Zara Larsson has clarified comments she made about music charts being “dead,” which sparked backlash from Taylor Swift fans. In an interview with The Guardian published on Friday, April 3, the Swedish singer said, “Playing the chart game is so dead to me. No one’s looking at the charts but industry people and maybe Taylor Swift fans.”
Following the backlash, Larsson posted a statement on Instagram explaining that she mentioned Swift “because no one plays the chart game like Taylor Swift lol. She’s literally the best at it and everyone knows that. It’s not the read you guys think it is.” She added that she does care about charts and plans to release multiple physical covers for her next project after her 2025 album Midnight Sun.
Larsson explained that she feels she now has “some cultural value in pop music” but is not in a position to influence charts. She stressed that “you can be an amazing artist and not chart,” and asked fans to help her next album top the charts. Midnight Sun, released in September 2025, includes singles such as “Pretty Ugly,” “Midnight Sun,” and “Crush.”
