There are certain pop stars who seem destined for arenas, and Zara Larsson is undoubtedly one of them. Armed with a catalogue of infectious dance-pop anthems, a spectacular voice and the kind of stage presence that makes performing look effortless, the Swedish singer has all the makings of a global superstar. So, to see her commanding Brisbane’s comparatively intimate Riverstage on Tuesday night felt like something of a privilege. If anything, the venue’s modest scale only amplified the sense that Australian audiences were finally getting their moment with an artist they’ve embraced for well over a decade.
It’s been quite the journey for Larsson. Now enjoying arguably the strongest stretch of her career, the singer has experienced something of a cultural resurgence, with her decade-old hit “Lush Life” finding a new generation of admirers through a viral dance trend, whilst her fifth studio album, Midnight Sun (read our full review here), has further cemented her standing as one of pop’s most exciting performers.
And if Tuesday night’s reception was anything to go by, Australia is more than ready to make up for lost time.
Even before Larsson appeared, there was a palpable sense of excitement throughout the venue. The predominantly young crowd had certainly understood the assignment, arriving in an assortment of glitter, shimmering fabrics, flowers and colourful ensembles that reflected the sun-drenched, carefree aesthetic of her current era. It was less a traditional concert crowd and more a gathering of friends preparing for the ultimate girls’ night out.
Australian duo Cat & Calmell were tasked with warming up proceedings, delivering an energetic DJ set that reworked familiar favourites into harder, techno-influenced dance tracks. The likes of “My Humps”, “Run the World (Girls)” and “Hollaback Girl” received particularly enthusiastic responses. There wasn’t a great deal of complexity to their performance, with the pair largely content to look fabulous, dance and hype up the audience, but as an exercise in setting the mood, it did exactly what was required.
Perhaps the evening’s most inspired pre-show moment came courtesy of The Veronicas’ “Untouched”, which blasted through the speakers after the opening set. Already something of an unofficial Australian national anthem, the song sent the crowd into another frenzy, heightened further when the venue’s screens revealed Larsson herself dancing along backstage. It was a small but wonderfully effective touch that made the anticipation feel even more infectious.
By the time Larsson emerged to the opening strains of “Midnight Sun”, the crowd was practically bursting with excitement.
Dressed in a glittering, vibrantly coloured ensemble that looked as though it had been designed specifically to catch every available beam of stage lighting, Larsson immediately established the evening’s tone. There was no elaborate introduction or unnecessarily prolonged build-up. She simply arrived, started singing, and let the music do the talking.
And what a voice she has.
For all the choreography, visual flourishes and carefully constructed pop spectacle, Larsson’s greatest asset remains her extraordinary vocal ability. There’s an impressive clarity and power to her delivery, with the singer effortlessly navigating demanding arrangements whilst maintaining the physical energy of a performer who seemingly never needs to catch her breath. It’s one thing to sound this polished on a recording, but quite another to replicate that precision whilst dancing across a stage for the better part of an evening.
The early stretch of the setlist wasted little time in reminding audiences just how many hits she’s accumulated. “Blue Moon” gave way to the irresistible “Can’t Tame Her”, the latter incorporating an unexpected reggae flavour that transitioned seamlessly into the dancehall rhythms of “She Did It Again”, her collaboration with Tyla. Encouraging the audience to take over the chorus, Larsson was met with an enthusiastic response that suggested she could have comfortably handed over vocal duties for the remainder of the song.
“I Would Like”, cleverly mashed together with “Sundown”, maintained the momentum, whilst “Love Me Land” and “All the Time” further demonstrated how comfortably Larsson moves between different shades of contemporary pop without sacrificing her musical identity.
One of the evening’s more entertaining interludes came when Larsson introduced her all-female dance crew. Summer, Autumn, Madeline, Chelsea, Rosie and Honey were each afforded their own moment in the spotlight, complete with individual raps that showcased their personalities before the performance launched into the deliciously dirty beat of “Pretty Ugly”.
It was an inspired way to acknowledge the performers responsible for much of the show’s visual energy, and a reminder that Larsson’s confidence as a leading lady doesn’t prevent her from sharing the spotlight.
“Pretty Ugly” itself proved another highlight, with Larsson encouraging the audience to enthusiastically declare “I’m so pretty” at full volume. In lesser hands, such a moment might have felt manufactured, but here it played as a genuinely joyous celebration of self-confidence. The crowd certainly needed no convincing.
The combination of “Wow”, “Ain’t My Fault” and “Hot & Sexy” ensured there was little opportunity for the audience to recover, with the former two particularly demonstrating the durability of Larsson’s catalogue. “Ain’t My Fault”, especially, sounded every bit as fresh and commanding as it did upon its original release.
Though the production was relatively modest, with the staging relying largely on lighting, choreography and the personalities of its performers, there was something refreshing about the show’s lack of unnecessary excess. Larsson didn’t require elaborate set pieces or constant costume changes to maintain attention. Her charisma and the strength of the material were more than enough.
A rendition of “The Ambition” provided a brief shift in atmosphere before the show moved through “Girl’s Girl”, “Stateside”, her collaboration with PinkPantheress, and “Eurosummer”. Each track reinforced the vibrant musical world Larsson has cultivated, one that celebrates femininity, friendship, confidence and the sheer pleasure of losing yourself in a good pop song.
The euphoric “Never Forget You” was another undeniable high point, its emotional pull heightened by thousands of voices singing along. Following the song, Larsson took the opportunity to introduce her equally impressive all-female band: Curly on bass, Sofie on guitar, Haein on keys and Payton on drums. Like the dancers before them, each musician received a deserved moment of recognition, reinforcing the collaborative spirit that ran throughout the performance.
It was during the more reflective portion of the evening, however, that Larsson’s personality truly came to the forefront.
Before performing the sentimental “Saturn’s Return”, she acknowledged Australia’s importance in her career, explaining that the country was among the first to embrace her music. Given that this marks her first Australian tour in any capacity, it’s somewhat astonishing that it’s taken this long for the singer to make the journey. Thankfully, she assured the crowd that it wouldn’t be her last visit.
There was a genuine warmth to the exchange, and whilst Larsson had already demonstrated her ability to command an audience through sheer musical force, these quieter interactions suggested an artist who understands the value of connecting with the people who have supported her along the way.
Elsewhere, “Puss Puss” came with a playful explanation of the Swedish expression, which translates to “kiss kiss” and is commonly used when ending a phone conversation. It was the kind of charming cultural aside that gave the evening a little extra personality.
Then came “Crush”, and perhaps the most endearing moment of the entire show.
Despite having spent the evening delivering an almost suspiciously flawless vocal performance, Larsson momentarily forgot a lyric. Rather than attempting to disguise the mistake, she openly acknowledged it and continued. It was a fleeting moment of humanity from an otherwise remarkably polished performer, and one that only reinforced just how much of the evening was being delivered live.
In an era when heavily choreographed pop concerts can occasionally blur the distinction between vocal performance and pre-recorded perfection, Larsson’s ability to sound this good whilst maintaining such an energetic physical presence was genuinely impressive.
Naturally, “Lush Life” prompted one of the evening’s loudest reactions. The song’s renewed popularity has introduced Larsson to a fresh audience, and she embraced that connection by inviting a fan onstage to perform the now-famous choreography alongside her. The fan impressively nailed the routine, much to the delight of Larsson and the thousands watching on.
It was an appropriately celebratory moment for a song that has enjoyed an unexpected second life, and one that captured the communal joy underpinning the entire evening.
“Symphony”, her enormously successful collaboration with Clean Bandit, followed as a suitably grand final flourish. Its soaring chorus provided the perfect opportunity for one last collective singalong, with the audience matching Larsson’s enthusiasm at every turn.
The singer ultimately brought proceedings full circle with a reprise of “Midnight Sun”, returning to the song that had opened the show and giving the evening a satisfying sense of completion.
If there was any criticism to be made, it was that an artist of Larsson’s calibre deserves a production with the scale to match her ambitions. The Riverstage setting was certainly charming, but there were moments when the relatively restrained staging seemed almost at odds with the enormity of the music and the confidence of the woman delivering it.
Then again, perhaps that was part of the appeal. Without the distractions of an oversized production, there was nowhere for Larsson to hide, and she never once needed to.
What emerged was a performance that celebrated everything that makes pop music so wonderfully escapist. It was colourful, unapologetically feminine, occasionally cheeky and overwhelmingly joyful. The dolphins-and-rainbows imagery associated with her Midnight Sun era may seem almost impossibly optimistic, but for the duration of Tuesday night’s performance, that optimism felt entirely justified.
More importantly, Larsson proved herself to be far more than an artist enjoying a viral resurgence. She’s a seasoned, technically gifted performer with a formidable catalogue, an engaging personality and a voice that deserves to be heard in venues considerably larger than the one she occupied.
Australia may have waited an unusually long time to welcome Zara Larsson to its stages, but Brisbane’s reception made one thing abundantly clear: she won’t have to work particularly hard to convince audiences to welcome her back.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended 13/10 at Riverstage in Brisbane. The sold out tour continues across Australia throughout October.
