Zara Larsson's new album is so queer, and she's not afraid to admit it

Nobody is taming Zara Larsson!

Ten years into her career, the 26-year-old singer is embracing her place in pop music as a top artist in a cutthroat industry.

Since her humble beginnings as a teenager, Larsson has crafted her own signature style and earned millions of fans over the years for her powerful voice, catchy hooks, and unapologetic personality.

The singer's notable discography includes plenty of hits and chart-toppers like "Never Forget You," "Lush Life," "Symphony," "Ruin My Life," "Words," and so many more.

With her latest body of work Venus now out, it's no doubt that fans will have her new songs on repeat for years to come.

Ahead of the highly-anticipated release of her new record, Larsson spoke with The Advocate on her journey creating the album, hitting the road this year, and why Venus is undeniably a very queer album that serves as a love letter to her incredible fans.

The Advocate: Congratulations on Venus! How are you feeling now that this record is out there?

Zara Larsson: It just feels really good. I'm usually quite anxious and a little stressed, but I'm very calm. I feel very proud. I'm going out on tour. I get to sing it live, which is where my heart's at. That is what makes me so excited about releasing this album.

I'm so excited you're going out on tour, but I haven't seen any North America tour dates yet!

I'll come to you. Don't worry about it! I got you.

Let's talk more about this record. What should fans expect when they listen to it?

Everything! They're getting everything. I do feel that way! It's broad. It's uptempo, club bangers, beautiful ballads, and vulnerable moments. It's sassy and sexy. It's every bit of me! There's something for everyone on there, truly.

You've been in the industry for a long time and you are evolving so much in real time. It feels like this is just the beginning for you.

100 percent! You're so right. I completely agree. Ten years ago I released my first album. Ten years is a long time, but I'm still young. I'm 26 and I have so much more to give and so much more to say.

Absolutely. Speaking of that, you've always been such a fierce ally to the LGBTQ+ community since day one. On this album, you even have a new gay anthem with "You Love Who You Love."

It was actually inspired because it was Pride in Stockholm! Let's just write about loving whoever you want to love. Love is beautiful. Love is amazing. You're right, of course I'm an ally. Everyone who has a brain is. Of course you can love whoever you love.

It must feel pretty incredible knowing that the LGBTQ+ community fully supports you and your music.

It does! I'm so thankful for it, ever since the start. I really realized it when I released my first single "All The Time." We expected it to go number one. FLOP! You know where it didn't flop? The LGBTQ+ community on Twitter (now X). They loved that! I really appreciate that. I truly see you and I like it. The whole album is basically about love from different perspectives and sides. That's why it's called Venus! The goddess of love. I am obsessed with love. We should all just sprinkle it a bit more.

I totally agree. I also have to tell you that I'm obsessed with the title track "Venus." It's such a bop!

Thank you so much! "Venus" is so stunning, it's so dreamy. That song, [written by] Violet Skies, was actually inspired from her first experience falling in love with a girl! It's all around us.

That is so crazy. So this is essentially a very queer album.

Right. Absolutely!

What do you hope your fans take away when they listen to this album?

I do think it's a journey that you go on. It has a little bit of everything in here. Music is universal, but it's also something personal. If you listen to a song and you feel a certain type of way, then that is completely correct. There's no right or wrong, but I'd like them to feel empowered, understood, not alone... maybe happy. There's so many tracks that take you different places, but it also ends on a sober note. "The Healing" pulls you into it. I'm a serious person, but I'm also not! That song is like... let's heal so we can truly love ourselves. That is a really important message.

Venus is available everywhere now. To see the full interview with Zara Larsson, check out the video below.

Zara Larsson Talks New Album 'Venus,' Her Gay Fans, & Upcoming World Touryoutu.be