Call Her Daddy — Zara Larsson: Pop Girls, Confidence, & Crushes
Host: Alex Cooper
Guest: Zara Larsson
Release Date: April 22, 2026
Episode Overview
In this vibrant and candid episode, Alex Cooper welcomes pop sensation Zara Larsson for a deep-dive into her evolving career, the intricacies of pop stardom, and how she's built unshakeable confidence in a digital world. Together, they discuss everything from viral trends and fashion to the realities of industry misogyny, personal growth, navigating criticism, and authentic relationships. The tone is open, honest, and infused with humor and self-awareness, making for an electric and relatable conversation for fans and newcomers alike.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Zara's "Moment" and Industry Recognition
- The Rise to Fame ([03:06])
- Despite recent waves of attention, Zara shares, “I've been doing this forever… Internally, it just feels exactly the same…my interactions on my posts look different…amounts of likes and comments, even things I say in interviews.”
- Olympics Highlight ([04:12])
- Alysa Liu’s Olympic skate to “Stateside” made Zara emotional. “Seeing her so free and joyful…That's my vibe...Being in that moment for me feels bigger than charts because I feel like that’s like a cultural…It’s like herstory, truly.”
2. Navigating Social Media and Viral Culture
- Chronically Online ([12:03])
- Zara candidly discusses her major TikTok usage (“16 hours a day”).
- “It's me,” Zara laughs about her FYP, “I'm like, yes, like, like, like, repost, repost me.”
- Dolphin Trend & Style Evolution ([07:14])
- On inspiration from the “Dolphin Trend”: “I can't say with the hand on my heart the dolphin was not on the mood board…but it spoke to me…I have always loved glitter, glam, sparkle, colors.”
- Exploration of Swedish minimalism vs. Zara’s own maximalist style and the joy of embodying “mermaid Barbie” energy.
3. Creative Control & Artistic Confidence
- Taking the Reins ([14:24])
- “It wasn’t until quite recently I felt like I am finally like a part of creating what I do…Now I feel like it represents me…It makes it so much more fun.”
- Overcoming Self-Doubt ([13:19])
- “I’ve never actually been a very shameful person…that allows me to have more fun and not be so hard on myself.”
4. Pop, Identity, and the "Kia Asylum"
- Kia Asylum Explained ([18:31])
- “It’s a place…pop girls that have big hits…but little to no cultural relevance…People know the songs but not the artist. I’ve been so aware of it.”
- Breaking Free ([19:45])
- “I think it was being free in sharing myself…with this Midnight Sun [album], it felt so much like me…sharing more of myself with my followers and online.”
5. Handling Online Criticism & Wikipedia Drama
- Dealing with Haters ([21:43])
- Zara admits, “I had to delete Twitter. I'm like, take care.” She discusses the headgames involved in reading excessive opinions about oneself.
- Wikipedia “Beef” ([22:35])
- Zara’s campaign to change her Wikipedia photo: “They locked the page…It was just an ugly photo of me…I had to send them a video: Hey, this is Zara Larsson. I took this photo.”
6. The Power of All-Women Teams & Sisterhood
- Creating with Women ([30:29])
- “I feel so confident. I feel so free in expressing myself…You don’t have to prove all the time that you know what you’re talking about. It’s so refreshing.”
7. Competitiveness & Solidarity Among Pop Girls
- Opening for Tate McRae ([40:43])
- Zara loved touring with Tate. “It was one of the first stepping stones of what I was trying to do with Midnight Sun.”
- Industry Comparisons ([43:31])
- On being pitted against other women: “People love an underdog…once you get haters, that’s when you know you’re like that.”
- “It’s like a cheap shot, putting someone up by putting someone else down…You can actually just say, wow, that was incredible.”
8. Personal Stories: Friendship, Mistakes, and Growth
- Girls Girl Song Backstory ([49:28])
- Inspired by a messy teenage mistake. “One of my best friend’s boyfriend…started kissing me…and I just kissed him back because I was messy like that and 16 and really drunk…If I could take it back, I would so, so, so bad. But I also have to forgive myself for it.”
- Evolving Concept of Sisterhood ([53:05])
- “Now when I'm like, I feel like I can employ women…I want to create with other women. And I, you know, just take women very seriously because I think we're so amazing and capable.”
9. Relationships, Confidence, and Validation
- Decentering Men ([56:15])
- On not needing male validation: “Now maybe it’s like you turn 25 and your brain develops…I focus so, so, so little on that right now.”
- “I only want to impress the mean 13-year-old girls.”
- Honesty in Love ([61:12])
- Zara describes how her boyfriend is her rock and sounding board: “He knows me better than I know myself.”
- They even have a nickname for her flirty alter ego — “the girl” — who used to crave validation.
- Songwriting About Love ([71:08])
- On writing “Blue Moon” about her boyfriend: “We were in Jamaica together writing it…he was there, just kind of in the studio.”
10. Humor & Viral Moments
- Condom Photo Viral Story ([69:15])
- About her famous Tumblr post fitting a condom over her leg: “It reached all the way up to my knee…if you say it doesn’t fit, I don’t know how big it is, but not as big as my leg…It blew up.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Olympics and "herstory" ([04:30])
“Being in that moment for me feels bigger than charts because I feel like that’s like a cultural…It’s like herstory, truly.”
— Zara Larsson
On Embracing Herself Spiritually and Musically ([14:24])
“I have to plant the seed. I can’t just, like, tend to the garden that somebody else planted. I have to…write my music, be a part of the show, be a part of designing what I wear…that just makes me feel in control, and it makes it so much more fun.”
— Zara Larsson
On Breaking Out of the Kia Asylum ([19:45])
“Just me being freer, but also more…like myself.”
— Zara Larsson
On Social Media and Self-Love ([13:19])
“I've never actually been a very shameful person...that allows me to have more fun and like not be so hard on myself.”
— Zara Larsson
On Comparison Among Women ([43:54])
“It’s like too easy for people to compare us, even though we are…similar, but we’re very different. And I don’t think that was fun at all for her.”
— Zara Larsson
On Female Support Networks ([30:34])
“I feel so confident. I feel so free in expressing myself…you don’t have to prove all the time that you know what you’re talking about.”
— Zara Larsson
On Decentering Men ([57:05])
“I only want to impress the mean 13-year-old girls, you know what I mean? Like that’s who I want to impress.”
— Zara Larsson
Important Timestamps
- Zara’s recent success & handling fame – [03:06]
- Alysa Liu’s Olympic performance – [04:12]
- Dolphin trend, TikTok, and fashion inspiration – [07:14]
- Chronically online habits – [12:03]
- Artistic confidence and creating her own work – [14:24]
- The “Kia Asylum” phenomenon – [18:31]
- Online hate and self-searching – [21:43]
- Wikipedia photo saga – [22:35]
- Touring and creating with women – [30:29]
- Tour gossip and pop fandom rivalry – [40:43]
- Addressing pop girl comparisons – [43:54]
- The “Girls Girl” song and story – [49:28]
- Decentering men and finding internal validation – [56:15]
- Crushes, honesty, and relationship dynamics – [61:12]
- The iconic condom photo story – [69:15]
- On her upcoming deluxe album & creative collaborations – [72:05]
Conclusion
This episode shines as an authentic, funny, and empowering conversation about pop culture, self-acceptance, the complexities of making it as a woman in music, and the strength of celebrating oneself and other women. Zara Larsson’s openness about her career growth, personal mishaps, the drive to support other women, and her irreverent sense of humor makes it a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration in owning their story.
Zara, on the secret to success:
"It's the only way that could work in a way. Like, it's just what is, just what has to be it." ([75:02])
[End of summary.]