Zara Larsson dazzles at BBC Radio 1s Big Weekend!

Zara Larsson had the crowd dancing up a storm on Saturday during her eagerly-anticipated headline set at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Sunderland.

The singer, 28, brought summer energy to the main stage at Herrington Country Park, as she belted out hits from her latest album Midnight Sun.

The Swedish star stepped out in one of her signature Y2K maximalist looks, showcasing her enviable figure in a bedazzled tube top over a neon yellow bikini top.

Zara ensured all eyes would be on her long legs, adding sparkly fishnet tights and high heels under a daringly short ruffled miniskirt.

And as always, she sported her trademark vibrant and crystal-heavy makeup, combining blue and pink eyeshadow with purple face gems and a glittering ombre lip.

The hitmaker was joined on stage by a slew of talented backing dancers to perform slickly choreographed routines, at one point involving her being lifted into the air mid-song.

Performing fan favourite songs like Stateside, Ain't My Fault and her 2017 Clean Bandit collaboration, Symphony, she continued her viral tradition of inviting one lucky fan onstage to join her for the Lush Life dance.

Ending the high-octane and fun-filled show, Zara declared to the packed audience: 'Summer isn't over... summer has just started.' 

While it's her fourth time performing at Big Weekend, it marks the pop star's first headlining slot at a major European festival, according to BBC Radio 1.

After first shooting to fame with the release of Lush Life in 2016, this year has seen Zara make a remarkable musical comeback, propelling her straight back to the top of the charts after dropping her fifth studio album in September 2025.

She reclaimed her stardom after previously being subjected to criticism over her feud with , as well as controversy surrounding her comments about abortion.

But rather than feel bad about her so-called 'flop era', she says it taught her resilience and means she's no longer fazed by the up and downs of the industry.

'I've already had success and then my flop era. And then it's like, "Okay, I flopped". So, it doesn't scare me anymore', Zara said this month.

She added to ABC News: 'I think, looking back, I just felt like I didn’t know what I wanted to do. The project didn’t start from here (gestures to inside). I just kept looking outside of myself. Like, "what do people want me to do, what do they like?"

'It’s the fact that you are being totally ignored, but you have to push through and be excited – while not being seen. It can be discouraging. 

'But, my love for singing and music goes so deep into the fabric of my DNA and who I am.'

The pop singer has long been a champion of left-wing causes and a vocal supporter of the rights of women, the LGBTQ+ community and immigrants.

Earlier this year, Zara revealed she lost a massive $3million (£2.23million) brand deal after making a joke about abortion on TikTok, but insisted she had no regrets.

A fan had shared a video attending one of her concerts, with the funny caption: 'I didn't know I was pregnant here but at least my baby got to hear "Midnight Sun" before I aborted it'.

Replying to the fan, Zara joked back: 'I killed the performance and then you killed it after the performance purrrrrr.' 

However, the joke received some backlash from anti-abortion groups and the singer revealed it caused one brand to back out of a multimillion dollar deal.

But she stood by the joke, insisting it was 'very funny' and saying she wouldn't want to partner with a brand that wasn't pro-choice and would cut ties based on a joke.

In the candid video, Zara said: 'I mean just lately, the abortion joke, which is very funny by the way, I lost a $3million deal which is like what the f***.

'If you don't agree with me thinking women should have access to abortion or that we can have a joking conversation about it then we are not meant to be partners.

'I don't give a f*** about it. You can send me a million DMs and send me a million comments about me being a bad person or a wicked witch, but I don't give a rats a*** because I'm so sure in my stance in that.'

She also slammed Immigration and Customs Enforcement in reaction to the killing of mother-of-three Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis at the start of the year - which sparked global outrage and massive protests.