Swedish singer Zara Larsson talks about her new album “Venus” and the Eurovision Song Contest in her home country.
The Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson (26), who conquered the charts last year with David Guetta (56) and the joint single “On My Love”, is releasing her new album “Venus” on February 9th. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, the musician reveals why her new work is named after the Roman goddess of love, what she particularly misses on tour from her homeland and why she is not self-confident in all areas of her life. She also talks about how she relates to the Eurovision Song Contest taking place in Sweden this year and how she experienced her acting debut for a Netflix film.
You are releasing your fourth album. It’s called “Venus”. Why did you choose the name of the Roman goddess of love?
Zara Larsson: My parents live in Rome, so I’m there a lot, walking around and seeing all these ancient buildings and being reminded of their history and their goddesses. That inspired me. Venus as the goddess of love represents the album perfectly because it is mainly about love. I have always enjoyed writing about love throughout my career, it is all around us and it can be viewed from different perspectives. For example, I dedicated the song “On My Love” to my sister. I have other songs that I dedicate to myself and the love of myself and music, and then of course there is the romantic side.
On the cover you pose like Venus only covered with a shell. How was the shoot for you?
Larsson: It was fun and it turned out really nice. About a year ago I already had an album cover, but it just didn’t fit “Venus”. I just made the new one a few weeks ago with a friend. It’s a habit of mine that I have a shoot that is very expensive and then I suddenly remember that I don’t like it and want a new one (laughs). For the last album, “Poster Girl,” the photo was taken in my girlfriend’s bedroom. I can be creative and can really implement what I imagine.
Have you always had the confidence to put yourself out there like this or was it a learning process?
Larsson: I’m naked all the time (laughs). If you know me, you’ve seen everything about me. I just think it’s beautiful and I feel very comfortable. I love going to a Korean spa or any bathhouse to relax. The album cover is very sexy, but in general nudity is not inherently sexual to me.
Speaking of self-confidence, are there times where you still feel insecure in the music industry?
Larsson: Absolutely. I am generally a very outspoken person with my own will. But when it comes to creating something and sharing my feelings about how I want to make something, that can be really scary and is something I’m not 100% confident in. But this album really helped me explore that and figure out how I work best. Now I know I don’t want more than three people in the room. I don’t want to write a song in the studio with a whole school class. I want it to happen on a small scale, with people I like, trust, and no longer have to be shy about sharing my writing with.
The current single from the album is “You love who you love”. It’s about a woman who doesn’t want to accept that she’s in a bad relationship and doesn’t want to follow advice. Do you know this feeling or where did you get your inspiration from?
Larsson: It was definitely inspired by a friend of mine who is dating a man that I just can’t stand and find horrible. She deserves something much better and she knows it. But I’ve definitely been in that situation myself where my friends had to tell me, ‘Girl, what the hell are you doing? You deserve someone who will treat you well.’ I hope my girlfriend will understand this too one day.
A look back at last year: “On My Love” with David Guetta was a huge success. How did you experience the success of the song?
Larsson: I love the song and I love David. I loved making the video and performing in some really crazy places. It prepared me well for “Venus” and for the tour. So I’m very grateful that David and I did this again. I thought it would come full circle. “This One’s For You” [Gemeinsamer Song mit David Guetta als Hymne zur Fußball-Europameisterschaft 2016, Anm. d. Red.] was one of my absolute biggest songs at the time. He took me to places I’ve never been before, like the Stade de France, this huge stadium. That was a very big deal for me.
They are going on tour and will also play in Berlin and Cologne. Do you have a connection to Germany?
Larsson: I don’t have any family or friends there. But I’ve been to Germany many times, done shows and even celebrated my birthday there with friends once. I always had a good time. Germany reminds me a lot of Sweden because of the culture and weather, and we have adopted many of your words into the Swedish language.
What do you miss most about Sweden while you’re touring?
Larsson: Of course my friends and my family are the most important thing. And I would say that the quality of the food here is really good, depending on what time of year it is. I don’t miss winter, but summer is just beautiful.
Speaking of your home country: There will be a big event there in May with the ESC. How do you experience the event, are you a fan?
Larsson: I would love to ride the Eurovision wave and make a guest appearance. That would be a very big deal for me because hundreds of millions of people are watching and it’s the biggest song contest in the world. I’ve watched it since I was a small child. It is part of Swedish culture. We take it very seriously. However, I wouldn’t take part. Taking part in this show takes a lot of work and takes a lot of time. I feel like I want to put that time into my own tours and songs. But it’s a great show and a great opportunity for people who think this is a good fit for them.
What do you think about Loreen? Why is she so successful at this event?
Larsson: She’s just an artist. She takes herself and her craft seriously and works hard at it. She knows what she wants and she takes everything she is and does and uses the Eurovision Song Contest as a platform. A lot of times we have that typical Eurovision song or performance, but she doesn’t care about it. She’s different, that’s what sets her apart. People like them because it’s something fresh and new. I’m really happy for her. I have never seen a more deserving winner. Winning twice is legendary. For me she is the queen of Eurovision. It will be difficult to compete for Sweden the year after their win. It has to be a really catchy, good song.
In addition to music, you are making your acting debut in the upcoming Netflix film “A Part of You.” What was it like being on set?
Larsson: A set with so many people in the room for every scene, no matter how intimate, can be scary. I was very happy that I had making music videos as a basis. I had already been on a set and had experience in front of the camera, so I was a little more relaxed. The crew and cast made it really easy for me, they were fantastic. It was so much fun and I felt so free. If this experience means making films, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Of course it depends on the director and the other actors, but in general I would like to pursue acting.