Pop princess Zara Larsson reigned supreme during her debut appearance at Montreux Jazz Festival, adding some extra sparkle as the celebrations continued for its milestone 60th edition. The Swedish singer-songwriter was at the peak of her powers when she capped off her monumental music comeback by performing at the world-renowned festival for the first time.
Dressed for the special occasion, Zara pulled out the sartorial stops as she was dressed by fashion designer and Montreux artist Kévin Germanier, who also created a haute couture poster for Montreux’s 60th anniversary, the first embroidered poster in the festival’s history. Germanier has also dressed Björk, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga. She previously wore one of his gowns to the Grammys earlier this year.
Bursting onto the scene more than a decade ago, young Zara immediately raced up the charts with earworm hits like “Never Forget You,” “I Would Like” and Clean Bandit collaboration “Symphony.” Now, at 28, she is reaching even headier heights in her career following the global resurgence of her 2016 smash “Lush Life” (and accompanying viral TikTok dance) and first Grammy nomination for Best Dance Pop.
Hot on the heels of the release of her deluxe remix album “Midnight Sun: Girls Trip,” featuring standout collabs with Shakira, Robyn, PinkPantheress and Tyla – the latter two also performed at Montreux last week – Zara’s star could not have shone brighter as she got the party started in the Stravinski Auditorium and delivered a megawatt masterclass shimmering with pristine vocals, sharp choreography and sheer charisma.
The Swiss festival’s scenic setting along the shores of Lake Geneva was a perfect fit for Zara, too, who recently launched a swimwear line, as she continues to make waves with her day-glo ‘beach babe’ aesthetic and visuals. And she certainly made a splash throughout proceedings, diving into her vast collection of undeniable pop gems including “Pretty Ugly,” “Hot & Sexy,” “Stateside” and the euphoric “Midnight Sun.”
“This is such a beautiful place – wow. I’m ready to sweat with you guys tonight. Are you ready to dance tonight?” Zara began, later adding: “I’ve had such a crazy year. Such an incredible year. I have met so many new people. I feel like I’m sort of the mother of dolphins right now, which is amazing. There is so much glitter in my world. I feel really happy.”
Earlier on in the evening, classically trained vocalist Faouzia, born in Morocco but raised in Canada, whet appetites for Zara with a powerhouse set inside the Stravinski.
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