Can a musical artist make a truly relevant comeback in today’s fast-paced, trend-driven industry? In an era where an audience’s attention is short-lived and expectations are extremely high, artists are expected to keep up by consistently delivering creative sounds, captivating performances, and an engaging stage presence that reels us in. For artists, just staying relevant can be difficult.
Twenty-eight-year-old Swedish singer and songwriter Zara Larsson knows this all too well. As a teenager, Larsson initially went viral in the mid-2010s with upbeat, dance-pop themed music, but by 2019, though she was still releasing new albums, she wasn’t gaining much traction compared to her previous years of blowing up. However, this lapse in momentum took a turn when she had a sudden resurgence in the pop music scene through a revival of her old music and a rebranding of her style in 2024. Now, Larsson is quickly rising to the top of the charts and experiencing peak pop stardom. So, how did this happen?
Larsson first rose to global fame with her hit singles “Lush Life” and “Never Forget You” back in 2015. “Never Forget You” even rose to #13 on the Billboard charts in 2016, solidifying her presence within the pop music genre. In 2017, Larsson collabed with Clean Bandit on the track “Symphony”, which quickly gained global traction. Together, each of these songs reached over 1.15 billion streams on Spotify, with “Lush Life” landing as her most famous track, with a reported 2.23 billion streams, and became widely recognized as popular summer anthems and dominated the mid 2010s. And then things slowed down for the young star quite a bit before her 2024 resurgence.
In the summer of 2024, a video featuring Larsson’s song “Symphony” was paired with colorful, vibrant, Y2K-themed dolphin images and a caption that contrasted the visuals, expressing a dark statement that went viral. Users started to create their own versions of the video, and it quickly became a trend on the app. Larsson herself took notice and participated by creating her own spin on the trend, and this became the moment where she began to redefine her aesthetic.
Just under a year later, on June 13, 2025, Larsson capitalized on her resurgence by releasing the single “Midnight Sun” and a music video that featured bright, summer-inspired, Y2K visuals that reflected the very same aesthetic seen in the “Symphony” dolphin meme. She was able to successfully use the viral meme to her advantage and reintroduce her music to shape a new artistic path. This rebranding of her style continued to appear in her performances, most notably when she was an opener for Tate McRae’s “Miss Possessive” tour. Her summer-themed outfits and makeup reinforced this new image. Users on TikTok praised Larsson for being such an incredible opener, with many commenting on how “her vocals are another level” and “her choreography is a 10/10.” Serving as an opening act not only allowed her to gain new fans, but also reintroduced previous listeners to her evolving aesthetic.
One of the most engaging aspects fans highlight in Larsson’s current concerts is when she invites a fan on stage to sing and dance along to her hit song “Lush Life.” During her show in Amsterdam, Larsson invited fan Julia Coster on the stage and Coster was able to perform the full choreography to the song successfully, shocking Larsson. The clip of this moment went viral all over TikTok, and quickly prompted a new trend on the app: the “Lush Life” dance, where users learned the choreography after being inspired by Coster. In a recent interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Hudson asked Larsson about the trending dance and how it became so popular. Larsson replied by giving Coster credit and said she was the one who truly “revived the song.”
Larsson just concluded her North American leg of the “Midnight Sun” tour on April 12, 2026, and was able to successfully sell out all of her shows. Her upcoming tour in Australia reflects her growing success, with also selling out each date and having to upgrade several venues to larger arenas. Through the power of social media trends, revival of her earlier music, and creating a new aesthetic, Larsson has successfully made a bigger name for herself within the music industry. As her career continues to evolve, it’s exciting to see where she’ll head next.
