Zara Larsson opened up about a moment of sheer panic after the release of PinkPantheress’ “Stateside” remix album, revealing she initially feared she had been replaced by pop icon Kylie Minogue on the track.
The world of pop collaborations is often a whirlwind of excitement, but for Zara Larsson, the release of her remix of PinkPantheress‘ “Stateside” came with a side of unexpected anxiety. In a new interview, the Swedish singer detailed a moment of panic where she believed she had been dropped from the track in favor of Kylie Minogue, a fear that quickly subsided when she realized the true scope of PinkPantheress’ ambitious project.
The collaboration, which is currently charting on the Billboard Hot 100, is a testament to the powerful connection between the two artists. Larsson, 28, spoke glowingly of her admiration for PinkPantheress, 24, calling her “so cute and very, very, very talented.” She praised the “Boys” hitmaker for being “unapologetically herself,” a quality Larsson deeply respects. Their partnership began organically with a simple message of support from Larsson, who was on a “love spree,” sending DMs of praise to fellow artists. “I actually DM’ed her two days before she asked me to jump on the remix, like, ‘Queen.’ I think that’s all I said,” Larsson recalled with a laugh.
The process was refreshingly quick and seamless. After PinkPantheress reached out with the idea for the remix, Larsson was immediately on board. “I was like, ‘Duh, I would love that.’ And she was like, ‘I’m doing this remix album. Are you down to do a song?’ I was like, ‘Yes,'” Larsson explained. She recorded her verse “somewhere in middle America” while on tour with Tate McRae, sending it in and seeing the final product released just four days later. “It was cute, boom boom boom boom boom, wrote my verse, sent it in, and then it was out like four days later,” she said.
However, the launch of Fancy Some More?, PinkPantheress’ remix project, brought a moment of self-doubt. Scrolling through the tracklist, Larsson saw a version of “Stateside” featuring Kylie Minogue and felt a jolt of panic. “I got really scared, like, ‘Oh my God, what if she hated it? I thought she liked it,'” Larsson admitted. The fear that her contribution had been cut from the album in favor of the Australian icon was a genuine concern for the artist who had just poured her creativity into the track.
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The misunderstanding was cleared up as Larsson realized the full scope of PinkPantheress’ vision. The “Stateside” track was not just one remix, but a collection of four distinct versions. Larsson’s collaboration was one, while the others featured Minogue, Bladee, and Groove Armada. “But then it turned out she had, like, a million people on the remixes, which I think is actually a really fun way to do it,” Larsson said, relieved and impressed by the creative approach. Her version with PinkPantheress has since proven to be a fan favorite, reaching No. 83 on the Hot 100 and its music video, directed by Charlotte Rutherford, earned nearly 10 million views in less than a week, cementing the remix as a major success.
For fans, the story behind the song is as compelling as the music itself. It highlights the often-overlooked vulnerability and anxiety that even the biggest pop stars experience. It also showcases the supportive, fan-first culture that can exist within the industry, where a simple “queen” in a DM can blossom into a chart-topping hit. The collaboration between Larsson and PinkPantheress stands as a powerful example of two talented artists connecting and creating something special, proving that sometimes the most exciting projects are born from a place of genuine admiration.
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