Zara Larsson made her first Australian headline tour worth the wait with a spectacular Melbourne show that barely slowed down from start to finish. Backed by a talented band and dancers, the Swedish pop star delivered fantastic live vocals and hit after hit, while still finding plenty of time to connect with her fans.
Opening the evening were Cat & Calmell, whose DJ set was practically a greatest-hits collection of pop and dance favourites. Early selections included My Humps, Run the World (Girls) and Hollaback Girl, with PinkPantheress’ Tonight, Bulletproof, Fuck My Computer, Beauty and a Beat, Teenage Dream, Guess and Ain’t In LA among the many other tracks they worked into the mix. The duo also found room for a new song of their own, while The Veronicas’ 4ever was a fun inclusion towards the end of their set.
Then came the main event, with Larsson’s full pop production taking over Margaret Court Arena. Midnight Sun was a terrific opener; winning over Melbourne from the first song. Blue Moon followed under blue lighting before Can’t Tame Her gave the dancers their first opportunity to show what they could do. Larsson made the demanding routines look effortless through SHE DID IT AGAIN and the I Would Like / Sundown medley.
Love Me Land arrived with flashing lights and a driving drum beat, while All the Time was one of the catchiest songs of the night – complete with a great guitar solo. Dancers’ Roll Call introduced each of the dancers one by one, before Larsson returned in a new outfit for Pretty Ugly. The crowd joined in loudly with the song’s ‘I’m so pretty’ chorus.
Wow was a beautiful change of pace before Ain’t My Fault brought back the full choreography, complete with splits and twerking as the song continued to build. Hot & Sexy added some humour to the production as Larsson took a spin in a fake car bearing the number plate ‘Puss Puss 97’, even stopping mid-song to take a photo with the audience.
The Ambition was a personal favourite and a great showcase for Larsson’s live vocals. Reflecting on the song’s title, she told Melbourne that her ambition was the reason she was here in Australia on a sold-out tour. Girl’s Girl returned to the dance-heavy side of the show, while Stateside ended with an excellent keytar solo.
The next section took on a summer holiday theme, with the dancers bringing out personalised beach towels as Larsson returned in another outfit for Eurosummer. Never Forget You was one of the biggest moments of the night, with the band introductions worked into the song and each musician given a chance to show off their talents. The arena lit up for Ruin My Life, with Larsson stepping back to let thousands of voices carry the chorus.
One of our highlights, Saturn’s Return, gave Larsson the chance to talk about how much this first Australian tour meant to her. She thanked fans for supporting her music long before she made it here and spoke about learning to be present rather than worrying about where life might take her. She couldn’t resist reminding everyone afterwards that the ‘real bangers’ were still to come.
Larsson explained that Puss Puss was Swedish for a sweet, innocent kiss before Crush brought one of the loudest reactions of the night. Reading signs and chatting with fans was clearly something she enjoyed, especially when she invited one lucky audience member to join her for the Lush Life dance. After spray-painting an ‘I can get ugly’ T-shirt for her, Larsson gave her a chance to show off the steps she knew so well. It was a terrific moment that brought a personal touch to an otherwise huge arena production.
Symphony had Margaret Court Arena joining in once more before Larsson took the show back to where it began. Midnight Sun returned in a reprise that we loved just as much as the original, gradually building into the full song with confetti and fans copying the dancers’ poses. Somehow, it was even better the second time.
For all the polished choreography and clever staging, it was Larsson’s vocals, sense of humour and enjoyment of performing for Melbourne that made this show so memorable. Zara Larsson returns to Melbourne for another sold-out show at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday 22 October as part of her Midnight Sun Tour.