The Kid LAROI Reveals How Justin Bieber’s ‘Honest’ Nature Taught Him to Be More ‘Vulnerable’ (Exclusive)

It seems likely that The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber will “remain” close friends and collaborators for many years to come.

In a clip from the Aussie musician’s new interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 that premiered exclusively on PEOPLE, he talks about how his friendship with Bieber, 29, has influenced his overall outlook.

The 20-year-old “Without You” artist reveals that Bieber — with whom he worked on 2021’s “Stay” and “Unstable” — inspired him to be “more vulnerable” in his life and art.

Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber.

Jerritt Clark/Getty

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LAROI (whose real name is Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard) told Lowe that the “Sorry” singer’s kindness and honesty “was so disturbing” when they first started spending time together, and he has since “implemented” that same emotional maturity into your life.

He recalled noticing the admirable personality trait when he first went to Bieber’s house “to play basketball with him and his friends.”

“They were so positive and loving and so open and so vulnerable, and I wasn’t used to that,” LAROI said. “Even the way I’d grab the ball, I’d miss the shot, and Justin would come over and pat me on the back and say, ‘It’s okay, bro. Next shot. You’ve got it’ — and that’s not how I played basketball with my friends.”

Zane Lowe and The Kid LAROI.

Courtesy of Apple Music

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“It was so cool … I remember going there and just going, ‘Wow.’ I just remember they just crushed me,” LAROI continued. “And over time, as we continued to hang out and it was the way he was able to show his vulnerability and open up to me, and that made me want to be more vulnerable and open and I want to own my feelings more and own how I feel and how much is he honest about who he is.”

The hitmaker says he sees it as a testament to Bieber’s character. “And that’s his business. He’s so honest about who he is and how he feels, even if — I mean whatever it is — he really owns it,” LAROI explained. “And I think that’s something that I took and I was like, ‘Wow, that’s so wonderful.’

“I saw the effect just being around had on me. And that’s how I want to take it… I want to push it,” he added.

Kid LAROI on Apple Music Series 1 by Zane Lowe.

Courtesy of Apple Music

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Not long after LAROI built a following with songs like “Addison Rae” and “Go,” as well as the 2020 tribute song “Tell Me Why” about his late mentor Juice WRLD, he found a friend and collaborator in Bieber.

The pop-rap artist explained Vogue in a 2022 interview in which the superstar addressed him directly. “I was in my bedroom and he DMed me,” LAROI told the outlet. “He said, ‘You got the sauce,’ and I just remember freaking out. Like, oh my god, this is the craziest shit ever. I ran to show my mom.”

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After working with Bieber on the song “Unstable” from the Grammy winner’s sixth studio album Justice, teamed up again for the song “Stay.” The joint single was a huge success, peaking at number 1 Board Hot 100 and remain in the position for a total of seven weeks.

LAROI previously shared with Vogue that the “Where Are U Now” singer couldn’t be more thrilled about the collaboration, recalling at the time: “I was trying to figure out what I should put him on, and I thought his voice would sound really nice on ‘Stay,’ so I got him , and he said, ‘Y…yeah, let’s do it!'”

He added: “I’m always trying to learn something [Bieber] and he likes it when I ask him a lot of questions. I’m always so grateful to have someone like him who has gone through what I’m going through – times 10.”

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Source: HIS Education