Zara Larsson refuses to be put in 'Best New Artist' Grammy nomination: 'I’m not a new artist'

Zara Larsson says a Best New Artist bid would erase 13 years of work since she first found fame

Zara Larsson has made it clear that she has no interest in being presented as a newcomer at the Grammy Awards, arguing that a Best New Artist nomination would fail to reflect the length of her career.

The Swedish pop star recently revealed that her former record label had considered submitting her for the Best New Artist category at the Grammys. Larsson said the suggestion immediately struck her as inappropriate because she has already spent 13 years working professionally as an artist.

She recalled the conversation in an interview with Perfect Magazine, explaining that representatives from her former label told her they were considering putting her forward for the category.

"They were like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to see if we can put you in Best New Artist for the Grammys.’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t even want that. That would downplay the 13 years of me being an artist. I’m not a new artist,’" Larsson said.

The comments come as Larsson enjoys renewed international attention following the success of her fifth studio album, Midnight Sun. Released through Epic Records, the album reached No. 1 in Sweden and received positive critical attention in several markets. Its title track also became one of the prominent pop songs associated with the summer.

Despite the recent surge in global attention, Larsson has been building her career since childhood. She won Talang, the Swedish version of Britain’s Got Talent, at the age of 10. Her early television success helped establish her in Sweden, while her 2013 single "Uncover" became a major breakthrough, reaching No. 1 in Sweden and Norway.

Larsson later achieved substantial international success with songs including "Lush Life" and "Never Forget You", the latter featuring MNEK. "Lush Life" became her first UK top 10 hit, reaching No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart in 2015.

Her objection to the Best New Artist category also has a practical reason. Reports have indicated that Larsson would not have been eligible for the newcomer award because she had already received a Grammy nomination as a performer. The Recording Academy's eligibility rules state that an artist can be excluded from Best New Artist consideration if they have previously received a Grammy nomination as a performer.

Larsson's song "Midnight Sun" was nominated for Best Dance Pop Recording at the 2026 Grammy Awards, although it ultimately lost the award to Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra". That previous nomination places her well outside the traditional definition of an emerging recording artist for Grammy purposes.

Larsson has, however, embraced the idea that 2025 represented a breakthrough period in her career. She explained that her recent success feels different because audiences around the world appear to be discovering her music at the same time.

"It feels like the whole world is looking at me at the same time," she said. "Before, this song was successful over here, and another song a year later was successful over there. Now it feels like it’s all coming together quite nicely."

The distinction matters to Larsson because her current visibility is the result of years of releases, performances and international chart success rather than a sudden debut.