According to concert organizers “Positivus Music,” Zara knew at just five years old that she wanted to become as immortal as Elvis Presley. Today, she boasts over a billion streams of her songs Lush Life, Never Forget You, and Symphony (with UK electronic music group Clean Bandit), along with three MTV Europe Music Awards and four Grammis, Sweden’s equivalent of the Grammy Awards.

Zara Larsson first gained widespread recognition at age ten when she won the Swedish version of Got Talent, called Talang, in 2008. In the finals, she performed My Heart Will Go On – the iconic song originally sung by Céline Dion. The Titanic film theme remains a vivid memory for many and was one of Zara’s early inspirations, alongside her all-time favorite Beyoncé, as well as Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Jay-Z, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, and her younger sister Hanna Larsson’s neo-soul group Lennixx.

My Heart Will Go On soon became the young singer’s debut single, strengthening her popularity in Sweden. That same year, she appeared on another show – Sommarkrysset, held at Stockholm’s Gröna Lund amusement park and broadcast on TV. Later, Zara also participated in the reality show Ag Ska Bli Stjärna ("I’m Going to Be a Star"), studied ballet and art.

Together with her manager, singer Laila Bagge, Zara traveled to Los Angeles, but meetings with major record labels didn’t result in deals due to her young age. Still, her early releases gained traction in Scandinavia, and with her second album, So Good (2017), under American label Epic Records, she achieved international success.

That success has grown with each release – Poster Girl (2021) and her latest, critically acclaimed dance-pop album Venus(2024), where Zara co-wrote nearly all the songs, exploring love, heartbreak, and personal relationships with family and friends. Her most popular song to date, Lush Life, released at age 18, has already surpassed 1.5 billion streams on Spotify.

Zara’s upcoming album Midnight Sun, set for release on September 26, and its lead single Pretty Ugly, mark a new chapter in the singer’s career. “When I thought about this album, I asked myself what I wanted to express. I’m very proud of my Swedish pop heritage, so I wanted to create something that reflects the Swedish summer – a time when the sun never sets,” says Zara Larsson.