From global hits like “Symphony” and “Ruin My Life,” Zara Larsson has built a catalog of hits that capture vulnerability and exhilaration in the same breath. In her newest album, “Midnight Sun,” she sticks to what she knows best, delivering a record that glows with warmth and confidence. It’s the kind of album that can trick you into believing summer isn’t over, even when the air has already turned crisp.
The title track “Midnight Sun” is the album’s glittering centerpiece, a melodic rush that showcases Larsson at her most radiant. Since performing it live while opening for Tate McRae’s tour this past March, the singer went viral for her magnetic performance and infectious visuals. The song is a celebration of non-stop energy and the freedom of a Swedish summer, one familiar to Larsson where the sun doesn’t set. Her voice glides over the beat with a dreamlike ease, pulling into a rhythm so addictive it borders on hypnotic. With lyrics like, “Hold me like the pebbles in your hand, initials in the sand, yeah / Summer isn’t over yet,” Larsson plays into the nostalgia-drenched sweetness that’s always been her strength.
If “Midnight Sun” glitters, then “Pretty Ugly” ignites a blaze — Larsson at her loudest, boldest and most unapologetic. The track rages with an energy unseen before in Larsson’s career, but she sticks the landing. Over pounding production, she sneers, “Have you ever seen a pretty girl get ugly like this? / Messy like this? / Losin’ her shit?” It’s not polished or pristine, but that’s the point. The chaos suits her song and is relatable for messy listeners alike.
“Eurosummer” is one of the album’s most playful detours, a breezy slice of pop escapism that feels tailor-made for late nights on a vacation. The production sparkles with a disco-like bounce and conjures up images of winding cobblestone streets under hazy European yellow lighting, the air sticky with Mediterranean heat. Larsson teases, “Kiss me, kiss me, French / Show me something I won’t forget,” emulating the fantasy of a night out. The song is both flirty and shamelessly fun, embodying the carefree confidence that defines “Midnight Sun” as a whole.
Unfortunately, there are some tracks that don’t land with the same punch. On “Puss Puss,” the album’s closing track, Larsson falls flat, offering none of the emotional resonance or vivid imagery that define the album’s strong moments. Lyrics like, “Puss puss / Sweating like we’re lovin’ / I just wanna keep you on the phone,” merely skim the surface of what it’s like to yearn for adventure with a crush. The track doesn’t dig deep, feeling shallow and oddly disconnected from the lush landscape Larsson built earlier. Its slower pace and lack of lyrical bite make for a lukewarm send-off, not the grand finale “Midnight Sun” deserves.
Larsson’s “Midnight Sun” celebrates the kind of joy that refuses to dim, even when love fades or the seasons change. It’s an album that finds strength in vulnerability and fun in making mistakes. This album may not reinvent her sound, but if there’s one thing Larsson knows how to do, it’s create a solid pop record.
Contact Rhea Kohli at [email protected].