a kid named rufus

Transitioning into adulthood is already a hideous process, even under the best of circumstances. For Malaysian-born bedroom-pop performer Rufus Sivaroshan (they/them), who performs as a kid named rufus, leaving home was exponentially more challenging. Today, 20-year-old Rufus is thriving at Syracuse University, where they major in music business while simultaneously fostering a burgeoning music career. Drawing inspiration from a range of influences — from Weezer to Alex G to Mac Demarco and Dayglow — rufus grew up in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, where they taught themself to write, play, and produce music on YouTube. In the fall of 2021, a kid named rufus released their debut EP graduation, an assortment of easy listening, loveable indie pop tracks that paint vivid soundscapes of pure bliss. The EP garnered more than 1.5M Spotify streams and was featured on playlists such as Lorem, Bedroom Pop, All New Indie, Fresh Finds, and more.The obstacles in their journey, however, are captured on their open-hearted, ultra-catchy debut LP, titled whatever works via Nettwerk. whatever works is a vibrant 12-song collection touching on themes of homesickness, adulting, love, lust, culture shock, and much more.