In the symphony of the pop world, where countless voices often meld into an indistinct hum, Zara Larsson emerges with the tenacity and vigor of a seasoned boxer. Each note she releases is a declaration of a spirit molded by unwavering resolve - a byproduct of her Swedish roots. As the world leans in, ears perked for her next banger, Larsson stands prepared, gloves laced, poised to deliver yet another musical knockout.
On a sprawling soundstage outside of Stockholm, a different facet of Zara is unveiled. Here, she stands, a vision of strength, on the brink of a glistening pool of obsidian water. Above her, a colossal screen paints a vivid tableau of molten fury. This cinematic tribute, celebrating the transformative journey of steel from rugged ore to gleaming marvel, finds its muse in Larsson. In each shot, she seamlessly transitions between the alchemist and the alloy, her form resonating with the raw cries of the earth and the birth of an unbreakable force. Venturing beyond her usual domain, Larsson is working with a new fashion team on this project who embrace her eagerness to transform. It is clear: Zara isn’t merely portraying a role; she embodies the very spirit of steel’s unwavering determination.
Do you have a favorite Swedish song you listened to or heard growing up?
Of all the Swedish classic ones, I absolutely love “Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer,” which is the song you would sing before you end school every summer. So it just reminds me of Swedish summer. It reminds me of being free from school, being with your friends. I personally loved school because I just loved my classmates so much. But “Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer” is probably one of the most beautiful songs that I know, that I still listen to today. I have it in my Spotify playlist.
When do you remember music really making an impact on you?
Probably when I started watching MTV. I think Madonna was one of my first experiences in looking at a video and really feeling the story. I think I was about seven or eight. I watched ‘Papa Don’t Preach’ and I was just like, ‘oh, I want to get pregnant.’ I watched a lot of Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Madonna, like true artists, but also a lot of vocalists. It was almost like a form of escapism. I would look in the mirror and I would just imagine myself being in front of all those people that my idols were [performing in front of] and making that impact on someone else. I’ve always wanted to be on stage and I’ve always loved to entertain and make people feel good. I’ve always loved to give them an experience.
So what steps did you take when you started creating your own art and then putting it out there? Were you writing in a journal? Were you putting songs on SoundCloud? What was that journey like for you?
My dream has always been to perform. I just want to be on stage, and I want to see the eyes looking at me. So my love for writing and creating the music that I’m singing came later when I was already a little bit established, at least in Scandinavia. I started writing my music after my two first EPs and my first album. Everything that I did was so I could have people come to my shows and watch me live. The performance of it is what I love.
What age did you get signed?
I was in Sweden’s Got Talent at ten [years old], and then I got signed at 14. I started working with this independent label, which was small here in Stockholm, and then later on got signed by Epic Records and Sony International at 17. So it was really nice actually to have my label here in Sweden, which was like family. I worked closely with the writers and the CEO of the company, which was still a very small company.
So it’s interesting because a lot of young creators today are using platforms like TikTok or Instagram to put their music out there. What is your perception or opinion on creators doing that, creating music online, putting it out there? And what advice would you give them if they’re starting their career in that way?
I auditioned for Sweden’s Got Talent in 2008 because it was really the only platform I could think of to get my face out there. I think it’s incredible today that you can put yourself out there without having to have a label really. If you can connect with your fans and create you don’t really need a label. I think that’s really, really cool.
What would you say to those young kids?
I would just say to all the people who have dreams and goals and want to do something creative, just do it. When you think back in 50 years, you won’t regret trying new stuff.
How important do you think it is to have a team of champions behind you, whether it be friends, family, a label, whatever? How important is it to have that support system?
I think it is so important to have people around you who believe in you and your vision. I don’t even know where I would be if I didn’t have an amazing team. The biggest champion should always be you. Even though I might be the one with the microphone on the stage, I have my band, I have my dancers. My show wouldn’t be anything without the people who are driving the bus, the people who are behind the scenes, and my family.
What is that feeling like stepping onto a stage in front of thousands of people? The day leading up to it and then moments before, what is that experience like?
I am so chill before I’m performing. I think my preparation for stage is my life. It’s like I’m always having this little foreplay when I’m not on stage. But it’s always nerve-wracking before a new tour or if you’re doing something different.
What is your biggest personal goal as an artist?
I want the big numbers. I want a huge crowd. I want the big streaming numbers. I want all of that. But then at the end of it, I think what’s really impactful and what makes the difference is how many people you have actually touched with what you’re doing, how many people you have given a sense of happiness or relatability. I feel like my biggest idol, Beyoncé, she’s done all the number ones. She’s done the hits, she’s topped the lists. And I feel like now she’s moved on to something which will impact not only the charts, but the culture. And with her last album, obviously a lot of black queer culture, something that is bigger than herself.So I don’t really know where I’m going to end up or how it’s going to change. But I think also a big part of who I am and what makes me really happy is when people come up to me and they’re like, ‘I love you, I think you are so great because of your opinions about stuff.’ I do feel like that is in a way more impactful than having a radio hit, if you know what I mean. I still want, like I said, the big numbers, but you want to make a difference as well.
So if you have 30 seconds to tell someone about yourself in a slate, how would you do it?
I would say, ‘Hi, I’m Zara Larsson. I’m 25. I’m from Stockholm, Sweden. I love, love, love to sing and perform and dance. I think I’m quite good at it. I just love pop music. I love the energy it gives me. I love that it’s glitter and glamorous. I want to serve some form of escapism for whoever’s listening. I want people to have a good time.’
Have you ever acted? If so, what was it like auditioning for
that role?
I did a screen test once. And it was actually the first role that I got asked to do, because usually when I get asked to do stuff from my booking agency, they’re like, ‘we got a movie, do you want to do it?’ I’m like, ‘I’m good. I’m going to focus on my music for now.’ But they were like, ‘Madonna is making a movie.’ I said, ‘I’m doing it.’ So it was a screen test. And it was very hard because I also had to do it with a friend of mine who had to read me the lines. It was a new thing. And I felt like, I’m just in my living room. I’m not in hair and makeup and [on] the set. I’m just in my living room with the camera and my friend. So you really have to go in and imagine yourself in that situation. It’s also extra hard when you have to play somebody else, because I can’t even do my take on Madonna. No, you’re being Madonna. You have to be Madonna. That was really hard. But it was an experience for me, definitely. And I think the more you do it, the better you get. And I didn’t really expect to get the role. It was my first try. But it was a try and it inspired me to go on and do it again and again and again. I do have a role now! I am going to be in a movie, which is a really, really fun thing to do.
Tell us about the movie you made, and how it worked in the collaboration?
A very good friend of mine is a screenwriter, and she asked me if I could do an audition for the movie that she is writing. I read the script and I just started crying. I was just bawling. It was so beautiful. The story, it’s personal. So I tried it, I got it. And that’s why nepotism works! It’s because [if] you know people in the industry who know people in the industry... maybe she wouldn’t even have asked me to do it if I didn’t know her. She wasn’t the one who personally gave me the role. It was a casting agent. But I think of course it helped. And I think relationships in the industry, it’s a real thing. So I think that’s why you should always be nice to people. But also I think the more you work with people, you realize it’s a small industry. At least that’s how I feel in the music industry. I feel like it’s a high school that everybody goes to, and you see each other in the hallways. You might not be best friends, but it’s like we know of each other. That’s why also you see a lot of directors use the same actors in their movies because they just really like them, which is completely normal and human when you create a bond with somebody.
And while making your film, will you be working with coaches to help you with preparing for your role?
100%. So, because I’ve never done it, there are a lot of coaches to help me and to help everybody around me. But I feel the most comfortable doing the scenes again and again with my cast mates. They’ve done so many movies that they have great experience. I think you can always take a lot of stuff from someone who just has experience. So it doesn’t even have to be necessarily a professional coach. It can be a professional, and that’s that. But I think a coach or a mentor is so important.
If you weren’t Zara Larsson, the international pop star, what would you do?
If I weren’t a singer, if I had a nine-to-five job, I would love to be a teacher. Because I had amazing teachers growing up, and they changed me and my life and the relationships that I had with my friends. And again, that’s really what life’s about, to make an impact on someone else’s lives. And it might just be one person.
