Zara Larsson’s new album, Girl Poster, is the escape-to-your-bedroom-with-a-hairbrush pop dance that we need right now.
Known for his chart-topping singles “ Never Forget You ” with MNEK and “ Symphony ” with Clean Bandit, Larsson’s international debut So good is still the second most listened to woman debut album on Spotify, after Ariana Grande My everything.
You might not know she had her first aged bachelor number one 15, after winning the Swedish talent competition Talang Sverige (their England has an incredible talent equivalent) 10 years old. Collaborations with Tinie Tempah at David Guetta propelled the 23-year-old to global stardom and she’s been open for Beyoncé ever since. Training toured London, toured with Ed Sheeran and was named in Forbes’ 30 List of power under 30 years.
But it’s not only the many musical accolades of the pop heroine we love the most.
It’s his wit and candor on social media that brings a refreshing change to the often unrelated #goals that fill our feeds. She says what she thinks and does not hesitate to denounce sexist and racist comments. A highlight was a 2015 Instagram post mocking men who refuse to wear condoms by posting a photo of a leg and foot circumference to prove they’re not ‘too short’. In 2018, she won an award for feminism from Sweden’s oldest women’s rights organization.
If Larsson wants one thing, it’s for others, especially women, to feel good about themselves and their new album. Girl poster does exactly that, a cross between anthems like “Shout Out To My Ex” with elegant melodies reminiscent of Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey.
This love and appreciation of the women who came before her and those she sees as peers also merges into Larsson’s cultural leanings, as she reveals to ELLE for our series, My life in the culture.
Poster Girl is to listen because …
Pop is a form of escape and this album is so happy and dance friendly. When I listen to music, I dance in my room and perform in front of an imaginary crowd, so it was all about the fun. My last studio session was the day before the lockdown in Los Angeles last year, it wasn’t quarantined, but her positivity may be just what we need right now.
What I listened to recently …
If I do my makeup, my favorite song is “F. *. CK ”by Victoria Monet, which means“ friend you can keep ”. I love Swedish rappers like Yasin and Newkid, but I mostly listen to background music in my apartment, like the classic Bossa Nova or the Indiana Jones soundtrack. I play board games everyday and love to have adventure music playing in the background – Cato has taken my life back on lockdown. I want everything I do to look like a movie.
My biggest fan girl moment was …
I haven’t met Beyoncé. I opened for her in London and my biggest regret is not having the courage to meet her. I looked around in the locker room after the show because it was such a huge moment. I think I would have had a heart attack if I had encountered her. I totally understand and connect with the fandom, it’s like following a religion in a certain way, you listen to your favorite artist when you want to feel better or understood as a cult.
The first album I owned was …
Swedish singer Carola Häggkvist, bought by my mother – she introduced me to all the great divas like Aretha Franklin and Celine Dion, which was my first gig. My first real love was Whitney Houston, I sang one of her songs during my audition for Talang Sverige [the talent competition that launched her career] . I remember seeing her album cover art by David LaChapelle and thinking she was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She has so much power in her voice and I constantly try to recreate her national Super Bowl anthem at home. I have always admired very great voices.
I would really love to work with …
Ariana Grande. She’s already appeared on the backing vocals of one of my tracks after I ran into her in the studio, but I’d love to write and perform a song together. She’s so humble and self-aware.
I always listen to a podcast …
I listen to them more than music, especially when I’m in the middle of an album. I love Scriptnotes, on screenwriting, Freakonomics and all the creepypastas, which are ghost tories. They make me feel like I’m with friends even when I’m alone. This is why my heart was stolen by the Clubhouse app, it’s like an interactive podcast.
What TV shows I watched recently …
I’m a serial binger and watch most shows in a day, stay up way too late, and have seen pretty much everything on Netflix. I loved Ozark, Lupine, Your Honor (with Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston) and Euphoria. This whole series is magical and shot like a music video – it’s visually stunning.
The last movie I watched was …
Pieces of a woman, with Vanessa Kirby, it was such a powerful and traumatic story. Having a good cry can be cathartic, I cry a little bit of everything My sister’s keeper at Disney, who are always nicer, happier cries. I loved Soul, I am always very close to tears or laughs.
To feel comforted, I always look …
Avatar. I know every line and have looked at it at least 20 times. It makes me feel safe, the same way Office does for most people.
My favorite accounts to follow on Instagram are …
Always people who make me laugh or make me appreciate myself or my body. I’m never typical influencers because I end up comparing myself and our lives, which makes me feel bad. Munroe Bergdorf is a brilliant educator, she talks about sexism, feminism, racism, transphobia – it’s so important to learn about issues that maybe aren’t. directly affect you. Lizzo makes me feel so good about myself because she is so confident. She doesn’t fit typical societal beauty standards, but she says, “ F ** k this is my body. I love it. I love myself. Eat it. Then there is Elsa Majimbo for the laughs, she is a funny and funny woman who makes sketches while eating crisps in bed.
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