Zara Larsson just dropped the music video for her song “Midnight Sun”, and it’s… quite literally never-ending midnight sun vibes. She brings back full-on 2000s/aero energy in this one. For people not into that aesthetic, it might feel kind of chaotic. But for those living for nostalgic Y2K summers, it’s like Zara visualizes their memories with a summer bop as the soundtrack 🌅
There’s Y2K-inspired fashion: short colorful tops with graphic text paired with decorated shorts. But the standout look? An outfit made entirely of pins and brooches. It gave me flashbacks to fridge magnets from every holiday trip or random key rings hanging off house or car keys.
We also spot nostalgic gadgets: portable CD players, flip phones covered in shiny decorations ✨peak early 2000s energy✨
Btw. did you catch a quick reference to Kendall Jenner's iconic heart hair photo?
In “Midnight Sun”, Zara fully embraces the green screen. And she doesn’t hold back. Thanks to that, we see her in front of sunsets, grassy hills (total Windows XP wallpaper moment), and bright skies. She takes us on the ultimate summer getaway.
Throughout the video, words flash across the screen: “Believe,” “Awaken,” “Connected”. Very 2000s, very Tumblr-core. The nostalgic vibe gets dialed up even more with Vectorgarden-style graphic elements: butterflies, floral motifs, all that good stuff.
Symphony memes also make an appearance. But first, quick catch-up:
Zara has this very popular song called “Symphony” with Clean Bandit. A while back, people on TikTok started pairing it with dolphin images and 2000s candy-colored edits - usually with sad captions like “I’m depressed”. Zara herself joined in on the trend and even used dolphin imagery as the background during a live “Symphony” performance.
Fans now see “Midnight Sun” as the full-circle moment from that. The green screens, ocean backdrops, and aero visuals tie it all together.
I’m not sure which 2000s icons Zara had in mind (if any), but a few obvious ones come up. Like Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever”, especially the scenes of Zara dancing in front of the ocean. Plus, special effects like running horses and constant scene changes across natural landscapes.
A lot of people also point to Madonna’s “Love Profusion” and “Ray of Light” as stronger inspirations. In both of those videos, it’s all about the green screen and shifting backgrounds: cityscapes, flower paths in the middle of the ocean, sky changing from day to night.
One thing all these videos share is how the artist faces the camera, trying to deliver the song’s message directly to the viewer. Whether singing, dancing, or just walking, the dynamic backgrounds make sure it never feels boring.
There’s even a specific shot that “Love Profusion” and “Midnight Sun” both share: the artist holding the camera super close, almost down at floor level, looking like they’re right there with you.
Another video that gives off a similar vibe? Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird”. It might be a bit of a stretch, but Zara’s scenes in the woods and on grassy fields give that same almost magical, ethereal feeling.
You might think Zara’s “Midnight Sun” is just a poetic name, but it’s real. In Swedish Lapland, the midnight sun is an actual thing, a few weeks in summer where the sun never sets. It really does feel like summer will never end.
As a real Swedish girl, Zara keeps her roots close. She even says: “A part of my soul is a Swedish summer night”.
If you would like to learn more:
Aesthetics:
https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Frutiger_Aero?file=Phish.jpeg
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-story-worlds-famous-desktop-background
Swedish "Midnight Sun":
https://visitsweden.com/where-to-go/northern-sweden/swedish-lapland/midnight-sun/
Zara:
https://www.dexerto.com/tiktok/tiktoks-viral-symphony-dolphin-meme-explained-2884496/
https://readdork.com/news/zara-larsson-midnight-sun/
Screenshots from:
Zara Larsson - Midnight Sun (Official Music Video)
Madonna - Love Profusion (Official Video)
Shakira - Whenever, Wherever (Official HD Video)
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