The Kid Laroi took to the stage at the 2024 NRL Grand Final at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Sunday night with an incredible pre-game performance.
However, the n rapper, 21, divided viewers when he ended the set with a cover of the 1987 song Never Tear Us Apart by Aussie rock band INXS.
Fans and critics flocked to X—formerly known as Twitter—to share their thoughts, with some saying the musician had ‘balls’ for attempting to cover the iconic hit.
‘Takes some balls to take on INXS classic. The Kid Laroi did okay with it… have heard worse,’ one person wrote.
‘I’ll give Kid Laroi credit he’s got balls to take on an INXS classic!’ another said.
Meanwhile, others fumed over the singer-songwriter daring to touch such an iconic tune.
‘Okay he just lost me – no butchering of Aussie classics whipper snapper Kid Laroi. Michael Hutchence [late INXS frontman] is turning in his grave,’ a user said.
‘Thank you Kid Laroi for reminding me why Michael Hutchence is so iconic. Very very hard to do him justice with a version of Never Tear Us Apart,’ another added.
The Kid Laroi (pictured) took to the stage at the 2024 NRL Grand Final at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Sunday night with an incredible pre-game performance
A third wrote: ‘Should have left INXS off your set list Kid Laroi.’
‘Never a fan of Michael Hutchence, but I wished he would rise from the grave… Utter s**t! P*ss poor lip syncing’ another person raged.
Joked someone else: ‘Never Tear Us Apart performed by The Kid Laroi with auto tune… just how INXS imagined it to be performed when they released it’.
‘Kid Laroi is definitely no Michael Hutchence’ another person posted.
While some tore down the young n artist for his tribute, other fans sung him praises for putting on an ‘epic’ performance.
However, the n rapper, 21, divided viewers when he ended the set with a cover of the 1987 song Never Tear Us Apart by Aussie rock band INXS
‘The Kid Laroi Just Knocked It Out The Park At The #NRLGrandFinal,’ one user excited wrote.
‘IM SO JEALOUSSSS THIS KID LAROI PERFORMANCE IS EPIC,’ another said.
One admirer stood up for the singer, writing: ‘Kid Laroi is extremely talented and I won’t hear otherwise.’
‘The NRL getting Kid Laroi is so f***ing goated,’ wrote one, while someone else said: ‘Okay, take us away Mr The Kid Laroi.’
Moments before the set, viewers at home, who watched the NRL Grand Final between Panthers and Storm on Channel Nine, slammed the artist for being late.
Fans and critics flocked to X—formerly known as Twitter—to share their thoughts, with some saying the musician had ‘balls’ for attempting to cover the iconic hit
Laroi was scheduled to begin at 6:30pm at the Accor Stadium in Sydney but didn’t take to the stage until shortly after 7:00pm.
Programs ahead of the event listed Laroi’s start time a full half hour before he actually appeared – but it’s unclear if this was the plan all along.
‘When does Kid Laroi sing,’ one person said, while another added: ‘Kid Laroi—advertised all week for 6:30pm, will take to the stage closer to 7:05pm.’
‘Wasn’t the entertainment supposed to start at 6:30? Why is Kid Laroi late?’ another wrote.
Someone else joked: ‘So turns out they meant Kid Laroi at 6:30pm South time.’
‘Kid Laroi is definitely no Michael Hutchence’ one person posted
Another said, ‘Michael Hutchence is turning in his grave’
Elsewhere, some viewers had trouble watching Laroi’s performance due to the copious amount of smoke effects used on stage.
‘Can anyone actually see the Kid Laroi with all the fog on the stage?’ someone bemoaned.
Another added: ‘Welcome to the smoke show Kid Laroi can’t even see if you’re in the stadium.’
‘It’s giving fog ft The Kid Laroi,’ one person wrote, while another said: ‘Trying to actually see The Kid Laroi amongst all the white lights and smoke.’
Others compare Laroi’s performance to the $5million set Katy Perry put on for the AFL Grand Final last Saturday.
Many viewers were unimpressed with the NRL’s choice of headliner
‘No wonder the AFL spent $5million on Katy Perry. What the hell is a Kid Laroi?’ wrote one viewer on X
‘No wonder the AFL spent $5million on Katy Perry. What the hell is a Kid Laroi?’ wrote one.
‘At least Kid Laroi is n,’ another added as a third commented: ‘Katy Who… Kid Laroi killing it!’
‘Katy Perry 1; The Kid Laroi 0,’ a viewer scored
Another agreed: ‘So the AFL have Katy Perry as their entertainment and the NRL have The Kid Laroi—figure that one’.
But someone else said: ‘The Kid Laroi > Katy Perry #sorrynotsorry.’
‘I love the Kid Laroi I’m hyped for this. This is 2000 x better than Katy Perry,’ a fan commented.
Several pointed out that the singer was hard to see due to the smoke special effects
‘Can anyone actually see the Kid Laroi with all the fog on the stage?’ someone bemoaned
Others were generally unenthused by the pop star.
‘Wow. The Kid Laroi is basic. No one else could have made it tonight?’ one person asked while another said, ‘Kid Laroi is so bad’.
‘I’d be mad as hell if I spent money to go to the grand final and had to sit through a Kd Laroi set’ one more posted.
‘Kid Laroi wtf massive L’ complained one viewer while another said, ‘Who or what is The Kid Laroi? I genuinely have not heard of him’.
‘Why do the NRL always cut corners and buy pregame entertainment from Temu’ one more sniped.
There were also complaints that the star didn’t begin his set at the expected time of 6.30pm
‘Why do the NRL always cut corners and buy pregame entertainment from Temu’ one person sniped
‘Can’t wait for that kid Laroi to come on’ – No NRL fan. Ever’ another chimed in.
Fairing better was X Factor alum Dami Im who impressed viewers with her rendition of the national anthem.
The 35-year-old singer didn’t miss a beat as she soared through a rousing version of the iconic song, leaving those tuning in at home thrilled.
Many shared their thoughts to X, with unanimous praise for the Eurovision star.
‘Dami absolutely smashed that! Goosebumps,’ wrote one person watching the performance.
Despite the naysayers, the Aussie hitmaker had plenty of fans who loved his performance
‘I love the Kid Laroi I’m hyped for this. This is 2000 x better than Katy Perry,’ a fan commented
‘Dami Im always nails an anthem session,’ said another while one more agreed, ‘Dami Im just SMASHED that national anthem!’
‘A brilliant National Anthem performance!’ posted someone else with yet another chiming in, ‘Dami Im doing the national anthem is clutch’.
‘Dami Im with an absolutely stunning national anthem rendition,’ said another impressed fan.
‘Maybe they should have swapped Dani Im and Kid Laroi… she is in very fine voice!’ someone else said, referring to the night’s choice of headliner.
‘Dami doing a nice job of the National Anthem,’ agreed one more person on social media.
Fairing better was X Factor alum Dami Im (pictured) who impressed viewers with her rendition of the national anthem