film". Uproxx. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  12. ^ Horvath, Zachary (3 August 2023). "The Kid LAROI Delivers New Details On Upcoming Album". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  13. ^ Aniftos, Rania (25 October 2023). "The Kid LAROI Says Jung Kook Collaboration Was 'So Fun & So Different', Reveals Album Release Date". Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  14. ^ Trapp, Malcolm (2 November 2023). "The Kid LAROI Reveals The First Time Tracklist Featuring Future, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, And More". Rap-Up. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  15. ^ Pointer, Flisadam (9 August 2024). "The Kid Laroi Declares 'Baby I'm Back' On His Cocky New Single". Uproxx. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  16. ^ Rowley, Glenn (27 January 2023). "The Kid LAROI Hopes to Find 'Love Again' on New Single: Stream It Now". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  17. ^ Gonzalez, Alex (10 February 2023). "The Kid Laroi Comes To Terms With Adulthood On His New Single 'Kids Are Growing Up (Part 1)'". Uproxx. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  18. ^ Armstrong, Megan (19 April 2023). "The Kid Laroi's Coachella Set Inspired Him To Announce His Next Single, 'Where Does Your Spirit Go?'". Uproxx. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  19. ^ Denis, Kyle (10 October 2023). "The Kid LAROI, Jung Kook & Central Cee Team Up for New Single 'Too Much': Here's When It Arrives". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  20. ^ Aniftos, Rania (25 October 2023). "The Kid LAROI Says Jung Kook Collaboration Was 'So Fun & So Different,' Reveals Album Release Date". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  21. ^ Gonzalez, Alex (3 November 2023). "The Kid Laroi Has A Haunting Reunion With A Past Lover In His 'Bleed' Video". Uproxx. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  22. ^ Pointer, Flisadam (8 November 2023). "The Kid Laroi Asks 'What's The Move' On His Latest Single, 'The First Time' With Future And Baby Drill". Uproxx. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  23. ^ Brandle, Lars (24 January 2024). "The Kid LAROI Sets New Single 'Heaven': 'This One's Super Personal'". Billboard. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  24. ^ Wells, Adam. "LSU's Livvy Dunne, YouTuber Valkyrae Appear in The Kid Laroi's 'Girls' Music Video". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  25. ^ Micaletto, Ylenia (23 September 2024). "The Kid LAROI - BABY I'M BACK (Radio Date: 27-09-2024)". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  26. ^ a b "The First Time by The Kid LAROI Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  27. ^ Monger, Timothy. "The Kid LAROI – THE FIRST TIME Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  28. ^ D'Souza, Shaad (9 November 2023). "The Kid Laroi: The First Time review – angsty debut has moments of thrilling intensity". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  29. ^ a b Attard, Paul (13 November 2023). "The Kid Laroi The First Time Review: Watered Down for Mass Consumption". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  30. ^ "LAROI's First Time but second top 3". Australian Recording Industry Association. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  31. ^ Ainsley, Helen (17 November 2023). "Taylor Swift denies The Beatles a 16th Number 1 album as 1989 (Taylor's Version) smashes third week at Number 1". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  32. ^ "Australiancharts.com – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  33. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  34. ^ "Ultratop.be – The Kid Laroi – The First Time" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  35. ^ "Billboard Canadian Albums Chart: Week of November 25, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  36. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  37. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Kid Laroi – The First Time" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  38. ^ "Lescharts.com – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  39. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Kid Laroi – The First Time" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  40. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  41. ^ "Charts.nz – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  42. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  43. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  44. ^ "Swisscharts.com – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  45. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  46. ^ "Billboard 200: Week of August 24, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  47. ^ "Canadian album certifications – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Music Canada. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  48. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – The Kid Laroi – The First Time: Deluxe Version". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  49. ^ "American album certifications – The Kid Laroi – The First Time". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
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