Zara Larsson’s Pop-Girl Dream Team Delivers on Midnight Sun: Girls Trip
- EC Stanzel
- May 5
- 9 min read
Written by EC Stanzel
| The women and nonbinary led remix album makes it clear that the Midnight Sun era is here to stay but the possibilities that live beyond it are endless.
Zara Larsson has seen levels of international recognition for over a decade, but recently things have shifted and seem to be gaining momentum at rapid speed. Most recently, “Stateside,” her collab with PinkPantheress, climbed to the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Lush Life,” a popular single off the artist’s second studio album, went viral a decade following its release. Her latest album Midnight Sun introduced us to a whole new aesthetic universe for the Swedish pop queen, and The Midnight Sun Tour, which wrapped mid-April, only added to the buzz. When you’re riding a wave this significant, the next move matters. For Larsson, that move was to call up her girls and go on a trip.
Midnight Sun: Girls Trip is a women and nonbinary led remix album that takes every track from the original release and hands it to a carefully chosen collaborator from around the world. And I’ll be honest, going into my first listen I was excited but skeptical. I love the original Midnight Sun album but something I’ve often experienced with deluxe and remix releases is that the new versions are fun but more often than not struggle to compete with the originals.
This is not the case with Girls Trip. It leans fully into experimentation and highlights what Larsson sounds like alongside a variety of different creative voices. Larsson has said she drew inspiration from Charli xcx’s BRAT remix era, and you can feel that same commitment to actually reimagining the source material rather than just adding a new verse and calling it a day. Girls Trip shows us what happens when an artist revisits their already great songs with 13 talented artists and just lets them cook. Not every track landed for me personally, but the concept and overall execution? I’m a big fan.
YouTube Zara Larsson
1. “Midnight Sun” feat. PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress is a British producer and singer-songwriter known for blending early-2000s UK garage with a breathy, almost whispered vocal style. She and Larsson already have proven chemistry with “Stateside,” so opening Girls Trip together makes total sense. The remix keeps the original’s euphoric, dance-pop energy while moving into more club territory in line with PinkPantheress’ signature sound. Their vocal tones complement each other in an interesting way and the production is solid, as expected from the 2026 BRIT Awards Producer of the Year.
Personally though, “Midnight Sun” is so ingrained in my brain as a standalone banger that this remix had a high bar to clear. Where the original has a free and careless never-ending summer feeling, this version had me bopping in a more understated, demure way. I would have loved a feature on this track that could go toe-to-toe with Larsson vocally or production to really bring the explosive energy the song is capable of, but I have to give it to Pink for hitting that signature riff and delivering a solid featured verse and great production true to her style. A very worthy first stop on the “girls trip”.
2. “Blue Moon” feat. Kehlani
Bay Area singer, songwriter, and dancer Kehlani is one of R&B’s best. They are known for their emotionally raw, vocally unpredictable songwriting and it’s no surprise to me that their style is a perfect fit for a track like “Blue Moon.”
Reimagined as a 90s R&B track with classic chord progressions, the slower tempo feels like it was made for the lyrics in a way the original didn’t tap into. Kehlani’s presence deepens the emotion of the song and gives it a slightly more grown-up feel, and I was not expecting Larsson’s lower register to hit the way it does on this track. “Blue Moon” wasn’t one of my top picks from the original album, but this remix completely changed that. It is definitely a personal favorite on Girls Trip and one that left me seriously wanting more R&B-leaning material from Larsson. If this remix is any indication of what that could sound like, she should absolutely explore it (pretty please).
3. “Pretty Ugly” feat. JT and Margo XS
JT is a Miami-based rapper who has been putting in serious work on her solo profile lately which includes features alongside PinkPantheress, Summer Walker, and Kali Uchis. The “Pretty Ugly” remix is exactly the kind of placement that suits her. Margo XS, who co-wrote and produced much of the original Midnight Sun album and earned a Grammy nomination for her production, rebuilds the production of “Pretty Ugly” entirely around JT’s energy- it works.
JT opens her verse on the remix with an interruption that had me gagged and the production follows suit in the best way. It’s wild, confident, fun and messy in all the right places. Larsson herself said during the live listening party that she prefers this version to the original, and I get it. The lyrical attitude of the song and the direction of this rework are very well aligned. It ran a little harsh for my personal taste and probably won’t be in my regular rotation, but I could absolutely see myself throwing this one on when I’m feeling particularly unhinged and need to amp things up a notch (or twelve).
4. “Girl’s Girl” feat. Emilia
Emilia is an Argentine singer and songwriter who has topped the charts multiple times across Latin America, blending Latin pop, reggaeton, and 2000s-influenced dance pop. Her energy on this track is undeniable, and the vibe of her verse translates even if you don’t speak a word of Spanish.
The “Girl’s Girl” remix takes a complete lyrical 180 from the original, and the new concept basically doubles as the thesis statement for the whole Girls Trip project. The remix flips the concept from a conflict between friendship loyalty and romantic desire into a commentary on how the music industry pits women against each other. The production leans into the dance pop vibe that lingered under the original track and the final chorus goes crazy in a way that makes you want to replay the whole song just to get back to it. Sonically I still have a soft spot for the original, but the more upbeat production actually fits the song better than I expected. The reimagined lyrical concept is what locked this in as my favorite of the album. Ultimately, this song will leave you wanting fame more than you want a man and I love that for us.
5. “Crush” feat. Eli
If you’re not familiar with Eli yet, this remix is a pretty great introduction. The singer-songwriter released her debut album Stage Girl in October 2025. It’s a deeply personal record about fame, identity, and growing up trans in a small town that landed on Vogue’s list of best albums of the year. The same personality and self-awareness she brings to her own work comes through clearly on her Girls Trip feature.
The “Crush” remix leans into a 90s/early 2000s pop sound and has a real sense of humor about itself. The playful bridge where Eli and Larsson are casually chatting like they’re literally inside the song together is fun and breaks the fourth wall in a way that still feels tasteful. Eli’s style comes through clearly in the production, and her verse made me feel like I was floating. An ethereal transformation of what was already a great pop track. This isn’t necessarily my favorite remix on the project, but it’s easily my favorite feature, and it sent me straight to Eli’s discography (Thanks for the intro, Zara!). If you’re in the same boat, do yourself a favor, and go listen.
6. “Eurosummer” feat. Shakira
If you need a Shakira introduction I’m not sure what to tell you. Colombian “Queen of Latin Music,” multi-decade global icon, hips don’t lie- you know the rest. What is worth mentioning is that Larsson has said she’s loved Shakira since childhood, and landing her on this project is a big deal. Shakira is pretty synonymous with summer and the kind of songs that feel like they belong to the whole world, which makes her a natural fit for this track specifically.
“Eurosummer” is already one of Midnight Sun’s most carefree tracks and delivers exactly the vibes the title promises. My main note on this one is that I wish they had gone bigger on the production for the remix. Compared to the original it feels a little pulled back, and I found myself missing some of that energy I felt in the original release. That said, hearing Shakira and Larsson share a track together is exciting, and the pairing alone makes it a standout moment on the album. The two allegedly even filmed a music video for the track in Miami recently, and if that’s the case, it cannot drop soon enough.
7. “Hot & Sexy” feat. Tyla
Another artist I’d be surprised if you need an introduction to is Tyla, the South African singer-songwriter phenomenon who blends pop, R&B, and amapiano into a unique sound that took the global music scene by storm. She and Larsson have crossed paths on the awards circuit multiple times this year and released “SHE DID IT AGAIN” together in April, so this is their second collaboration in a matter of weeks.
“Hot & Sexy” is my personal favorite from the original Midnight Sun release, so my expectations were automatically pretty high. The remix does feel the most like a standard feature, but even then, Tyla was the perfect fit. Rather than leaning into the sassy, confident punch of the original, this remix settles into a more relaxed confidence that reflects where Larsson and Tyla’s styles meet, right down to the reworked outro. It doesn’t hit with the same intensity as the original, and honestly the original is still my go-to, but I can appreciate what this remix was going for and I think it pulls it off very well.
YouTube Zara Larsson
8. “The Ambition” feat. Madison Beer and BAMBII
Madison Beer has consistently outgrown every ceiling put on her since she first got attention as a teenager. There’s something reminiscent about her and Larsson’s career trajectories as two pop artists who have chased their ambitions since a young age. Also joining on this track is BAMBII, a Jamaican-Canadian DJ and producer at the intersection of dancehall and electronic music who has been a well-respected name in underground club circles for years. The two make for an unexpected pairing and that dynamic comes through on the track.
I was curious to see if this remix would take “The Ambition” somewhere completely new, since I’ve always craved a little more movement than in the original. The production does shift for this remix, just in a different direction than what I personally had in mind. What I didn’t see coming was how much Beer’s vocals would stand out. Her feature lives up to every bit of what I remember from seeing her perform live at a Jingle Ball concert a couple years back, and the harmonies between her and Larsson are beautiful.
9. “Saturn’s Return” feat. Malibu and Helena Gao
“Saturn’s Return” has always been one of my favorites on the original album but hearing it live on the Midnight Sun Tour took it to a whole new level and I was particularly excited to see how it would be reimagined. Larsson and her featured artists stretch the originally under four minute track past six minutes, actually turning it into something closer to a meditation. Beautiful, ethereal, and spacious. Malibu is a French ambient and experimental artist who released her first full-length project earlier this year. Helena Gao is a Danish-Chinese singer, songwriter, and producer who was part of the original Midnight Sun creative team and co-wrote the original “Saturn’s Return.”
Together, Malibu and Helena’s styles of artistic expression are clearly aligned and the result is one of the most unexpectedly adventurous stops on the album. Helena’s vocals are beautiful throughout, and her inclusion of Mandarin adds another global dimension to the track. She shared a translation on TikTok a couple of days after the release: “Life cannot be planned. I used to find that very difficult. No one in this world chooses to be born. But if you believe that fate will protect you, then you’ll realize how fortunate it is to be alive.” Some may argue the length of the track is unnecessary but I thoroughly enjoyed every second. This is one of my top tracks from Girls Trip.
10. “Puss Puss” feat. Robyn
Robyn is a feature I was so happy to see on this album. The woman who made crying on the dance floor mandatory has been releasing music since the early 90s and Body Talk (2010) is still one of the most celebrated pop records of the century. Larsson has spoken about her influence openly and often, and closing Girls Trip with her on this song was absolutely the right call.
“Puss Puss” is Midnight Sun’s most playful, cheeky track, and for those raising an eyebrow at the title, Larsson has explained on many occasions that the phrase is a term of endearment in Swedish, something you’d say as a flirty little goodbye. The remix leans into Robyn’s signature classic dance synths and feels like a passing of the Swedish pop torch. It’s a fitting way to close out the album and I don’t think Girls Trip could have ended any other way.
Worth The Trip
Midnight Sun: Girls Trip has a guest list that spans continents, genres, and career stages. You can tell Larsson thought carefully about who should be on each song and why - it’s clear that the girl’s got taste. The highs on this project are genuinely high, and the moments that didn’t fully land for me make more sense when you step back and look at the bigger picture.
Girls Trip is exactly what I think it was meant to be. Larsson getting in the studio with her friends, colleagues, and personal inspirations to make something fun and new together. Her willingness to hand her songs over to 13 completely different creative voices and trust the process says a lot about where she is as an artist right now, and the result is an album that creatively hits the mark and feels like a vibrant celebration of the diverse lineup of artists behind the album. I’m happy the Midnight Sun era has been given this revival heading into summer, and I’m curious and excited to see what kind of trip Zara Larsson takes us on next.
Zara Larsson
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