Since opening for Tate McRae’s Miss Possessive tour last year, Swedish superstar Zara Larsson has officially re-entered the pop girl conversation.
Zara Larsson: Opener to headline
As the opener for McRae, Zara Larsson captivated audiences in over 20 cities along the North American and South American legs of the Miss Posessive tour. At stops including Madison Square Garden, Vancouver, and California, Larsson brought out only the best. Flawless dance choreography, powerfully punchy vocals, and Y2K looks that evoke sun-saturated nostalgia helped lift her from the ground.
Being the supporting act gave Larsson the stage in more ways than one. Fans flocked to social media to share the latest videos of Larsson’s captivating performances, fan interactions, and favorite tour moments. Today, Larsson’s emergence as a superstar only continues; you can’t go on TikTok, Instagram, or X without seeing at least one video about her or her music.
Smack-dab in the spotlight as McRae’s opener, Larsson continued her massive momentum with her fifth studio album, Midnight Sun, released on September 26, 2025, in the final weeks of the Miss Posessive Tour. The album debuted with more than 3.8 million Spotify streams on its release day.
Midnight Sun: Zara Larsson’s time to shine
Larsson first teased Midnight Sun in June 2025 following the release of the single “Pretty Ugly.” That same month, the hot music video for “Midnight Sun,” the album’s second single, dropped.
The video, now at over 26,000,000 views, sees Larsson completely embrace the beachy aesthetic of saturation, tropics, and sunshine. Flowy, long blonde hair paired with fashion looks of bright yellows, pinks, and oranges make an ethereal mermaid out of Larsson. Together, her bright costumes and vibrant visuals will have you wondering if she’s the love-child of pop-artist Lisa Frank and Malibu Barbie.
Midnight Sun’s upbeat pop sound, lively energy, and bold themes are enough to have fans swooning over Larsson’s new record. She sparkles in the spotlight, and it’s not only for the glitter she wears.
Peaking at #8 globally, “Midnight Sun” became Larsson’s highest-charting single since the 2010s, reaching #4 in her home country of Sweden. It also broke into the top 40 in multiple countries, including Australia, Canada, and the United States.
With more than 300,000 videos posted to the song on TikTok, Larsson proves she’s steadily building her momentum both on the charts and with popularity among fans.
Earlier this year, Larsson achieved a milestone of simultaneously charting three songs in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Together, “Stateside” (#6), “Lush Life” (#36), and “Midnight Sun” (#37) predict that Larsson’s trajectory will only soar from here.
And it’s for good reason: Midnight Sun shimmers as it swirls dance pop, electro-pop, and hyperpop. Inspired by Swedish summers of 24-hour sunshine, the record is uniquely energetic. Amid Larsson’s introspective lyricism, Midnight Sun celebrates the feelings of lightness and happiness.
Zara Larsson has been waiting for this lush life
While her major success might seem out of nowhere, you’ve probably heard her songs before. Larsson’s re-emergence as a pop star is a decade’s worth of hard work.
Larsson first found international success in 2015 with hits “Lush Life” and “Never Forget You.” “Lush Life” saw a major comeback last year on TikTok, where fans flooded the platform with videos of her stunning choreography. As she began inviting fans on stage to dance to “Lush Life,” videos of the heart-warming and impressive performances became a viral trend.
At a Denver show for Larsson’s Midnight Sun Tour, she invited a young girl to dance to “Lush Life” on stage. The young girl wore a bright yellow flower in her hair, seamlessly matching Larsson’s glittery and bold look. The sweet interaction won the audience’s hearts, as well as over 16 million people on TikTok.
Nothing is more special than meeting your favorite artist and dancing with them. Larsson made this girl’s dream a reality, and the video’s enormous virality shows the importance of artists inviting fans to participate during shows.
Another incredible tour moment happened in November 2025, when Larsson invited a fan onstage to join her. The fan outdanced Larsson on her own choreography, a radiant example of the importance of community.
A video shared to TikTok captured the stunning, syncopated dance choreography and has hit 4.8 million likes and counting.
The space Larsson has created and continues to foster is utterly uplifting and positive. She encourages fans to express themselves however they want to.
Finding her artistic identity
“Midnight Sun is about being free, feeling joy,” Larsson told ELLE in March, “and what you wear is a big part of that.”
Larsson’s 2017 hit “Symphony” saw a major comeback that changed everything in 2024. Paired with a cartoon dolphin, tropical vibes, and Lisa Frank-inspired maximalism, “Symphony” went from Gen Z’s favorite meme to our new soundtrack.
Larsson embraced the trend on the Miss Posessive Tour, turning the beachy vibes of the “Symphony” meme into outfit inspo. Her rhinestone glamour, colorful maximalism, and bold outfits sparked a Lisa Frank renaissance—one that propelled the vibrance of Midnight Sun.
Working with Frank, Larsson released an exclusive limited edition of the album featuring a pop art cover by Frank herself. What began as an underwater, fan-led internet moment became the cultural reset of Larsson’s brand.
She embodied the image of a tropical dreamscape full of flowers, dolphins, and neon colors. Larsson’s highly successful collaboration with Frank proves the importance of embracing online trends–and establishing an identity both as an artist and as a brand.
“When people are like, ‘Oh, the rebrand is amazing.’ I’m like, ‘What rebrand?’” Larsson told ELLE in March, “I didn’t have a brand to rebrand from.”
Larsson joined pop culture conversations and gave Gen Z fans exactly what they wanted. By doing so, Larsson reaped the benefits by exploding in popularity.
The Collab We Needed
Larsson’s popularity only grew brighter with her October feature on PinkPantheress’s song “Stateside,” in which she references her not totally unexpected re-emergence into mainstream pop music:
Who knew opening up would make me a headline?
Boots, that’s my ego boost
Schedule ain’t been loose for a minute
Yeah, I’m that girl, I’ve been it
“Stateside + zara larsson” immediately went viral all over TikTok. Fans raved about the pair’s collaboration, celebrating their fusion of each artist’s Y2K and hyperpop aesthetic. Released on January 16, 2026, the “Stateside” music video has received critical acclaim and furthered the song’s significant commercial success.
The music video has racked up 46 million views and counting, with the song itself at over 200 million streams on Spotify. Just last month, “Stateside” topped the Spotify Global Top 50 list, becoming a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
The virality of “Stateside” is in no small part thanks to Olympic ice skater Alysa Liu’s routine. She skated to “Stateside” and won gold for the United States. Liu’s bold performance earned the attention of millions and two gold medals, further fueling the fire behind “Stateside.”
“That was a part of a cultural moment,” Larsson said of Liu’s viral routine to ELLE. “‘It’s those moments where I’m like, Wow, I got to be a small part of that moment in history.’”
Keep an eye out for Midnight Sun: Girls Trip
As for what’s next: Larsson has taken her time hinting at the deluxe edition of Midnight Sun. Earlier this month, Larsson commented on a fan’s TikTok that the deluxe version will be dropping in May. She also teased the upcoming release in her March interview with ELLE, calling it a “motherquake.”
“I’m so excited for this deluxe,” Larsson added. “Midnight Sun was released in September. It’s been brewing all year. I feel like this deluxe is just going to build onto that world… but in a really fun, different way. I’m very proud of all the people that are a part of this project. I’ve never felt as accomplished as I do when I listen to these songs.”
Larsson confirmed summer truly isn’t over yet when she announced Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, out on May 1, 2026.
Midnight Sun: Girls Trip won’t be your regular deluxe album. Larsson announced that it will breathe new life into every song with new spins and all fresh, female voices. Dropping after Charli xcx’s BRAT (2024) and PinkPantheress’s Fancy Some More? (2025) remix albums, Midnight Sun‘s deluxe version is sure to roll in the summer season with extra heat.
Larsson has also confirmed that Midnight Sun: Girls Trip will feature only female artists. Prior to Larsson’s official announcement of collaborators, fans’ guesses ranged from Demi Lovato to Camila Cabello.
On April 22, Larsson unveiled the tracklist of official features. The star-studded lineup includes PinkPantheress, Kehlani, JT, Madison Beer, Shakira, Tyla, and Robyn.
Counting down the days until your new favorite summer release, which songs are you most excited to hear re-envisioned? Who are you most excited to hear on Midnight Sun: Girls Trip?
