Zara Larsson reveals she struggled to be taken seriously in music industry as she battled sexism

WITH a string of chart-topping hits and impeccable dance moves, she has become the poster girl for pop.

But Zara Larsson has revealed that as a young woman in the industry she has struggled to be taken seriously.

Sitting down with Biz on Sunday backstage at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee, the Lush Life hitmaker admitted she has had to overcome sexism to make her name in music.

The singer said: “I think it happens everywhere when you are a young girl and you are working.

“I have been lucky to have a good team around me.

“I try to surround myself with a lot of women, I really do.

“I do feel like I have been really protected because I have always had my mom with me or I have had someone in the studio with me.

“But I have been in weird situations, sadly, and now am I even more picky with who I want to work with.”

But Zara, who had her first UK No1 with Symphony featuring Clean Bandit in 2017, aged just 19, revealed that being Swedish has helped her career, particularly with pop legends ABBA sharing her nationality.

She said: “There are a lot of people before me that have paved the way for pop music but it is incredible to be Swedish and to make pop.

“Sometimes people look at you in a funny way, but when you say I am Swedish and I do pop, they gasp and say, ‘You know what you are doing!’ ”

Meanwhile Zara said she finds it hard to write break-up tracks while loved up with dancer Lamin Holmen.

Speaking about their two-year romance, she said: “It is really hard to write about stuff that isn’t.

“I’m so happy and I am so in love and I just love my life and everything is perfect! That is how I feel!

“So to write sad songs or songs about love that isn’t working out – it’s hard!”