Zara Larsson names Beyoncé and Whitney Houston as her musical touchstones
Her Popcast account of growing up in Sweden with Black American music has prompted a conversation about influence, vocals and giving credit.
Popcast
Story of Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 37,437 views a day, 11 times a normal first day on this channel (3,470).
Zara Larsson’s ‘No. 1 Inspiration’ Is Black American Culture
Swedish television offered Zara Larsson one world; the voices of Beyoncé and Whitney Houston opened another. In a new Popcast interview excerpt, she explains how Black American music shaped both her childhood and her ambition to succeed in the United States.
"I mean, my No. 1 idol since I can remember is Beyoncé," Larsson tells hosts Joe Coscarelli and Jon Caramanica. She remembers the emotional expressiveness of that music as something distinct from what she encountered on television at home. America's music, movies and art were not just entertainment to her, but part of what drew her toward a career there.
The Short reached roughly 30,000 views in fifteen hours, already far beyond the few thousand a typical Popcast Short draws on its first day. Its comment section is also much busier than usual.
The discussion is specific: viewers are talking about the importance of naming Black American influences, while others consider where those influences can actually be heard. Some point to Larsson's vocal runs in live performances; another distinguishes her R&B-style singing from the Europop and dance production surrounding it.
That makes this excerpt a useful companion to Popcast's separate clip about whether Larsson needs to "make it" in America. Here, she explains why the country mattered to her musical imagination in the first place.
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What viewers say
This is how you give flowers to your inspirations, without trying to pander
@Pikachu-qr4ybSee it on YouTubeThis is nice to hear as a Black American. So relieving to see someone just give credit instead of trying to down play our influence like omg finally. Thank you Zara for being intelligent and thoughtful of others culture. It means a lot.
@_AlimmSee it on YouTubeIf you guys watch the live version, you can really hear it because she does her runs like young Beyoncé. It's kinda lovely.
@dorothywasrighttho5129See it on YouTube
3 more comments
I thought Lush Life was by Rihanna when I first heard it
@emmaa4957See it on YouTubeInteresting because sonically her music isn’t very American at all. Large swathes of her catalog are very Europop/eurodance. She’ll give you an R&B vocal, but that’s about it. I don’t hear echoes of Beyoncé’s or Whitney’s music/production styles in any Zara album.
@nameisamineSee it on YouTubeI get what she means. A lady of taste! 💃🏿
@melaninmonroe007See it on YouTube
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- Channel
- Popcast
- Subscribers
- 120,000 ▲ 1,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 767,711
- Channel views, pace per day
- 159,315 (on a normal day: 126,473)
- Video published
- October 18, 2026
- Video views so far
- 29,796 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 37,437
The numbers
The interview excerpt has already passed Popcast's usual full-day audience for a Short, with an unusually active comment section alongside it.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which British group teamed up with Zara Larsson on "Symphony"?
"Symphony" is a Clean Bandit single featuring Zara Larsson on vocals.