If you’ve been on social media for the past year or two, you pehaps are familiar with a certain rainbow dolphin meme that went viral on social media two years ago in the summer of 2024, the unexpectedly surreal clip promoting Clean Bandit’s song “Symphony” feat. Zara Larsson flooded everyone’s For You page, and in doing so, introduced a new generation of listeners to Larsson’s music in a way that no traditional rollout ever could. Zara Maria Larsson, a 28 year old Swedish singer and songwriter, first started gaining public attention in 2008 when she won the second season of the Swedish talent show Talang, the Swedish version of “Got Talent.” In the 2010s, Larsson’s career was experiencing massive success, with a string of hits like “Lush Life” and “Never Forget You” reaching number one across the world. Her third album, Poster Girl, was released in 2021 and reached the Top Ten in Sweden. However, though the internet could recognize some of Larsson’s key global hits, her quick rise to global stardom soon hit a plateau. In what some may describe as a “flop era,” despite an album release in 2024, Larsson was no longer topping charts or staying relevant in the new era of ephemeral pop trends and one hit wonders. As an artist who had immense popularity in the 2016 music era, it was clear that Larsson’s career was actively dwindling. Yet what nobody could have expected was the sudden resurgence of a song that wasn’t even written by Larsson, but rather featured her, paired with a satirical A.I. meme of a pair of glossy dolphins arcing through the air in front of a lurid rainbow backdrop. Although seemingly another ridiculous and trivial internet meme on the surface, the sudden virality of the dolphin meme on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter was undeniable, with millions of videos featuring the meme across all the platforms. This meme was exactly the launchpad that Larsson needed to inject herself back into the sphere of global pop prominence– and sure enough, when Larsson was spotted at one of her concerts donning uncharacteristically vibrant clothing and waving around dolphin inflatables with the meme projected behind her onstage, it was evident that Larsson had decided to ride the wave. Yet, what did this promising opportunity entail for the future of Larsson’s career? Larsson’s genius move in this situation was leaning into the meme and embracing it over feeling embarrassed by it. In doing so, Larsson experienced a full aesthetic rebrand: besides the newfound dolphin imagery, she adopted a maximalist, tropical, early-2000s- leaning aesthetic. Larsson’s public persona has become characterized by neon colors, glossy, bedazzled costumes, and a slightly chaotic yet addictingly girlish and summery ambience that sells a vibe, not just a song. By 2025, that aesthetic shift had culminated into Larsson’s “Midnight Sun” album, which heavily emphasized the same aquatic, hyper-online energy that Larsson had learned to embody. The rebranding was new. Refreshing. Invigorating. People claimed that Larsson was “bringing back the 2000s vibe” with her unapologetically cheerful and upbeat tunes. Now, Larsson’s career has almost fully revived, with hit songs like “Midnight Sun” being nominated to the 2026 Grammys, and “Stateside” by PinkPantherss and featuring Zara Larsson reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200. Even some of Larsson’s older songs have experienced a significant resurgence in popularity; “Lush Life,” which was released over a decade ago, hit No. 15 on the global Spotify chart and returned to the Billboard charts, largely due to a viral, updated live performance of the song. It seems amazing that such immense popularity could have been achieved through one simple dolphin meme. Although the meme may have not been the only factor contributing to Larsson’s musical rebirth, it was certainly one of the most significant contributors. Larsson’s utilization of the meme, however, may have been more intentional than previously believed.
On the surface, it looks like a rebrand fueled by luck and unpredictable social media algorithms. But from a branding perspective, the situation was much more precise. Larsson’s team didn’t create the meme–they recognized a window of opportunity and were smart enough to seize it immediately. Rather than borrowing from traditional fan culture, which tends to insert an invisible divide between fans and celebrities, Larsson was placed in a special situation in which her audience could feel like they had played a part in her success by actively boosting the meme on social media. Larsson’s team didn’t attempt to force a solution; they saw the flow, and went with it. They adapted to fan behavior and redirected it in a way that would ultimately help revive Larsson’s career. But most importantly, Larsson’s team didn’t let it end with the meme. They used it as a springboard rather than a temporary viral spike, to create a blank slate that Larsson could use to show the world her talents and highlight her genuine love for what she does. In truth, Larsson had nothing to lose and everything to gain from riding the rebrand. In an interview with ABC News, Larsson said “this time around, I just have it planned out. […] But I’m allowing myself to have more fun (too) […] I’ve already had success and then my ‘flop era.’ And then it’s like, ‘ok, I flopped.’
So, it doesn’t scare me anymore.” Today, Zara Larsson is actively redefining what it means to be a pop star. Pop music is defined by music designed to appeal to a broad, mainstream audience. In other words, it is meant to evolve with the times, adapting to certain social shifts–or certain significant, influential individuals–that induce it to change. By embracing an aesthetic and musical rebrand, Larsson is not only benefiting her own career, but she is also paving the way for a new future of artists that follow in her footsteps attempting to mirror her bubbly, upbeat persona. The future of pop music is looking vibrant–literally–and perhaps we all have one ludicrously random dolphin meme to thank for it.