Zara Larsson is opening up about her recent tour experience with Tate McRae, addressing both the positive reception and the comparisons that followed.
Appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Larsson spoke at length about joining McRae on tour, describing it as a key moment in her current career phase.
“Wow. I mean, the whole experience was really so incredible for me. And I knew it was gonna be amazing before we went on. First of all, because she’s incredible, her fans are so fun, and I feel like it was just the perfect match. So I knew that this was gonna be like one of the first stepping stones of what I was trying to do with Midnight Sun.”
The timing of the tour aligned closely with her own release schedule. “I mean, it was right, I think my album released on the last day of the tour. So it was like a perfect setup, because I really haven’t toured that much in the US or like America in general.”
Larsson also emphasized the scale of the opportunity, noting that the format allowed her to fully introduce herself to new audiences. “The most fun part, I mean, obviously, to do the show every night, which was still like a 45 minute. So I got to give them like a good chunk of what I do and who I am.”
The response, she said, exceeded expectations.
“And just the way it was received, I just could never have guessed like how much it was going to do for me because they really felt like maybe it was just my For You Page, because that’s all it is. Just me, me, me. But I saw so many videos from it and like people engaging with it.”
Beyond the performances themselves, Larsson became aware of how audiences were discussing her online. “And even though I don’t have Twitter, I have my friend, she sometimes she sends me like the hit tweets of the week. And people were like really, really positive.”
She pointed to a broader narrative that shaped how audiences responded. “And I think also the story of it all, I think the lore, like people love an underdog. And people love to root for someone who they feel like is like on the come up a little bit.”
At the same time, she addressed the comparisons that emerged between her and McRae during the tour.
“What was going on? I think, well, first of all, I’ve been doing this for longer. I’m older and maybe some people felt like I deserve to be in the arena. And I’m like, well, buy the ticket then. That’s not Tate‘s fault. You know what I mean? I haven’t toured.”
She framed the conversation as part of a larger pattern in how female artists are discussed. “For me, this was an amazing opportunity. I think it’s just like the nature of how people speak about girls in pop. Again, like coming back to the f–king Khia asylum, like no one’s being put in there except for the pop girls.”
Larsson acknowledged that while the comparisons may generate engagement, they don’t reflect the full picture.
“I think it’s just, it’s like too easy for people to compare us, even though we are, we’re similar, but we’re very different.”
She also noted the potential impact on McRae. “And I don’t think that was fun at all for her. We haven’t spoken about it much, but I think as a human being, you know, like her being so hard working and talented… But I did tell her that I was like, I am on your tour. Like she is incredible.”
In addition to addressing the tour, Larsson reflected on her own personal and creative growth.
“I used to not watch anything. I didn’t want to watch any performances. I was like, ‘Oh, get it away from me,’ you know? And now I think it’s just so in my face a lot of the times and it truly did come from me wanting to engage with the people who are posting it.”
She described a shift in mindset over time. “I’ve never actually been a very shameful person… I think that’s one of my best qualities is that I don’t carry a lot of shame and I think that just allows me to have more fun and not be so hard on myself and judgmental.”
Larsson also pointed to creative control as a key factor in that evolution. “It wasn’t until quite recently, I felt like I am finally a part of creating what I do… I have to write my music, be a part of the show, be a part of designing what I wear and that just makes me feel in control, and it makes it so much more fun.”
The conversation reflects both her current momentum and her perspective on navigating a long-term career in pop, particularly within an industry that often invites comparison.
