Zara Larsson – an iconic popstar for our generation. Bringing girlhood to the stage with vibrant colors, catchy songs, and iconic performances, and embracing femininity with her all-girls team. Although she seems to have just risen, when did her career really start? Most people wouldn’t figure that we’ve already been listening to her for decades before she became world-renowned.
Zara Larsson started her career in her homeland, Sweden. She attended the Royal Swedish Ballet School in her early childhood, then switched to the Kulturama art school. In the meantime, she appeared on Sweden’s Got Talent and ultimately won at just 10 years old. This event was monumental for Larsson, and this was just the start of her musical career.
Four years later, she released her debut single, Uncover, which charted #1 in Sweden and Norway with her label, TEN. She went on to produce hits such as Lush Life, So Good, and, notably, Symphony, which reached the Billboard Hot 100. This rush of hits after hits seemed to be skyrocketing her career, until she hit a plateau in 2017. She recalls it as her “flop era.” She describes this experience as being completely ignored, but she decides to keep going. In her interview with ABC, she states, “I’ve flopped, so it doesn’t scare me anymore.” She looks back on this moment as encouragement to continue her career despite being overlooked by many.
In 2022, she left her label TEN and bought back her masters, taking control of her music. She established her own label, Sommer House, and produced her songs there. In August of 2024, her song from nearly a decade ago became popular following a meme featuring auras of colors and dolphins; the song was Symphony. This instant alone created traction for her to rebrand herself and her music and reach stardom, which once seemed lost. Larsson released Midnight Sun in 2025, where she also opened for Tate McRae on her tour. Videos circulated around the internet featuring her outfits that resembled the meme from a year prior. This launched her back into the spotlight, earning her a large following in the US and leading to more bookings and collaborations. Her song with PinkPantheress explaining this scenario in lyrics, “Who knew opening up would make me headlines?… schedule ain’t been loose for a minute…” Her rebrand has done wonders for her and has tremendously uplifted her career and continues to, with her currently on tour with sold-out tickets.
As Zara continues to grow, she also reflects on her upbringing and compares it to now. In her interview with Vogue, she explains, “I experienced huge success at the very beginning of my career, but I didn’t take it in or stop to feel happy. I wanted hit after hit…I’d leave the stage and think I never gave enough. It took the fun out of it.” Her perspective from then changed, and made all the difference in being able to succeed while also enjoying her craft. “For the first time in my life, all parts of me and my art feels cohesive. I’m connecting with people in a new way. I planted the seed and the fans are watering it,” also from the same interview. Larsson is and continues to be an influence for our generation and generations to come. She is a reminder that we can succeed, even when we think our world is ending. With this, Zara Larsson is the pop star that we need.