Zara Larsson applauds afterwards Chris Brown unexpectedly dragged his name into his latest social media rant following criticism surrounding his new album. The pop singer responded after Brown referenced her with Pitchfork’s brutal review of her latest project, Brown, which the outlet rated a dismal 1.3 out of 10. During her Instagram Stories rant, Brown told critics unhappy with the album: “If you’re not my fan, I don’t want you listening to my shit. Go listen to fucking Zara Larsson or someone.”
Larsson didn’t stay silent for long. After Brown’s comments began circulating online, the Swedish pop star responded bluntly. “Who the hell are you?” Larsson reportedly said while reacting to the unexpected name drop.
Larsson has been an outspoken critic of Brown for years, particularly due to his history of abuse allegations and controversies. Earlier this year, she revealed during an interview with Cosmopolitan that she intentionally blocks certain artists from appearing in her Spotify playlists.
“There are so many artists that I’ve blocked on Spotify, and all of them are abusers,” Larsson explained in the February interview. “You definitely won’t find a Chris Brown song.”
Following the exchange, fans quickly flooded social media with reactions, with many saying that Brown’s attempt to mock Larsson had actually increased support for the singer. Several users began comparing streaming numbers, album reviews, and Spotify listeners between the two artists. “Trust me dammit Brown…we listen to Zara Larsson,” one user wrote online while pointing out that Larsson currently has more monthly listeners on Spotify than Brown.
Brown’s comments towards Larsson came shortly after Pitchfork’s review of Brown went massively viral online, reportedly gaining over 10 million views on X in a single day. “[Brown] is not romantic, nor funny, nor sexy, nor sensual, nor danceable, nor moving, nor vulnerable, nor honest, nor creative, nor inspired at all,” Pierre wrote. “It’s soulless, blockbuster music that serves no purpose if you’re not personally invested in Chris Brown’s culture wars.”
Chris Brown insists he’s not bothered by album backlash
Despite the backlash and harsh reviews, Brown’s album is still expected to debut at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. Pitchfork’s now-viral review called the project “soulless” and accused Brown of making “hit music,” further fueling online debate over the singer’s career and continued popularity.
Yet Brown insisted he remained unfazed by criticism and previously told fans he knew exactly who his audience was.
The online drama surrounding Larsson and Brown comes just days after the pop singer made headlines for an unexpected wardrobe malfunction during her performance on NBC’s “Today” show. Larsson helped kick off the morning show’s summer concert series on May 8, performing several of his hits, including “Midnight Sun,” “Pretty Ugly” and “Stateside,” in front of fans gathered at Rockefeller Plaza.
However, things took a chaotic turn during her performance of “Lush Life” when one of her sparkly silver heels reportedly broke up the dance routine. The moment happened shortly after Larsson invited “Today” co-host Sheinelle Jones on stage to participate in the viral “Lush Life” dance, something the singer often does with his fans at concerts. “
We have to dance really hard because I lost my heel! Larsson joked as she lifted her foot to reveal the broken stiletto heel, and she did just that. Later, when she returned during the “3rd Hour Today” to perform her song “Blue Moon”, the damaged shoe had been replaced with a new pair.
Just weeks before finding himself at the center of the Chris Brown drama, Larsson opened up about the legendary artists who inspired his own music career. While attending the Billboard Women in Music event at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on April 29, the Swedish singer was honored as this year’s Breakthrough Artist.
During the event, Larsson revealed which four artists she believes belong to her personal “Mount Rushmore” of pop music. “My four are the people that raised me,” the “Midnight Sun” singer said before naming Christine Aguilera, Celine Dion, BeyoncéAnd Whitney Houston.