Swedish singer Zara Larsson is the latest artist to express outrage over the misuse of her music, as the Trump administration’s social media team has used her song “Midnight Sun” in a controversial TikTok video featuring ICE agents making arrests. This incident has sparked an intense reaction from Larsson, who feels a deep disappointment at having her work co-opted for what she regards as an insensitive message.
Larsson Responds to Controversial Video
On Thursday, Larsson took to TikTok to voice her frustration, stating, “I’m just sad. My heart is heavy seeing that, because I wish I could speak to whoever made that video.” She emphasized the humanity behind the migrants depicted in the video, saying, “You and I, we aren’t that different at all. And we’re not that different from the people in the video, either. The biggest difference between us is that we were dealt a different hand in life.”
Larsson elaborated on her privileged background, reflecting on her opportunities and experiences: “I consider myself so lucky with the life that I’ve been dealt. The fact that I’m born in Sweden, I’ve had an education, and I’ve had all these opportunities just sort of laid out in front of me. I can travel and get to do all these amazing things. That’s luck.” She underscored her belief in empathy for those less fortunate, saying, “There are people out there who are not that lucky, and they want to have a better life for their families or for themselves and their children. I just don’t understand how it could be the worst thing in the world to be an undocumented immigrant.”
Addressing Dehumanization
Lamenting the dehumanizing nature of the video, Larsson pointed out, “This video is so dehumanizing. These people in the video are real people.” She reflected on the absurdity of how her song, themed around connection to nature and humanity, could be repurposed in such a manner: “It’s so crazy how everything is so meme-ified, especially ‘Midnight Sun,’ which is about feeling connected to nature, the universe and people, essentially.”
Larsson concluded her criticism with strong words, declaring, “I just don’t get it. It’s so fucking uncool… You guys are such fucking losers, like it’s crazy.”
A Pattern of Misuse
Larsson’s experience is not unique; it has become an unfortunate trend for popular artists to have their music appropriated by the Trump administration for unsavory purposes. Many well-known artists, including Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Ariana Grande, have similarly found their songs misused on social media for politically charged messages. This ongoing pattern raises questions about the ethics of using art in political contexts and the impact it has on the artists and the subjects they inadvertently represent.
