Grammy nominated pop artist The Kid LAROI shines on “What Just Happened,” a single that prefaces his debut studio album, THE FIRST TIME.
The Kid is growing up – The Kid LAROI that is! Charlton Howard is still young, but he’s no longer a teenager. The Australian rapper and singer has released numerous singles post breakout mixtape,
F*CK LOVE, and its various expansions but his proper debut album,
THE FIRST TIME has been delayed. Finally, THE FIRST TIME is set to be released November 10, 2023, with the single at hand,
“What Just Happened” serving as a fine preface for the project. “What Just happened” features production courtesy of
Blake Slatkin, Omer Fedi, and Shellback. WOO!
“What Just Happened” begins with The Kid LAROI singing abruptly, accompanied by rhythmic electric guitar. Early on, Charlton sings the chorus, setting the tone of the record. Tuneful, “What Just Happened” features its fair share of fine, melodic moments. After initially being accompanied by guitar, the addition of drums
and bass ups the ante. Also, upping the ante is the attitude and swagger of The Kid, who drops a couple of f-bombs
(“Yeah, we both know you don’t give a fuck / Friends with my girl, but you wanna fuck”). Notably, Howard’s second verse is even more rhythmic than the first. The contrast keeps the song engaging. The pre-chorus marks another tuneful moment (“Stop it, but you won’t, won’t won’t / Love it, ‘cause you’re co-cold…”), while the chorus marks one of the best moments of the song:
“I don’t know if we just crossed the line
‘Cause I don’t even know what just happened
Everything I said last night was lies
‘Cause I don’t even know what just happened.”
Of course, the post-chorus is fun too, with its “ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh…” The Kid LAROI doesn’t reinvent the wheel or pop on
“What Just Happened” but all in all, this is an enjoyable, memorable, and well-rounded single from the
Grammy nominated standout.
The Kid LAROI •
THE FIRST TIME •
Columbia •
11.10.23
[
: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Columbia; OpenClipart-Vectors, PIRO via Pixabay]