Zara Larsson first gained recognition as a teenager when she released songs that quickly found their way onto mainstream radio. Tracks such as “Lush Life” and “Never Forget You” dominated the radio between 2016 and 2017, and she was seen as a rising pop artist. At only 17, she had already gained global exposure, steady radio play, and overall success. At the time, it seemed like Zara Larsson was going to have a long and successful career ahead of her. However, as many artists experience, early momentum does not always last.
After the success of her early hits, Zara Larsson’s presence began to quiet down. Songs like “Lush Life,” “Never Forget You,” and “Ain’t My Fault” were widely known, but many listeners could not name the artist behind them. People recognized the songs, but they did not recognize Zara Larsson. As trends quickly came and went, nothing about her image or brand seemed to stick in audiences’ minds. Many people did not even know what she looked like. Her collaboration “Symphony” with Clean Bandit, released in 2017, became another radio hit, but like her previous successes, it did not solidify her identity. Once again, the song was popular, yet Zara Larsson herself faded into the background, and her career appeared to stall.
Her career took a turn when “Symphony” began trending again on social media in the summer of 2024. The instrumental section of the song became associated with a colorful meme featuring clips of dolphins. The bright and tropical trend spread quickly across platforms, reintroducing the song to a new generation. However, instead of fully restoring her name, the trend initially labeled her as “the Symphony girl” or “the dolphin girl.” Even with renewed attention, Zara Larsson was still being defined by a viral moment rather than her own identity.
Instead of letting the meme control her narrative, Zara Larsson used it to her advantage. In 2025, she leaned into the tropical aesthetic connected to the trend when she released her album Midnight Sun. The project featured bright colors, beach-inspired visuals, and imagery that reflected the dolphin-themed aesthetic circulating online. Audiences responded positively. The title track, “Midnight Sun,” gained popularity, and fans began creating bold, colorful makeup looks inspired by her style. Social media became filled with recreations of her aesthetic, and for the first time in years, Zara Larsson’s image felt recognizable.
She went from being an artist with well-known hits but little personal recognition to someone whose identity was widely recognized. This rebranding allowed Zara Larsson to move beyond being remembered only for past radio songs and instead be recognized for herself. Many artists eventually transform their image to stay relevant. By branding herself through a clear aesthetic, Zara Larsson positioned herself for renewed success. Whether this rebrand will allow her to maintain long-term recognition remains to be seen, but it demonstrates how artists can transform fading momentum into renewed relevance.