Zara Larsson has been famous in Sweden since she was 10. Still, 2026 is the year America finally caught up. Thanks to a viral Olympic moment and a PinkPantheress remix, she scored her first US top 10 hit. It only took her nearly two decades.
So who is she, how old is she, and where did it all start? Below, you’ll find her quick facts, her biggest songs and everything that made 2026 her best year yet.
Updated: November 2026
Zara Larsson Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Zara Maria Larsson |
| Born | December 16, 1997, in Solna, Sweden |
| Age | 28 (she turns 29 on December 16, 2026) |
| Hometown | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Genres | Pop, dance-pop |
| Years active | 2008 to present |
| Labels | TEN Music Group (2012 to 2022), Sommer House (her own label) |
| Studio albums | 1, So Good, Poster Girl, Venus, Midnight Sun |
| Best-known songs | “Lush Life,” “Never Forget You,” “Symphony,” “Midnight Sun,” “Stateside” |
| Major awards | 2026 Grammis Artist of the Year, two American Music Awards, four MTV EMAs |
| @zaralarsson |
Who Is Zara Larsson?
Zara Larsson is a Swedish singer and songwriter known for big, glossy dance-pop. She first won over Sweden as a kid on a TV talent show. Then, in the mid-2010s, hits like “Lush Life” and “Symphony” made her a star across Europe.
Since then, she’s released five studio albums and launched her own record label. She also has five No. 1 singles and three No. 1 albums in Sweden. Today, she sits among the biggest names on our list of popular European female singers.
Quick spelling tip: it’s Zara with a Z and Larsson with a double S. So if you’ve been searching for “Sarah Larson,” you’re probably looking for her.
Early Life in Stockholm
Zara was born on December 16, 1997, in Solna, just north of Stockholm. She grew up in Tallkrogen, a neighborhood south of the city. In a 2020 WIRED video, she called herself “Stockholm born and bred.”
Her parents are Agnetha and Anders Larsson. She also has a younger sister, Hanna, who is a singer too. In the same WIRED video, Zara said she and her mom sometimes go to IKEA just because they’re bored.
As a kid, she trained at the Royal Swedish Ballet School until age 15. Later, she studied at Kulturama, a Stockholm arts school. She even spent third grade at a school on Ko Lanta, an island in Thailand.
How Zara Larsson Got Famous
Her big break came in 2008, when she won the second season of the Swedish TV show Talang. She was just 10 years old. On top of the title, she took home 500,000 Swedish kronor. Her winning song, “My Heart Will Go On,” even reached No. 7 in Sweden.
Fame didn’t stick right away, though. She then appeared in a reality series, and her team pitched her to labels in Los Angeles. Even so, no offers came.
So she kept working, and in 2012 she signed with TEN Music Group. Her 2013 single “Uncover” changed everything, because it hit No. 1 in both Sweden and Norway. That same year, she also signed a US deal with Epic Records.
The Hits That Made Her a Global Star
Her international moment arrived in 2015 with “Lush Life.” The breezy summer anthem reached the top five in 18 countries. Soon after, “Never Forget You,” her duet with MNEK, became another big hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
Then, in 2017, she featured on Clean Bandit’s “Symphony.” It became her first No. 1 in the UK and also topped the charts in Sweden and Norway. Her second album, So Good, came out that year and went to No. 1 in Sweden.
Meanwhile, “I Would Like” climbed to No. 2 in the UK. Later, “Ruin My Life” from 2018 went platinum in the US. Honestly, few pop singers had a better run between 2015 and 2018.
Taking Control With Sommer House
In June 2022, Zara left TEN and bought back her catalog. After that, she launched her own label, Sommer House. As a result, she now owns her old hits and steers her new music.
Her fourth album, Venus, arrived in February 2024. Later that summer, “Symphony” trended again on TikTok thanks to a goofy dolphin meme. That surprise revival introduced her to a whole new generation of fans.
Our take: Owning your music at 24 is a power move. In hindsight, it set up everything that came next.
Midnight Sun and a Career Peak
On September 26, 2025, Zara released Midnight Sun, her fifth album. Critics loved it. Better yet, the title track became her highest-charting solo song in the US, peaking at No. 14 on the Hot 100. It also reached No. 7 in the UK.
“Midnight Sun” also earned her a first Grammy nomination, for Best Dance Pop Recording at the 2026 Grammys. Meanwhile, she opened for Tate McRae on the Miss Possessive Tour. Then she kicked off her own Midnight Sun Tour in October 2025.
Around the same time, “Lush Life” got a second life. In November 2025, a fan danced its choreography with her on stage, and the clip blew up. Soon, the 10-year-old hit climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard Global 200.
“Stateside” and Her First US Top 10
In September 2025, Zara jumped on a remix of PinkPantheress’s “Stateside.” At first, it was just a fun fan favorite. Then the Winter Olympics happened.
On February 21, 2026, figure skater Alysa Liu skated to the song in her gala program, soon after winning Olympic gold. The routine went viral worldwide. As a result, “Stateside” shot up to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Zara her first US top 10.
It also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, a first for both singers. On top of that, it reached No. 3 in the UK and No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart. Even so, Zara later told Teen Vogue that Liu’s routine meant more to her than any chart spot.
Our take: Eighteen years after Talang, she became an “overnight” success in America. That’s the best kind of plot twist.
2026 Awards and Tour Highlights
The wins kept coming all year. At the 2026 Grammis, Sweden’s version of the Grammys, she took Artist of the Year and Pop of the Year. Then, at the American Music Awards, she won Breakthrough Album of the Year and Collaboration of the Year.
She was also named Vocalist of the Year at the Electronic Dance Music Awards. In May, she dropped Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, a remix album with Shakira, Robyn, Tyla, Kehlani and PinkPantheress. By July, she had two songs in the Hot 100 top 20 at the same time.
On stage, she played to more than 90,000 fans at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival. Her summer also included Lollapalooza dates in Chicago and Berlin. After that, she took her arena tour to Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Zara Larsson Albums in Order
New fan? Here’s every studio album so far, plus why each one matters.
- 1 (2014): Her debut gave Sweden the top-ten hits “Carry You Home” and “Rooftop,” and it went platinum there.
- So Good (2017): Her second Swedish No. 1 album, which also made the top ten in seven other countries.
- Poster Girl (2021): It debuted at No. 3 in Sweden and No. 12 in the UK.
- Venus (2024): Her first album after launching her own label, Sommer House.
- Midnight Sun (2025): Her most acclaimed record yet, home to a Grammy-nominated title track.
If you only have time for one, start with Midnight Sun. Then go back to So Good for the classic hits.
What’s Next for Zara Larsson?
All eyes now turn to the 2027 Grammy nominations, which the Recording Academy reveals on November 16, 2026. After the year she’s had, we’d love to see her name in the pop or dance categories.
One category is off the table, though. Her former label reportedly considered pushing her for Best New Artist, but she shot the idea down. “I’m not a new artist,” she told Perfect Magazine in August.
Because she already earned a nomination for “Midnight Sun,” she likely isn’t eligible for that award anyway. Our take: We love her answer. Calling her “new” would skip right over more than a decade of hits.
Zara Larsson FAQ: Age, Height, Hometown and More
How old is Zara Larsson?
Zara Larsson is 28 years old. Because she was born on December 16, 1997, she turns 29 in December 2026.
Where is Zara Larsson from?
She’s from Stockholm, Sweden. She was born in Solna and grew up in Tallkrogen, south of the city center.
How tall is Zara Larsson?
In a 2020 WIRED video, Zara said she’s 160 centimeters tall. That works out to about 5 feet 3 inches.
What is Zara Larsson’s Instagram?
Her official account is @zaralarsson. According to the analytics site HypeAuditor, it had about 13.5 million followers in October 2026.
What is Zara Larsson’s biggest song?
“Lush Life” and “Symphony” are her biggest classics. However, “Stateside” with PinkPantheress is her highest-charting US hit, peaking at No. 6 on the Hot 100.
Final Thoughts
Zara’s story proves that patience pays off in pop. She went from a 10-year-old TV winner to a label owner, and then to a global No. 1 artist. Honestly, it feels like her best chapter is still ahead.
Which Zara era is your favorite: “Lush Life,” “Symphony” or “Stateside”? Tell us in the comments. And for more pop queens, check out our top female singers in the world.