How a 2016 Pop Hit Became a 2026 Smash: Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” TikTok Comeback
A decade after its original release, “Lush Life” is roaring back up the charts and toward 2 billion Spotify streams giving Zara Larsson one of the most unlikely pop comebacks of the TikTok era.
The bright, island-pop anthem first made waves in 2016. Now, in the dead of winter, it sounds like pure summer again as TikTok users turn its choreography into a viral trend, pushing the track to a brand-new peak on the Billboard Hot 100.
This isn’t Larsson’s first old song to find new life. In 2024, a meme using her Clean Bandit collaboration “Symphony” paired cheerful Lisa Frank–style dolphins with captions like “I’m depressed.” The absurd contrast exploded across TikTok — and instead of ignoring it, Larsson leaned in.
She posted her own video reacting to the meme, then brought the dolphin visuals and beachy color palette into her concerts and visuals. That ironic internet moment quietly reshaped her aesthetic and set the stage for a full career revival.
The momentum carried into new music. Her 2025 single “Midnight Sun” embraced the sun-soaked vibe and earned her a high-profile opening slot on Tate McRae’s tour before launching her own headlining run. The album built a cult-like fan base and pushed her back into regular chart conversation in the U.S.
Then came the “Lush Life” revival. A video of a teenage fan nailing the song’s choreography onstage with Larsson went viral in late 2025. Now, she brings a fan up at every show, fueling millions of views and turning the dance into a repeatable TikTok format.
The resurgence has spilled into collaborations, including her late-2025 single “Stateside” with PinkPantheress, where Larsson playfully swapped her neon Y2K palette for PinkPantheress’ plaid-heavy British aesthetic in the video — a wink to how online culture helped reshape her image.
Industry watchers say Larsson’s comeback offers a blueprint for artists stuck in so-called “flop eras.” Rather than fighting the memes or attempting a forced rebrand, she let the internet dictate the direction — and then amplified it with smart touring, visuals, and new music that matched the moment.
Larsson has now surpassed 50 million monthly Spotify listeners, earned a Grammy nod, and turned what looked like algorithmic luck into sustained momentum. What started as a random meme has become a full pop renaissance — with “Lush Life” leading the charge back into the spotlight.
