Image: Julian Buchan
Published: 25 April 2025

Swedish superstar Zara Larsson today returns with her new single ‘Pretty Ugly’, her first new music since last October.

Written by Larsson with MNEK, Helena Gao, and Margo Wildman, and produced by Margo XS and MNEK, ‘Pretty Ugly’ is a thumping, dirty electronic track with a 1990s house inspired keyboard line and a shouting, chanting chorus that instantly commands your attention.

The song embraces the ‘ugly’ behaviour that women are often conditioned to avoid, and tearing up all expectations how how ‘good girls’ should behave. ‘Everybody’s telling me to sit there and look pretty…fuck the ladylike / Want a crazy life’ Larsson sings before declaring in the chorus ‘Have you ever seen a pretty girl get ugly like this?’

Also out today is the music video for ‘Pretty Ugly’, directed by Charlotte Rutherford (PinkPanthress, Charli XCX, Ashnniko), and choreographed by Zoi Tatopoulos (FKA twigs). It sees Larsson driving a vintage VW with the number plate ‘Puss Puss 97’ to a field, before flicking a switch on a giant wall of speakers and being blown into the air. This is when the ‘pretty ugly’ begins, and her dancing with a group of women turns into mud-caked, feral chaos.

The song is the first taste of Larsson’s upcoming fifth studio album which is due to be released later this year. It comes ahead of Larsson supporting Tate McRae on the North American leg of her Miss Possessive Tour.

Larsson has been an entertainer since she won the Swedish version of Got Talent in 2008 aged just 10. She broke through internationally in 2015 when the huge hit ‘Lush Life’ peaked at number 3 in the UK and number 4 in Australia. Her 2017 collaboration with Clean Bandit, ‘Symphony’, has become a modern day classic, with its video being viewed 1.3 billion times.

Last year she released the critically acclaimed album Venus, which was followed by the gorgeous stand alone single ‘Memory Lane’.

Larsson is an uncompromising artist who exudes talent, charisma and feminist power, wrapping it all up in some of the most addictive and beautiful pure pop music of this generation. This new era of her music is guaranteed to be no different, with ‘Pretty Ugly’ showing she is preparing for her most innovative, exciting music to date.

‘Pretty Ugly’ is out now via Sony Music Australia. You can download and stream here.
Follow Zara Larsson on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
Read our six page interview with Larsson in issue 10 of Women In Pop magazine.