Editor’s Notes: In this episode of Call Her Daddy, Alex Cooper sits down with pop sensation Zara Larsson to discuss her transformative new era and her journey of “breaking out” of the industry’s “Kia Asylum.” Zara opens up about the evolution of her confidence, moving from being a teen star managed by adults to taking full creative control of her music, fashion, and image. The conversation dives into her personal life, including her long-term relationship, her experiences with online negativity, and even a live, acapella demonstration of her powerhouse vocals. It is a candid look at a pop star who has finally leaned into her true self, shedding external expectations to embrace her “Mermaid Barbie” aesthetic and cultural relevance. (April 22, 2026)
TRANSCRIPT:
Welcome to Call Her Daddy
ALEX COOPER: Zara Larsson, welcome to Call Her Daddy. Thanks, it is so nice to meet you.
ZARA LARSSON: Nice to meet you.
ALEX COOPER: I have been really, really looking forward to this.
ZARA LARSSON: Me too, girl.
ALEX COOPER: You are having a moment.
ZARA LARSSON: I know, it’s so crazy.
ALEX COOPER: How has this year felt for you and how are you handling all the attention?
ZARA LARSSON: It feels amazing, honestly. I’ve been thinking a lot about it because internally it’s so crazy because I’ve been doing this forever and I think a lot of people might just discover me and find out about me and sometimes a lot of artists it seems like they just pop out of nowhere, but I’ve really been doing this for my whole entire life and yeah, internally it just feels exactly the same. I feel like nothing’s really changed.
For me, in my day-to-day, or how I feel when I wake up, and what I do. I’m still on tour right now, and I’ve been touring for like the past year, so everything feels really normal. I think the only difference, or the biggest difference, is my interactions on my posts look different, and the amounts of likes and comments and shares, and even things I say in interviews, or things I say to the— today I think earlier it might have been like, I just say something, but then, yeah, it’s like a bigger microscope.
The Olympics Moment
ALEX COOPER: That is so interesting because it’s like you’re talking about how your life, you feel it’s been the same, but then there’s these big moments that you can pinpoint there. It’s like, okay, more people are noticing me. Like, then we have the Olympics. Alyssa Liu skated to “Stateside,” which was— everyone’s talking about it. What did that mean to you?
ZARA LARSSON: It was so amazing, and I knew she was going to do that because she mentioned it in an interview like the day before. Some interview asked her like, “What are you going to do for this performance?” And when I saw it, I just kept watching it. I maybe watched it like 5 times with my friends, and we filmed the first time and put it on TikTok.
But then the more I watched it, the more emotional I felt because I think it’s also just seeing her looking so in it. Like, she’s so in her body and she’s so free and she looks so joyful. Like, that is my vibe. And the way she talks about her sport and why she does it, and the fact that it just seems to come from this place of true passion and love, and that no one’s forcing her to do it, it just feels like on her terms.
And then she did it to “Pink Panther’s” and my song. It just felt like, obviously I will give her all the credit for pushing it up to number one, but being in that moment for me feels bigger than the charts because I feel like that’s like a cultural— it’s like herstory, literally.
ALEX COOPER: Truly, it’s the Olympics. It’s representing countries in the world.
ZARA LARSSON: I’m so excited to have been a part of that because that’s iconic.
ALEX COOPER: Did you get to talk to her at all? Did you guys DM?
ZARA LARSSON: I did, yes. That’s actually a very fun part about getting recognized and having more followers and having this celebrity situation. I feel like I can reach out to basically a lot of people and I know I will probably get an answer.
ALEX COOPER: Have you been sliding into people’s DMs, Zara?
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, but I do it with love, like, “Queen, hey queen.”
ALEX COOPER: Have you gotten any messages back where you’re like, I can’t believe I’m even DMing with this person casually? I reach out to a lot of artists, like a lot of girls, sometimes just to say like, “Hey, big fan, love what you do,” and the way that you know that they’re going to read it because you go right to the top, you got that blue check, you’re like, “Yes, hi, it’s me. Have a good Wednesday.”
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, it’s amazing. But I just said like, “Thank you so much, that was incredible, you’re amazing, please come to a show.”
A New Era: Style, Image, and the Dolphin Trend
ALEX COOPER: She has to. I mean, I feel like this new album and era has been really transformative for you. It almost feels like a reintroduction in a way, and not even just with your music, it’s also your style and your image. Like, what inspiration did you pull to create this new world?
ZARA LARSSON: Well, a lot of people give credit to the dolphin trend on TikTok. Girl, which—
ALEX COOPER: Girl, we got to talk about it. Yes.
ZARA LARSSON: Which honestly, I don’t think they’re wrong. I think subconsciously when you move through life, you just pick up a bunch of stuff. I can’t say with my hand on my heart that the dolphin was not on the mood board. But it was there. It was a big part of my 2024.
ALEX COOPER: Can you just quickly, just for anyone who lives under a rock and maybe is like, “What are you guys talking about?
ZARA LARSSON: Where did they come from? I don’t know. I remember one time I was doing a festival. I was in Norway, and my friends just this day particularly I remember because they kept sending me these videos on TikTok. It was just very colorful dolphins, they’re jumping out of the water, it’s rainbows, it’s blue skies, it’s like happiness in a picture, vivid. And then that picture paired with the kind of explosive chorus of “Symphony” with a very depressing quote about your life. And I think it’s that— what’s the word? Juxtaposition.
ALEX COOPER: Yes, yes, yes. It’s like something so depressing in text, to “Symphony” in the background.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: And it’s so random and it makes you laugh every single time you see one.
ZARA LARSSON: And that blew up because when they sent me those videos, it was like maybe 5 to 10,000 likes per video. And I was like, “Whoa, why is this becoming a thing?” And then from one day to another, it was just everywhere.
But I did feel like it spoke to me, just the image, because I have always loved glitter. I love glam. I love the sparkle. I love colors. I love like, woo, you know? And I have always felt a little bit, not embarrassed, but like being from Sweden, which is very minimalistic, it’s like clean lines, it’s a lot of neutrals, a lot of black in fashion. And I’ve always wanted to be in fashion because I think music and fashion go so hand in hand. I feel like I had to repress that side of me a little bit and like be fashion, and then it just turned into a really weird style. And I think this album just allowed me to fully do what I love.
Mermaid Barbie: Fashion as Self-Expression
ALEX COOPER: What you said too with the fashion element is so true to artists. The way that they express themselves and the way that they also differentiate themselves from other artists is through fashion, not just the music. And obviously your fashion sense has really popped off, and I think people are obsessed with the way that you dress. And I can tell that so much of your creative vision is poured into your fashion. People have called you a mermaid Barbie. Does that resonate?
ZARA LARSSON: I love that.
ALEX COOPER: You love it?
ZARA LARSSON: I love it, I love it. It’s perfect. That’s my dream.
ALEX COOPER: Is that how you would describe your aesthetic?
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, maybe. Definitely colorful. I love the long hair, especially when I’m on tour. To just throw it around, have the wind, have the sparkles. I love the show-ness of it. I love that it feels like it’s not pedestrian. It’s like, no, we’re putting on a show.
And especially this time around, because I’m doing my US run and maybe the budget is $5, you know what I mean? It’s small. When we booked these venues, I didn’t know that this was going to happen. I didn’t know I was going to sit here and talk to you, like, a year ago. I didn’t know what would be happening to me. So we have these amazing women that I share the stage with, and my band, and my dancers, and me. And that’s the show. I mean, we are the show. So the outfits, the light, and the hair — that has to be the show.
ALEX COOPER: But that makes sense where it’s like people forget that tours are booked so far in advance.
ZARA LARSSON: And so we try to upgrade, and it’s just booked out so far in advance. But I will be back though.
ALEX COOPER: You will be back. And you know what, maybe it’s fun that it’s like this is going to be the most intimate it will ever get because it’s like your career is on the rise.
Chronically Online: TikTok and Self-Love
ALEX COOPER: Okay, you mentioned you’re chronically online.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: Which I remember seeing an interview, you said that your screen time was like 16 hours a day, and I’m like, perfect, she doesn’t sleep.
ZARA LARSSON: No, I don’t.
ALEX COOPER: What app are you using the most? TikTok. I figured. What is taking over your For You page? If I was on your phone, what am I seeing?
ZARA LARSSON: Me?
ALEX COOPER: You’re your own biggest fan. I’m obsessed.
ZARA LARSSON: For real. I try to engage so much in what people post and what they say, and I always like and comment and engage. So I feel like my algorithm’s like, “Oh, you must be a really big fan of Zara Larsson.” So it’s just like, “Yes, like, like, like, repost, repost me.” And that’s the crazy part of it all. You can spend like 6 hours on that app and then you lay down your phone and you’re like, “What have I just watched for 6 hours?”
ALEX COOPER: And then you pick it back up because you’re like, I need more. And you’re like, what did I even watch?
ZARA LARSSON: The way you scroll, it’s like, next video will be amazing, next video will be amazing. It’s that dopamine.
ALEX COOPER: I love how you’re saying that and your videos are you. Wait, because I—
ZARA LARSSON: Maybe the next one’s good.
ALEX COOPER: No, I feel like some people, Zara, would be like, whenever they would see themselves on an app, they’d be like, “Oh my God, quickly scroll,” whether they’re like, I’m going to be cringe or whatever. You have— you’re like, “I f*ing love myself.”
ZARA LARSSON: Yes. But also, that’s funny you say that actually, because I used to really be like that. I used to not watch anything. I didn’t want to watch any performances. I was like, “Oh, get it away from me.” And now I think it’s just so in my face a lot of the times. And it truly did come from me wanting to engage with the people who are posting it.
But I think also the older I get, I’ve never actually been a very shameful person. Like, everything that I do — I think that’s one of my best qualities — is that I don’t carry a lot of shame. And I think that just allows me to have more fun and not be so hard on myself and judgmental, because I really used to be like, every time I would step off stage, it wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t fun. Like, I could have done better. That was embarrassing. I messed this up. I was just like, everything was like, boo.
ALEX COOPER: What do you think was that turning point for you though? Was it age?
Breaking Free from the Kia Asylum
ZARA LARSSON: Perhaps age. I think it was also me really feeling like I— because I’ve been doing this for so long, it wasn’t until quite recently I felt like I am finally a part of creating what I do. Because when I started out, I didn’t write my music, I didn’t really creatively make my shows, my videos. I feel like it was just kind of happening around me, and it was happening with— I was always a part of the decision, the overall decision making. And I get to say, no, I want to do this song, I don’t want to do this song.
But overall, I think a sense of control that I have now where it’s like it’s coming from me, that’s when I feel like it represents me. And I feel like I have to plant the seed. I can’t just tend to the garden that somebody else planted. I have to— this is how I feel. I have to write my music, be a part of the show, be a part of designing what I wear, be a part. And that just makes me feel in control, and it makes it so much more fun, right?
ALEX COOPER: It’s almost like— I was thinking about it when you’re saying that— you saying you don’t scroll past yourself, it’s because you’re fully aware of what you’re about to see. Because all of the creative you chose, all of your outfits, what you’re singing you chose. So you’re like, oh, I remember, oh, and I hit that dance move, I like that moment. Where before you’re probably like, oh God, why did I do that? Why did I do that? I was already feeling icky about it before I went on stage because I actually didn’t even really know if I wanted to sing that song.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
The Kia Asylum Explained
ALEX COOPER: You sparked a lot of conversation when you said that you finally broke out of the Kia Asylum. First of all, for anyone who does not know what that means, can you explain what the Kia Asylum is?
ZARA LARSSON: I feel like it’s a place that— okay, here we go. It’s a place— I don’t know how it was started, and it’s this institution where I think it’s mostly girls in there, honestly, like the pop girls that have big hits. So they’ve been charting, they maybe have billions of streams on their songs. I have really popular songs, but they have little to no cultural relevance, I would say, or maybe like an identity. So they have the songs and people know and can sing along with them, but they might not necessarily know who is singing the song.
And I’ve always kind of struggled with this. I’m like, oh, I’ve been so aware of it. And I didn’t know about the Kia Asylum before, you know, like 5, 6, 7 years ago. But I’ve always felt like, what is it that— because I feel like I have so much inside of me that people can connect with. Why can’t I bridge that gap? Because I’ve had these amazing songs, but like, what the f* is happening that makes me not—
ALEX COOPER: Isn’t clicking? Yeah. In your opinion, now looking back, what do you think was keeping you there?
ZARA LARSSON: I think it was being free in sharing myself, because I’ve tried the whole like, I’m going to be mysterious. There’s something very sexy about that, you know. But I’m not a mysterious person, and that’s just genuinely not who I am.
So with Midnight Sun, because it felt so much like me, I also felt like just sharing who I am with people and my followers— I think my hardcore fans have always kind of known me and checked out all my interviews and all of that. But I think I’ve also just shared more of myself with my followers and online. And I think it’s, again, all these small things coming together, like the music, the fashion, the personality, just me being freer but also more, yeah, like myself.
ALEX COOPER: It’s like you thought being in the music industry, you’re like, maybe I’ll just try to be mysterious. And look at when you just leaned into yourself, everyone’s like, “Bitch!” But it’s also hard.
ZARA LARSSON: I think Instagram is hard because it is so aesthetic, you know?
ALEX COOPER: It’s so hard.
ZARA LARSSON: And I think that’s why it’s just so much easier to connect because I don’t have to think about— and even sometimes I do want to wear a black leather jacket and now I’m like, wait, can I do that? But it’s like the duality of a woman. I still have it in me. I still have a leather jacket in me.
ALEX COOPER: I love it. I love it.
ZARA LARSSON: But it’s hard. I think that’s also what it is, actually. Now when I think back at it, it’s like staying a little bit disciplined because it is me and it is what I love. But it’s also like, if you want to create some sort of brand, you have to have the consistency and the discipline.
Dealing with Online Criticism
ALEX COOPER: You’re so right. You said in an interview that people used to call you a flop like 50 times a day.
ZARA LARSSON: It’s like, ah, no, listen, girl, that’s why I had to delete Twitter. I’m like, “Take care.”
ALEX COOPER: You’re like, goodbye. But how did those type of comments affect you when you were reading them and consuming them?
ZARA LARSSON: It’s weird because it’s this game with my brain. It’s so strange how I don’t think we’re meant to read 1,000 opinions about ourselves a day. Even over 5, like that’s a lot. And I think what matters is what the people around you are saying, right? So having some sort of social media or platform where people would just kind of say everything. And I have to be honest, yeah, I searched for my name. I did that. I don’t want to see the mention.
The Wikipedia Saga
ALEX COOPER: Oh, we know. You want to talk about Wikipedia? Oh, we know— can we quickly talk about that? Really pivot. Sorry. Yeah. This Wikipedia beef that you have, have we settled it? Have we squashed it? Is it—
ZARA LARSSON: They locked the page.
ALEX COOPER: They did.
ZARA LARSSON: No one can come in and edit it anymore.
ALEX COOPER: And explain the photo to people who haven’t seen it.
ZARA LARSSON: It was just an ugly photo of me, and I was like, I don’t want that to be the photo. I want it to be a hot photo. And then we tried to change it, and then they kept changing it back. And we emailed them like, can we just keep this picture? And they were like, well, it has to be by a photographer who has to give up the copyright. And I’m like, yeah, but I took the photo, my friend took the photo. And they were like, what camera? Then we sent this camera and they were like, send us a full resolution. And we’re like, it’s just a small bad digital.
ALEX COOPER: Going back and forth with Wikipedia.
ZARA LARSSON: No, like back and forth. I think they didn’t believe that I owned the picture. And I was like, no, I had to send them a video. Like, “Hey, this is Zara Larsson. My friend took this photo.” And they were like, yeah, so— no girl, it was the whole thing.
ALEX COOPER: The length that you went to be like, there will be no ugly photo of me. Get this shit out. Zara.
ZARA LARSSON: I’m like, that’s the one I want.
ALEX COOPER: You’re like, I want to serve face. Also, I love how of all the photos you’re like, no one even looks at f*ing Wikipedia these days, but you’re like, my Wikipedia will slay to the gods and don’t you ever forget it. Honestly, I have a lot of respect for that. Yes. How many times did you go in and try to change it?
ZARA LARSSON: Oh, like 20. No. Yes, it was over a period of time. And then when I posted the video, I posted a video on TikTok, I was like, “Whoever’s changing this, stop it. Because I will not give up. I will change it 21 times.”
ALEX COOPER: Like, every morning you’re having your coffee, you’re like, here we go, refresh.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes, yes. I will text my friend Vandala, just be like, you have to change it again. It’s changed back.
ALEX COOPER: Okay, so you’re searching yourself online constantly. You’re as deep in as Wikipedia.
ZARA LARSSON: And I think it’s a sense of false control of like, what are people saying about me? What are they thinking about me? Because at the end of the day, I’m an artist, right? I have this ego that I have to soothe, and I want people to love me, and I want people to like what I do. And when I have a bad day, I almost go in and I search for— the good comments give me a boost, and like, yay, you know, it’s like, woo! But then I just kind of look for the bad comments to almost confirm what I feel about myself that day, and it’s like, “I knew it.”
ALEX COOPER: What—
ZARA LARSSON: I knew it.
ALEX COOPER: What are some of the negative things that you feel about yourself? Because I feel like people online would look and be like, “Oh, you want to know what I look up when I want to get confidence? It’s a Zara Larsson dancing video of you shaking your ass, looking like the hottest goddess in the world.” And then like, so I’m assuming people are like, wait, what do you mean?
Finding Her Voice: Writing, Confidence, and the Studio
ZARA LARSSON: I think if I have a bad day, the only thing that affects me is — which I guess it’s true for everyone — the things that affect you are the things that you believe, even a little bit. So because I always felt this disconnect with people, or like, f*, I’m in the Kia Asylum, like, I’m really stuck in here, or like, maybe I am a flop, or like, what is it that doesn’t connect, like, what am I missing? And all those things affect me more because I’ve been beefing with people online since I was like 14, and I had my blog, and I used to write a lot about feminism. I used to write a lot about — I was out here hating men before it became a thing.
ALEX COOPER: Yes.
ZARA LARSSON: No, truly. And when it comes to me personally, I think, yeah, when I have a bad day, it just reinforces what I feel like I already felt, right?
ALEX COOPER: Do you look back at the time when there was negativity and when it would get to you before you got yourself out of this asylum? Did it impact the way that you felt about releasing music?
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: Talk to me about that.
ZARA LARSSON: I think I just cared a lot about what people would think and what people would say. And earlier on, I also didn’t really write my own stuff, so I felt like since it wasn’t really coming from me, like my words, I could kind of only lean on other people’s opinion. Like, I could know that it’s good, I think it’s good, but it was very important for other people to also feel like it was good.
Because I got signed at 14. And at that point, you’re so young and you’re around all these grown-ups who have been in the industry for a really long time and they’re very talented. So it’s like, “We’re giving you this song and we’re giving you this song.” And it wasn’t really an option for me to — well, I didn’t know. When you don’t know what it is you don’t know, you just don’t even know where to start.
I’ve always loved writing. Like I said, I had my blog. I love to express myself. But I think I tried to be in some sessions and there’s just this sense of — when you’re 14, 15, it’s hard to truly emotionally connect with someone who is like 40.
ALEX COOPER: And those are the type of people you’re sitting in that room with.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, you feel really small, and they’re so amazing and incredible. So I just kind of felt like, “Oh, what do I have to say? Like, you guys know better than I do.” When really it’s not about that. Now I realize it’s not about who is better. It’s about who can get me the most comfortable so I can be the most myself.
Being the Youngest in the Room
ALEX COOPER: But even Zara, you referenced being a young girl at the time when you started your career. When you would walk into rooms with label executives and producers, you would be the youngest person there.
ZARA LARSSON: Definitely.
ALEX COOPER: What did that make you feel like?
ZARA LARSSON: It’s just always been like that for me. And now when that’s no longer the reality, I’m like, wow, I think I really would have benefited from being around people more like my age. But it’s really hard to find the next big number one writer who’s 15 years old, you know what I mean?
ALEX COOPER: Like, you’re not stacking your studio with 15-year-olds.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, just like, “Come hang after school.”
ALEX COOPER: Who’s paying for the studio, right? None of us have jobs, we’re all 15. No, I get it.
ZARA LARSSON: So it’s just always been like that. And the thing is, I used to have my mom with me everywhere. My mom was with me everywhere — in every session, in every studio. She would sit right there. She was just with me. And I think that is such a blessing for me. Thinking back at it, I’m very thankful that she was just there.
And I’ve always felt like the people I started working with were also — because I got signed to an independent label in Sweden called TEN. Starting out, it was kind of this 360 deal where they were managing and record label, which kind of worked in the beginning because it was so small and it was just kind of in Sweden. But they were also with me, and I felt like I could really trust them. They always wanted what was best for me. I’ve been lucky to have been around good people.
The Power of Surrounding Yourself with Women
ALEX COOPER: You go on tour with all these women.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: Since surrounding yourself with women, what difference has that made for you?
ZARA LARSSON: I feel so confident. I feel so free in expressing myself. I also feel like for a lot of women, in whatever kind of work they’re doing — even on tour, because we’re all women on stage, but there’s so much happening. A lot of women holding the mics, performing, being pop stars, but also the producers and the people working backstage — nothing of this would work without people surrounding me or the industry.
They always just have to do the classic, you know, work twice as hard to get half the recognition that men get. And it feels really — they’re just so accomplished. I feel like everyone is being taken seriously, and you don’t have to prove all the time that you know what you’re talking about or that you know what you want. It’s so refreshing.
“I’m That Girl, I’ve Been It”
ALEX COOPER: I’m curious — since having this success, in your song “Stateside,” you say, “I’m that girl, I’ve been it.”
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: What does it feel like now that you really have people finally recognizing that? Like, is it a little annoying? Are people coming out of the woodwork?
ZARA LARSSON: I love it. I love it. And this just proved like, oh, I’m the shit. Like, I’m hot right now. That’s fun. It just says more about what I’m doing. And I think actually maybe the opposite for me — a lot of my friends, because I’m so bad at staying in contact with my friends when I travel, that’s really been an issue for me and a lot of my friendships throughout the years because I’m away a lot. The only thing that exists for me is whatever’s in front of my nose. I’m very present.
But I think almost the opposite is happening — close friends that I’ve had are a bit scared of calling me because maybe they don’t want me to think that they’re calling me because things are going well for me.
ALEX COOPER: I see.
ZARA LARSSON: So it’s almost like the opposite.
ALEX COOPER: Wait, you’re like, “Girl, call me. Yes, let’s go. Yes, let’s go get dinner.”
ZARA LARSSON: But also, I feel like I am just doing what I do, and that’s what makes it so fun and easy. I think this whole era is just — I don’t really have to think about, “Oh f*, what’s going to be the next thing?” Because I just do what I like and what feels right, and that’s just who I am at the moment. And then I don’t have to overthink what’s next so much. It just is. I’m just this. I’m very open. What you see is what you get.
The Note in “Midnight Sun” — Live in the Studio
ALEX COOPER: Okay, let’s talk about tour. First of all, the one note in your song “Midnight Sun” — it’s kind of long.
ZARA LARSSON: It’s kind of long.
ALEX COOPER: Do you have to prep for it? Like, when you do it live, could you bust it out right now, or do you have to fully prep for that?
ZARA LARSSON: I could bust it out right now. It’s just loud.
ALEX COOPER: Would you do it for me? Wait, not me fangirling. Okay, me pushing my mic away too.
ZARA LARSSON: Okay, I think that’s the right key. So I do take a breath. Okay, take a breath. Midnight Sun, an ever-ending Midnight Sun. I think that was the right key. Maybe it was lower.
ALEX COOPER: If that wasn’t the right key, maybe it’s up there.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: I just got tears in my eyes.
ZARA LARSSON: Oh, stop it.
ALEX COOPER: Wait, no, no, no, I’m not even gassing you up. Every single woman in this room right now, your voice —
ZARA LARSSON: Oh, thanks.
ALEX COOPER: Getting a little live performance right now. I’m like, I have full —
ZARA LARSSON: You know, I used to do that. I think that was like when I used to go to these record labels to be signed. I would be like, “And now I’m going to sing a cappella for you” — like old school stuff.
ALEX COOPER: And then they would just literally with their mouth open be like, “Oh shit, she doesn’t need any auto-tune.”
ZARA LARSSON: I used to sing “I Would Rather Go Blind.”
ALEX COOPER: Stop. You like get up on the chair, you’re like, “Are you all ready to be graced with greatness? Sit down.”
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: Zara. You have an insane voice.
ZARA LARSSON: Thank you.
ALEX COOPER: Oh my God, you didn’t even do a vocal warm-up. You just hit it.
ZARA LARSSON: I literally don’t. I feel like the first song of the show, “Midnight Sun,” that is like my warm-up.
ALEX COOPER: That’ll do it.
ZARA LARSSON: And then I just get warmed up throughout the show.
ALEX COOPER: I’m never going to get over that. First of all, I’ve also never had someone sing that loud in the Call Her Daddy studio, and I am — whoa, okay. You’ve been touring for like 10 years.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: I’m assuming you have some wild stories, like things that have happened. Okay, you’re like, no, no.
ZARA LARSSON: I’m doing that face because the craziest thing we do is like throw some candy wrappers on the floor in the bus.
ALEX COOPER: Stop. Okay, what’s the craziest thing that’s happened on stage? Malfunctions, disasters?
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, but that’s just showbiz, baby. You just got to suck it up and move on.
Edibles and Touring Life
ALEX COOPER: We have something in common.
ZARA LARSSON: Okay.
ALEX COOPER: We both like edibles.
ZARA LARSSON: Oh yeah, I love that stuff.
ALEX COOPER: What is your favorite kind?
ZARA LARSSON: Like, not even a strain or brand — just like, are you more of a sativa girl? I’m like a hybrid.
ALEX COOPER: Hybrid.
ZARA LARSSON: Because sometimes I get scared.
Edibles, Touring, and the Girls Girls Dynamic
ALEX COOPER: Okay, talk to me about your fears.
ZARA LARSSON: No, but sometimes I get paranoid. Like if I take one, it’s like, oh, I’m scared.
ALEX COOPER: What time of day are you usually?
ZARA LARSSON: Always recreational, like no work.
ALEX COOPER: No work.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: So like you’re at—
ZARA LARSSON: My worst nightmare would be to like have an edible, sit in this couch with you, and like having to speak.
ALEX COOPER: You know what? I am the same exact way. Like if we both were on edibles right now, no, we would just—
ZARA LARSSON: We would just— we wouldn’t— we were just slap knee, slap knee, and we’d be too scared to like say anything because I’d be like, was—
ALEX COOPER: Did I come off weird? Yeah, yeah, wait, was that weird? And you’d be like, no, no, am I being weird? And I’m like, am I sitting weird? What’s my posture like? Yes. I don’t know where I am. Yeah.
ZARA LARSSON: Okay, so you’re going to be with your friends. I have done it like twice on tour and it was so fun.
ALEX COOPER: What? Okay, so it went well?
ZARA LARSSON: It went really well, but it was also like just an opening slot. It was for Tate and it was just 45 minutes. At that point I was very comfortable in the set, but having done it, I’m like, yeah, I don’t think I’m going to do it again because I think it’s something— for me it’s like giggle and chill with your friends or like, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I don’t understand people that just like smoke crazy and then they go and do a show.
ALEX COOPER: I’m the same. I like to— I think I thrive my most when I’m alone and I have a little edible. Yeah, I’m not like walking around and going to meetings. No, couldn’t do it. Okay, speaking of Tate, you opened for Tate McRae. What was the most fun part of that tour?
Opening for Tate McRae
ZARA LARSSON: I mean, the whole experience was really so incredible for me, and I knew it was going to be amazing before we went on. First of all, because she’s incredible, her fans are so fun, and I feel like it was just the perfect match. So I knew that this was going to be like one of the first stepping stones of what I was trying to do with Midnight Sun.
I mean, it was right— I think my album released on the last day of the tour, so it was like a perfect setup because I really haven’t toured that much in the US or like America in general. And the most fun part, obviously, was to do the show every night, which was still like a 45-minute set, so I got to give them like a good chunk of what I do and who I am. And just the way it was received, I just could never have guessed how much it was going to do for me because they really felt like maybe it was just my For You page because that’s all it is, just me, me, me.
ALEX COOPER: You’re like, “They were loving me, Alex, okay? I was thriving on that tour. Me, me, me.”
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, but I saw so many videos from it and people engaging with it. And even though I don’t have Twitter, I have my friend Vandala. She sometimes sends me like the hit tweets of the week. And people were really, really positive. And I think also the story of it all— people love an underdog and people love to root for someone who they feel like is on the come up a little bit. And I think because I’ve been doing it for such a long time, there is so much history to it. There is so much lore. It’s like, this is not like an overnight thing, and people could be like, “Wow, she’s worked so hard, she deserves this.” And I think that adds to it.
ALEX COOPER: And having two women that are so good at dancing— you’re going to have a good time that night. Oh, and singing. Both of you are like insane dancers and singers. So you’re like—
ZARA LARSSON: But it was so incredible because I’ve been opening for other people before, like Ed Sheeran, Kygo— love, love, love, love, love him. I love him. But I think that match was like way better. And I’ve never had— it was like a lot of people who came to see the opening, which I didn’t feel was the vibe for the other people that I’ve opened for.
ALEX COOPER: The girlies were out.
ZARA LARSSON: The girlies were out and they were like, they came to see it. So that was so much fun.
Being Pitted Against Each Other
ALEX COOPER: I know that you had written in an Instagram post, you kind of called out— even though so many, like you’re saying, the comments were so positive, the vibes were so positive— it was strange seeing people pit you and Tate against each other, which is so sad because it’s kind of expected. Why is that even the case? What was going on that you think was creating that dynamic?
ZARA LARSSON: What was going on? I think, well, first of all, I’ve been doing this for longer. I’m older. And maybe some people felt like I deserve to be in the arena, and I’m like, well, buy the ticket then. That’s not Tate’s fault, you know what I mean? I haven’t toured. For me, this was an amazing opportunity.
I think it’s just like the nature of how people speak about girls in pop. Again, coming back to the f*ing pop girl asylum— no one being put in there except for the pop girls. There is this culture around it which I sometimes think is very interesting. It could be fun because people are very engaged in pop girls. The girls of pop are kind of pop culture, at least in my world. But I think we are similar in the sense that we both dance, although she’s a way better dancer, and I do pop, she does pop.
And I think again, it’s easier to root for someone who is like an underdog, because once you— and I kind of always said this— once you start getting haters, that’s when you know you’re like that bitch.
ALEX COOPER: No, it is so true. It’s like, I remember Taylor Swift’s line, it’s like, “They want to see you rise, but they do not want to see you reign.” They love the come up.
ZARA LARSSON: Totally.
ALEX COOPER: And then the minute you’re there, they’re like, “What the f* are you doing there?”
ZARA LARSSON: And obviously Tate is like massive. She had this sold-out arena tour. I’m on her tour, opening for her. So she’s this very successful girl. And I think it’s just— we’re both talented, but people are like, “Why is Zara opening for Tate?” Well, it’s not really about talent. It’s about me being put in front of a crowd where I haven’t been before. So I think it’s just too easy for people to compare us, even though we are similar but very different.
And I don’t think that was fun at all for her. We haven’t spoken about it much, but I think as a human being, her being so hardworking and talented and just seeing this f*ing random Swedish girl come on her tour— like, you know what I mean? But I did tell her that. I was like, “I am on your tour.” She is incredible. And also being on that tour, I personally have so much respect for the way she works and how hard she works and the fact that everyone was so lovely. And I think that says a lot about the artist because I definitely do think it trickles down. Like, if you have a good boss— she’s the boss, she’s the one employing all of these hundreds of people— if you have a good head, that makes the whole experience good. And it really was, like, down to the crew, the dancers, the drivers. The truck drivers were incredible.
And I think it’s just a classic case of misogyny— it can’t be two girls being good, you know?
ALEX COOPER: It’s so crazy. Have you had the ability— and you don’t need to name names— to talk to anyone in the industry about this problem that all of the pop girlies have of just comparison and everyone pitting you guys against each other?
ZARA LARSSON: Not really, because I don’t really go out. But in DMs and that, I think I could definitely, because this is something that we’re all aware of. Of course, we exist in the universe. We see things that everyone else is seeing on their timeline. We’re just people with phones at the end of the day.
And I think everyone can relate to it somehow. And who knows, in the future maybe karma comes back around and I have a really great girl opening for me and everyone’s like, “What the f*? Boo, yay, boo.” It’s just crazy the way it is. I love all the girls, I really do. And I think most people do. It’s such a cheap shot— putting someone up by putting someone else down. You can actually just say, “Wow, that was incredible.” You don’t have to put someone else down because of it.
Girls Girls and the Remix
ALEX COOPER: Something I was thinking about with your album is the “Girls Girls” song.
ZARA LARSSON: It’s funny you say that because I have something to say about that too, on the remix.
ALEX COOPER: Do you want to say it now?
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: Okay, let’s do it. You’re like, “And shut up, I have a statement.” No, sit back, relax, and enjoy.
ZARA LARSSON: “Girls Girls.”
ALEX COOPER: I’m ready.
ZARA LARSSON: Funny because I did take that song and I turned it into what happens when a girls girl— like, I want to be a girls girl, but what happens when a girls girl wants the spotlight? Because there’s only room for one girl, apparently. So we all have to be nice and friendly, which is the reality of it all. And this is at the end of the day just a song, but it’s that weirdness in the industry— and also that’s how I choose to twist it to make it a little different and fun.
ALEX COOPER: Oh, I like that. It’s going to be really fun because the original is about realizing you have feelings for your friend’s boyfriend. And you said that this was inspired by real events at the time. What is the story?
The Messy Teenage Story Behind the Song
ZARA LARSSON: It was inspired. It definitely wasn’t like the truth. And I think I just love the song. I love a little story. Let’s get messy in the story. I used to be so messy as a teenager. I really— and now I’m a granny, but at 16— oh girl. We were celebrating New Year’s and yeah, one of my best friend’s boyfriends, he just like, he was flirting with me all night and I was really interested in his friend. So we were at this party and by the end of the night— I don’t know what it’s like for you guys, but in Europe at 16, that’s like you’ve been drinking for about 4 years at this point.
ALEX COOPER: Okay, so not so much. Well, it depends in the US where you grow up, but yeah, yeah.
ZARA LARSSON: Okay, so I was picking up my jacket, everyone was already downstairs, we were going somewhere else. And yeah, he just kind of like started kissing me and I just kissed him back because I was messy like that. And I was 16 and really drunk. The f*ed up thing about this though was that the girl who had the party at her place, she filmed this and I didn’t know. So before I got the chance to tell my friend what happened the next day, she had already got the video sent to her.
Yeah, so that was really messy. But the truth is I wasn’t really like in love with him or interested in him. It was this weird, unforgivable mistake that happened. But obviously seeing it, she just cut me off, and all my friends just cut me off, and I was just like a floating piece of trash in the universe.
ALEX COOPER: No.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
Decentering Men & The Girls Girl Philosophy
ALEX COOPER: A video?
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: What was her reaction?
ZARA LARSSON: I don’t know, because she didn’t speak to me for like 4 years. Like, she cut me off. She meant that shit. And I had like clothes, you know, she had clothes at my place. And my mom was like, I can come and pick it up. And her mom was like, no, we can mail it.
ALEX COOPER: Like, how far did you guys live from each other? Like 10 minutes? Like, mail it? Like, yeah, no.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: When did you guys ever finally talk?
ZARA LARSSON: Yes, yes, yes. Okay. And now it’s okay and everyone’s like on good terms. Yeah, it was one of my worst mistakes in life. Like, it truly was. At 16, I just, if I could take it back, I would so, so, so bad. But I also have to like forgive myself for it because again, this is more than 10 years ago now, and I was just really stupid and messy. And also I found out that I can’t drink. Like, I just can’t. Because I always do— really like my morals and my just sense of self, like it just goes out the window. And now I just stick to the edibles.
ALEX COOPER: I was going to say, and then enter edibles. That’s when you were like, we’re going to stick to this.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes, truly.
Decentering Men & Finding Validation Within
ALEX COOPER: How has your idea of Girls Girl evolved over the years as you’ve become a woman?
ZARA LARSSON: I think Girls Girl is what I’m trying now when I feel like I can employ women, I can put like money in their pockets, and I can make sure to uplift and amplify like their voices. So again, in the studio, like, I want to write with other women, I want to produce with other women, I want to create with other women. And I just take women very seriously. Because I think we’re so amazing and capable.
ALEX COOPER: There was an interesting article about you recently that I wanted to get your opinion on. This quote, they said, “There’s nothing about Zara Larsson’s public persona that shows any interest in capturing the validation or attention of straight men.”
ZARA LARSSON: I love that.
ALEX COOPER: Is this an accurate statement?
ZARA LARSSON: I think the older I get, which I do think comes with age a little bit— because I used to be heavy male-centered, even if I didn’t want to like admit to it. I think even in like having relationships or making sure that I felt like validated and loved by like a man. It didn’t have to be like people outside of my relationship, but even so, that was still important to really feel desired by men. I think now maybe it’s like you turn 25 and like your brain develops, but like just growing up, just literally your brain develops. I think I focus so, so, so little on that right now.
ALEX COOPER: How have you really managed to decenter men from your life? Can you give the girls listening like a little go-to guide?
ZARA LARSSON: Ooh, no, I only want to impress like the mean 13-year-old girl. You know what I mean? Like, that’s who I want to impress.
ALEX COOPER: So real.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: They’re looking at your outfit.
ZARA LARSSON: They’re like, yeah, exactly.
ALEX COOPER: It’s cute. You’re like, I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.
ZARA LARSSON: No, I think I used to crave that so much. I don’t know if it’s like a classic, my dad. But like, my dad— and I love my dad, and my dad loves me. But he was away a lot.
ALEX COOPER: You know what I mean? Like, you’re like, we gotta go back to the origin story. It’s always the dad, right? What’s the relationship with the dad? I wanted my dad’s attention.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: So I wanted other men’s attention.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes, exactly. But I think, now also, maybe I hate to say it, but like, in my relationship now, I think he has made me realize that I don’t need like outside validation. Because it has to come from within. And how do you find that within? Ew, I’m saying corny things on corny things. Like, I was going to say you have to love yourself. The 13-year-olds are like, yeah, they’re like, um, yeah, next. But it’s not— and like, how do you love yourself? I think you have to like have a lot of grace for yourself. You have to surround yourself with people who are like uplifting and non-judgmental.
ALEX COOPER: No, it’s such a good point. It’s like the amount of times— and everyone’s timeline is going to be different— but the amount of time you have to take at some point in your life to realize like you’re going to keep getting a zero to nothing result when you’re looking for other people’s approval and you’re looking for people to validate you. And the minute that you are able to source that all within yourself, there’s still—
ZARA LARSSON: It will always be of course, but he can’t be like this source ever present. No.
Crushes, Relationships & Honest Conversations
ALEX COOPER: Okay, back to your album. I love it because you write about like kind of taboo—
ZARA LARSSON: No, totally—
ALEX COOPER: Topics.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: How have fans reacted to some of these topics?
ZARA LARSSON: I think they’re pretty chill, you know. I think, at the end of the day it’s songs, but it is a very relatable thing, I think. And having a little crush on someone when you’re in a relationship is like, bad, bad, bad. But I’ve had that, and I think it comes down to, again, just— it’s not even really about that other person that I was interested in, it’s just about me wanting to feel desired and wanting to feel like, “Wow, I’m so hot.” It wasn’t even really about them because I’ve been reading through our text messages afterwards and I’m like, you’re not even funny. Like, I’m the funny one. Like, if we look at it with sober eyes now, I’m like, why am I just like—
ALEX COOPER: You know what I mean, right? Like, do you find that in your— in the past? Because I know you’re in a relationship of like over 5 years, which we’re going to get to, but in the past, have you found that within yourself where you’re still lightly looking to feel desired the minute you’re in a relationship? Does the spark go?
ZARA LARSSON: No, I think I’ve always just— it could come from anywhere. It’s not really about the relationship again, because like right now, and has been from the start, my boyfriend is fantastic. Like, I love him, and I can’t not be honest to him because he also, like, he will just see right through me. And he’s so patient and he’s so understanding. And I think having some sort of crush, like, we obviously spoke about it and he could tell, like, immediately. He’s like, “So what’s going on?” You know what I mean? Like, “What’s up with you?”
ALEX COOPER: How did you handle that?
ZARA LARSSON: You just have to talk about it. It’s actually not that— it doesn’t have to be dramatic. And then you just say how you feel. And he knows me better almost than I know myself, because he also knows that— actually, saying I’m a woman, but this person that craves this validation, we call her the girl. And sometimes the girl pops out and she wants to like roam around town, but the girl girl is kind of gone now.
ALEX COOPER: Girl is gone because you’re a woman now, Zara.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes, yes.
ALEX COOPER: Wait, and so your boyfriend was like— he was okay? Like, he was like—
ZARA LARSSON: I wouldn’t say okay. Yeah, I wouldn’t say okay, but you got through it. Yeah, like, it wasn’t very dramatic. It was just like— what I’m saying, that he wasn’t okay, he wasn’t like, “It’s fine by me, baby.” But he was just like, let’s have an honest conversation, because that’s all you can have.
Being Cheated On & Finding Real Love
ALEX COOPER: Have you ever been cheated on?
ZARA LARSSON: Yes, in previous relationships, like my first relationship was just— that was so weird.
ALEX COOPER: How did you find out?
ZARA LARSSON: We were together from like 14 to 18, 19. Wow. And we were together for 3 months and then he told me like, “I’m sorry, I slept with someone at a party.” And then our relationship was kind of just like that for the whole of my teenage years. Very traumatic. Like we were both just really bad for each other, but we didn’t have any sort of reference point to like what love is supposed to be. And that like teenage fiery, like hormones everywhere, so crazy. You think it’s like passion and really it’s just trash, like so bad.
ALEX COOPER: It’s so crazy. At 16 you’re like, I’m in love. Yeah, this is the love of my life. Yes, I’ll ruin everything for this person. No, literally, babe, you’re not okay in the head. Like, I went through that same thing where you’re like, what was I thinking?
ZARA LARSSON: What was I thinking?
ALEX COOPER: Wait, and how— what initially attracted you to your boyfriend?
ZARA LARSSON: So we were friends for a really long time before. It was like a friends-to-lovers situation. It was very cute. It was very cute because I’ve never really had that. I’m a very like, yo, we’re fing on the first date. Like, let’s just get it over with. You know what I mean? And I couldn’t really do that with him because it just gradually— I mean, he’s always kind of been in my friend group, like my bigger friend group, and I’ve always been in a relationship. So when I broke up with my ex, we were just like out and about with this big friend group, and then we started having like parties at my place. And yeah, just like the later it got, the more people dropped off. And like every day, every week, it would just be like smaller, smaller circle, and we would just hang out. And then all of a sudden it was just like us there and we were like— and he was like, “Oh no, I missed the last train.”* I’m like, you can take an Uber, bud. You know what I mean?
ALEX COOPER: Who made the first move?
ZARA LARSSON: It was so in sync. Like, he obviously was very interested and he made sure, you know, you just know. Yeah, you just know. But I’ve never looked at him in that way until I did. Like, I’ve never— I was never in the relationship looking at him thinking like— he’s always been beautiful, but he’s very friendly and he’s very like respectful. So I think when I got out of my relationship and we started hanging out, it was just like one day like, “Wait, yeah, like wait a minute.” And then he stayed over and he stayed over for like a week and we just got like closer and closer every night. And it’s such a cute story because really we probably would have like gone down to business earlier.
ALEX COOPER: So you’re really waiting, you’re like, we need to— I’m like, let’s wait.
ZARA LARSSON: But really, I just needed those, like, I need a couple seconds.
ALEX COOPER: Yeah, I need a second. Oh my God.
A Partner Who Grounds Her
ZARA LARSSON: So it was really cute. It just made it really beautiful. And then when it happened, it’s just been us since that day. And he’s my person. Like, he’s my best friend, and we just have such a fun time, and he’s so smart. And he gets along really, really well with my friends. My sister loves him. Like, that’s so important to me that my — especially my sister and my friends get along with my man, because I didn’t really have that before where it felt like you fit into my world and the opposite.
But I think it’s so, so, so important. And now I just know — now I feel since the girl is kind of gone — I really do feel like that’s my person for life. Like, we’re locked in. I feel so secure. And even now when I’m traveling, we don’t have to speak every day all the time. Like, that shit’s lame. Like, why would you have to? Like, I know you’re there and I feel so secure, and he knows I’m here and feels so secure.
And I think it’s because we’ve always had really open and honest conversations. And I think before him, I didn’t really have that, even with myself. Like, I would tell him, like, “No, it’s not that, I actually feel like this.” And it’s like, “But is it really like that? Like, what is it really about? Like, let’s take it from the start.” So what? And then we’ll talk. And then eventually it’s like, “Well, actually it’s not like that.” So I think he taught me to be honest with myself, which is actually the hardest part.
ALEX COOPER: It’s so hard because you have to find that person that balances you just right.
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: And I feel like also you guys have gone through a lot. I know you posted on TikTok calling out some of the racist comments that people were making towards your boyfriend.
ZARA LARSSON: Oh, he’s like elevated. Like, in his mindset, he’s so grounded, but also at the same time, it’s like he doesn’t care about anything like that.
ALEX COOPER: How do you handle that hate though towards someone you love online?
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, I think that’s worse because in a way, when it’s about me, I can kind of handle it. But of course it’s never fun. I think the way he moves through life — he’s a very interesting character. And he just makes me realize too that even how many hours a day I spend online, at the end of the day, this is real. And he grounds me a lot.
And I think I have these really big dreams and aspirations and goals, and not that he doesn’t have that, but his dream is to have a family. He’s like, “My purpose is to be a dad and be the best dad I can be, and to be the best friend I can be, the best partner I can be, and everything else is just like cherry on top.” But his purpose is not to go look for what I’m looking for.
So we’re very different, and I think we balance each other a bit. Like, yeah, he grounds me, and I inspire him with goals and dreams because I’m like, “What the f* do you mean? Like, what do you mean you don’t want to take over the world?” And he’s like, “No, I mean, this is it. Like, this is life for me.” Like, he will live on a farm, you know, like grow his plants.
ALEX COOPER: He’s going to keep that super grounded. Yeah, you’re going to be like, “Let’s go!”
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, wait, helicopter, charge it up!
The Funny One in the Relationship
ALEX COOPER: Who’s the funny one in the relationship?
ZARA LARSSON: It’s me.
ALEX COOPER: I was going to say — I will never forget when you posted your foot in a condom. Well, your leg actually in a condom.
ZARA LARSSON: My whole leg. Yeah.
ALEX COOPER: What happened there?
ZARA LARSSON: I don’t know. I feel like it wasn’t that big of a deal. I feel like I’ve seen so many people do the same thing, but because it was like the Tumblr days, right? And they could only fit like kind of the foot. And then that day we had gone to the youth clinic with my school, as you do. I don’t know if you guys do that here.
ALEX COOPER: No, but I love that.
ZARA LARSSON: I feel like everyone should. More sexual education with the kids. And then we got a bag — I’m talking like a bag of condoms — and I was like, I’m not going to use all of this because I do it unprotected. No, I’m kidding. So I had to try it on and it reached all the way up to my knee and I was like, “That’s incredible, that’s fantastic.” So I had to post a picture saying like, “If you say it doesn’t fit, I don’t know how big it is, but it’s not as big as my leg. Like, let’s just be honest, dude, it was up to your foot.” And it just blew up. It just blew up.
ALEX COOPER: It was so funny too because I was like, oh my gosh, has she ever had a guy be like, “I can’t do that because I’m big,” and you’re just like, yes, you have.
ZARA LARSSON: Actually, no, that’s a lie. Okay, but a lot of my girlfriends have had that. Yes, because I’ve always been in a relationship, and condom or not, my mom, as soon as I got in a relationship, she was like, “I am putting you on birth control.” Hello, if you’re in a relationship at 15, whatever, like you do what you want to do.
ALEX COOPER: I’m dead.
ZARA LARSSON: So that was okay.
ALEX COOPER: So you’re the funny one. You’re the funny one.
ZARA LARSSON: I would say so.
ALEX COOPER: I love that.
ZARA LARSSON: I don’t think — yeah, he would agree.
Blue Moon and Writing Songs About Love
ALEX COOPER: Okay. I know the song “Blue Moon” is about him.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: How did you first show that song to him?
ZARA LARSSON: We were actually in Jamaica together writing it, and I was with my writing crew and he was there, so he was just kind of in the studio as we were writing it.
ALEX COOPER: Cute. Have you written other songs about him?
ZARA LARSSON: Yes. Yeah, I have. It’s so fun, honestly, because I don’t really write a lot about — I don’t make a conscious decision about not writing specifically only about romantic love, but I think a lot of my songs are about other things as well, like “Crush” or “Girls Girl,” which is about love but in a different perspective. Even “Midnight Sun” — that’s a song about my country house, and I was just like, “I need to write a song about what it feels like on a summer’s day in the countryside.” But the love songs — yeah, he’s gotten a few of those and he’ll get some more.
The Deluxe Album
ALEX COOPER: I feel like obviously your album was such a success, and now we have the deluxe album coming out. What can you tell us about it?
ZARA LARSSON: I’m so excited about this. I’m so excited.
ALEX COOPER: We are too.
ZARA LARSSON: It’s going to be fantastic — I mean, just for me, I’m just like, I can’t believe this is happening because I’ve always said I wanted to do collabs with girls, and there are so many girls on this. So many.
ALEX COOPER: Can you give us any hints?
ZARA LARSSON: Hmm, what could be a hint? Did you get that? You got that? I got that.
ALEX COOPER: We’ll zoom in, don’t worry. Perfect. Thank you, internet, do your thing. Can you tell us about any of the new songs?
ZARA LARSSON: Yeah, I mean, they are just reproduced and reworked. A lot of them are really amazing new songs. It’s like a new way of listening to the album, and it’s really fun. I was super inspired by Charli XCX, how she did her album, and I’m like, “Wait, that’s so fun,” because I always think that there are so many ways — even when producing the original song that gets to be put out to the world, usually there are just so many versions of it before that never really get to see the light of day. There are so many ways you can take a production, and it’s just so fun to give it another life.
And I’m just so excited. Like, some of these people on it, I just can’t believe it. That’s really where I felt like, “Wow, I’m a star. Like, wow, you wanted to be on my song?” It’s really incredible.
ALEX COOPER: I’m so happy for you. Can you share what you think is your favorite?
ZARA LARSSON: Oh, one of my favorites is “Blue Moon.” It’s so nice. It’s so nice.
Closing Thoughts
ALEX COOPER: I’m so excited for you and so happy for you. And just getting to know you today was so lovely. I feel like I’ve gotten to know you from that young girl that was hungry and wanted it, but then really, I feel like this was about the evolution of you as a woman and coming into your own. And yes, you’ve popped off and so many people are talking about you now, but you’ve been working at this and it’s so well deserved.
ZARA LARSSON: Thank you.
ALEX COOPER: And you’ve put the work in, you’ve put the time in, and it seems in a beautiful way like you’re still being so true to yourself.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes.
ALEX COOPER: And that to me is what is going to make you continue to stand out to people. Because it feels really authentic.
ZARA LARSSON: Or just — it’s the only way that could work. In a way. Like, it’s just what has to be.
ALEX COOPER: It has to be it, and it is, and that’s what it is. And so I’m so excited for everyone to listen to this deluxe album. I’m so happy that we finally got to meet.
ZARA LARSSON: Me too. This is really big for me, like, this is a really big deal for me.
ALEX COOPER: Well, I’m so —
ZARA LARSSON: Thank you for having me.
ALEX COOPER: I am so happy we did this.
ZARA LARSSON: Yes!
ALEX COOPER: Thank you for coming on Call Her Daddy.
ZARA LARSSON: Thanks!