Dig the princess of pop, Zara Larsson, exclusive story via THW (The Hollywood Reporter).
“I get to be associated with dolphins. That’s sick,” Swedish pop star Larsson jokes on our Friday morning Zoom call.
Last year, a confounding internet meme sent the 27-year-old singer-songwriter on a wild ride. Her 2017 collab with Clean Bandit, “Symphony,” blew up again thanks to a viral TikTok trend where her vocals synced to Lisa Frank-style glitter dolphins — cheerful as ever — while users confessed dark secrets.
Cut to September: Larsson’s fifth studio album, Midnight Sun, fully leaned into those bright colors and glittering aesthetic. She swears the meme wasn’t on her mood board, but it nudged her toward the most authentic version of herself. After years of thinking she had to be “serious” to be taken seriously, she’s finally embracing the glitter and glam that feel natural.
It’s paying off. Larsson earned her first Grammy nomination this year for “Midnight Sun” in the Best Pop Dance Recording category. And yes, both the album and the single are ridiculously catchy.
“When I first started releasing music, I never wrote anything. I started when I was 14, so I just knew I wanted to sing,” she says. “As I was doing that, I discovered it’s very important to be part of the process. I don’t want to be just a performer. I want to be an artist.”
She’s credited as a writer on all 10 tracks, alongside a tight circle of collaborators. “I feel like I really stepped into that on Midnight Sun,” she says.
“It was meant to be Midnight Sun because this is me, it’s what feels like me,” Larsson continues. “This is the first project I’ve been 100 percent a part of and created, and the song is my favorite I’ve ever done. It represents me so well.”
A native of Sweden, Larsson admits she’s long wanted a song called “Midnight Sun.” Growing up, summers were so bright they felt magical — especially after winters that were “so fucking dark.” The track bottles that joy.
With slick production and smart lyrics, “Midnight Sun” has all the makings of a summer anthem — despite its September release. Larsson says she pitched the title “for the fifth time” before it finally clicked. “This song just wrote itself. Boom. All of a sudden it was just there.”
Recognition from peers is sweet, but the biggest win is personal. “It’s so incredible to have written something and then go home and feel this is exactly what I want to make,” she says. “It brings me back to my Swedish childhood. It feels personal, even though it’s a big pop song. That’s my baby. It really made me feel like an artist.”
For more on Zara, visit: zaralarssonofficial.com
