Live Review: Zara Larsson @ AEC Arena 18/10/26

Zara Larsson, the Swedish pop powerhouse known for her unmistakable, powerful voice, glossy dance-pop anthems and feel-good, confidence-boosting energy, arrived in Adelaide for the long-awaited halfway mark of her Midnight Sun Tour. Notably, the global superstar didn't skip the too-often-overlooked city, giving local fans the show they've been waiting years to see.

Sequins, sparkles and neon pinks glittered outside the Adelaide Entertainment Centre as fans streamed in, buzzing with excitement. The Midnight Sun Tour had earned a reputation for its bright, bold colours and costumes, and the crowd was eager to dress the part. 

Adelaide was more than ready to see it for themselves, with cheers rising into a deafening roar as the lights dropped and Sydney pop duo Cat and Calmell took the stage for an energy-filled DJ set. Playing covers and mashups of Kim Petras, Slayyyter and Aussie electronic trailblazer Ninajirachi, the pair kept the crowd buzzing as they laid sugary pop hooks over pulsing club beats.

After just a half-hour wait, Kylie Minogue's 'Can’t Get You Out of My Head' throbbed through the speakers and the big screens flashed between shots of fans in the crowd and clips of the dancers backstage. Suddenly, rapturous applause erupted as Larsson appeared with her dancers backstage, lip-syncing along to this iconic Aussie song. 

The lights darkened and the stage screens lit up as Larsson strutted out after her dancers to perform the album and tour title track, 'Midnight Sun'. After the close of 'Blue Moon', she grinned, sharing, "I'm in a dancing mood tonight."

Larsson seemed to glow under the lights, moving with an ethereal quality as the shimmer of her outfit reflected every colour, giving her an otherworldly aura that made it impossible to look away. "The most important thing is for all of us to have fun tonight!" the Swedish pop star smiled out at the crowd. "I want you to be loud, okay?"

After leading the crowd in a call-and-response for Tyla collaboration 'She Did It Again', Larsson launched into 2027 hits 'I Would Like' and 'Sundown'. Prancing across the stage in her flowing skirt, tossing her blonde curls back and forth, Larsson hardly paused to take a breath. Between hitting every bit of choreography and confidently throwing it back, she kept the stage alight with constant energy. 

Working in one of the most charming parts of Larsson's show, the dancer roll call, each woman stepped forward to spotlight a short solo. It turned the stage into a celebration of the people who help bring her world to life. Charismatic and charming, Larsson easily hyped up the crowd, looking out at fans to say, "You all look so pretty tonight!" before transitioning into 'Pretty Ugly'. Scaling up and down her sun-drenched vocals with ease, her phenomenal talent was especially showcased in older tracks 'Wow' and 'Ain't My Fault'. The star effortlessly moved through energetic dance breaks while soaring into high notes without losing any power. 

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For a moment, letting the audience finally have a chance to breathe, Larsson spoke on her appreciation and thankfulness for the tour. "I have a lot of ambition - that's why I’m here on my sold-out tour in Australia!" Larsson looked out over the sea of faces, many of them young girls dressed in glitter and neon. "You can do anything!" she exclaimed. Behind her stood an all-female band and a crew of female dancers, a reminder of Larsson's intention to build a community with the show.

After the reflective moment of 'The Ambition', she slipped in her viral verse from Pink Pantheress's 'Stateside' remix, sending the crowd into a fresh wave of screams. The stage visuals were unbelievably immersive, shifting from glowing beach scenes to lush forests that placed every song in its own world. 

The Adelaide Entertainment Centre lit up as people pulled out their phone flashlights during 'Ruin My Life', fans' voices rising louder than Larsson's. As the song drew to a close, she shouted, "Aussie, Aussie Aussie!" to which the crowd yelled back, "Oi, Oi Oi!" Before 'Saturn’s Return', she warmly explained that this first-ever run of shows in Australia was "long overdue" but worth the wait.

"This is my dream," Larsson said, looking out at the crowd. "Trust me, this is not the last time I will come back." During long-time fan favourite 'Lush Life', Larsson chatted easily with the crowd, hyping them up before shouting, "I want you to give me all that you've got in this last chorus!" Keeping up one of the tour's most beloved traditions, she pulled an eager fan onstage to do the viral dance in the bridge. When the young boy finished it off with an impressive series of flips, the crowd absolutely lost it, their cheers following him offstage. 

To close this energetic, colourful display of dance, song and connection, Larsson brought it back to where the album rollout and tour journey began, playing a slower version of 'Midnight Sun'. Groups of friends lifted each other up to mimic the "dolphin pose" that Larsson performed at the opening of the show, and she pointed joyfully at each of them. Confetti shot out from the stage, showering the ecstatic crowd in colour, swirling above outstretched hands as they danced beneath it.

Gathering the dancers and band at the front of the stage, the group took a bow, and Larsson waved to her fans. Brightly smiling, the crowd could see her appreciation written all over her face, and the sheer love she has for performing.

The Midnight Sun Tour itself is a celebration of her extraordinary career, firing off her back-to-back pop hits in a run of high-energy performances. As Larsson stood beneath a shower of colour and applause, she left the crowd suspended in a final, ecstatic moment of the happiness that she places at the heart of her songs. 

Want more pics of the gig? Check out our full photo gallery here.