Midnight Sun (Zara Larsson album)

Midnight Sun is the upcoming fifth studio album by Swedish singer Zara Larsson. It is set to be released on 26 September 2025, through Sommer House and Epic Records. The album is characterized by its focus on personal themes such as ambition, identity, and self-reflection.

Inspired by the atmosphere of the Swedish summer, the ten-track project blends polished pop production with introspective songwriting. Larsson worked closely with a range of collaborators on the album, including longtime partner MNEK, as well as Margo XS, Zhone, and Helena Gao. It is preceded by the singles "Pretty Ugly" and "Midnight Sun", and will be supported by the Midnight Sun Tour, which is set to begin in Europe in October 2025.

"In thinking about this album, I thought, 'What do I want to say? What do I want this to be?' I really am proud of my Swedish pop heritage, so I wanted to write about a Swedish summer where the sun never goes down. I wanted the whole album to feel like it's a summer night and it never ends. And it doesn't matter if it's December: the summer night will be there for you. It's waiting for you, it will come back for you, and you will come back for it."

The 10-track project sees Larsson taking creative control, working closely with longtime collaborator MNEK,^[1] as well as producers Margo XS, Zhone, and songwriter Helena Gao.^[2][3] According to Larsson, the album draws inspiration from the Swedish summer and aims to evoke the atmosphere of a night that never ends.^[4][5] In a message to fans, she expressed that Midnight Sun reflects her identity as an artist, describing it as her most personal work to date.^[6]

Larsson has described it as her most personal work to date, shaped by years of reflection and artistic development.^[7] During the four-year period between So Good (2017) and Poster Girl (2021), she recorded and ultimately scrapped several album versions, citing the pressure to deliver a strong commercial follow-up.^[7][8][9] "I must have had five albums in those four years that I was just like, 'No, no, no, not good enough. Let's start over,'" she said, reflecting on the creative process. The title Midnight Sun was chosen early on and revisited multiple times, with Larsson writing several songs under the same name before finalizing the concept.^[8]

Midnight Sun blends polished pop production with introspective lyrics, drawing on Larsson's experiences with ambition, self-doubt, and personal growth.^[8]

The title track "Midnight Sun" draws inspiration from the summer nights in Sweden, where the sun barely sets and the atmosphere feels timeless.^[10] Larsson described the song as central to defining the album's tone, blending a sense of freedom with emotional depth.^[11] The track captures themes of clarity, presence, and paradoxical carefreeness, which she summed up as: "I don't give a fuck, but I do care a lot, and I hope and I pray and I manifest".^[12] The track "Ambition" reflects these themes, addressing internal pressure and comparison. Larsson has described ambition as "both a blessing and a curse", influencing the album's emotional tone. The concept of the "midnight sun" serves as a symbolic link to her Swedish roots and evolving identity.^[8]

The album's lead single, "Pretty Ugly", was released on April 25, 2025.^[13] The electro-influenced track was accompanied by a music video directed by Charlotte Rutherford, featuring choreographed sequences in an open field that descend into chaos as rain begins to fall.^[14][15] The title track "Midnight Sun" was released on June 13, 2025.^[16][17][18]

To support the album, Larsson will embark on the Midnight Sun Tour, beginning in Europe this October with arena dates across major cities including London, Amsterdam, and Stockholm.^[6][19] She will also join Tate McRae's Miss Possessive Tour in North America and support OneRepublic on their 2026 Australia and New Zealand dates.^[2]