2026 is the new 2016.
The new social media trends flooding TikTok’s For You Pages and Instagram’s Explore page are all pointing towards the idea that in the new year of 2026, people will be trying to bring back trends from 2016. One of the most significant aspects of any specific time period is the music that defines the era, and one decade ago, Zara Larson was the artist of 2016.
Swedish artist Zara Larson began her journey to fame at the young age of ten, when she sang on the Swedish TV show Talang — a televised talent show— and gained fame and popularity from her charismatic voice and personality. In 2014, Larson released her first single, “Undercover,” and following that, the international hit “Lush Life”, which is still garnering attention even today in 2026. By 2016, the artist had continued releasing songs and albums, and with them, growing her fame and popularity, eventually becoming a successful popstar by the age of 19.
Despite achieving major success with her early releases, with songs like “Symphony” and “Never Forget You” surpassing 1 billion streams, Zara, similar to other rising artists, struggled to remain prevalent among the public, especially in the United States. It was difficult for Zara to maintain her public standing, partially due to her music style. Her electronic music dance (EDM) music style fit well with the popular trends in Europe, but was more difficult to mesh with the music trends in the United States. Despite her fluctuating fame, however, the artist never stopped working to release new songs and find her way back to the top of Billboard hit songs.
In the summer of 2025, nearly a decade after the release of her song “Symphony”, the track gained popularity once again on TikTok. If you’ve been on TikTok, you are likely familiar with the trend of sparkly, bright dolphins, paired with captions that consist of either confessions, jokes, or even sad quotes. Although it may seem like a trivial post on the surface, this was the rise to Zara Larson’s resurgence. Calista Nguyen (12) believes, “Zara’s comeback wasn’t just a coincidence. Yes, she did get lucky that her song became viral again, but if she hadn’t marketed her platform as strategically as she did, I don’t think she would be as famous as she is today”.
The phrase, “take it and run with it,” is exactly what Larson did, and it worked! The trend coinciding with her music features bright colors, rainbows, and iridescent butterflies, which is well reflected in her clothing and new adapted style. By creating this eye-catching look for herself, she has transformed from a once-forgotten pop singer into a recognizable, widely idolized figure.
Zara Larson is currently on tour for her latest album “Midnight Sun”, where she will be performing in cities all across the United States! Abby Reddick (12) will be attending her concert, stating that she is “super excited to see Zara perform!” Her comeback has everyone excited, and this time, she is here to stay.
