Zara Larsson Stands Up for Chappell Roan Against Sexist Critics: A Call for Respect for Women
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Zara Larsson has shared her perspective on the criticism directed towards fellow artist Chappell Roan, suggesting it may be disproportionate compared to that faced by other musicians.
In an interview with The Guardian published on April 3, the Swedish singer came to Roan’s defense, expressing discontent over the negativity directed at her. “The more people hate her, the more I love her,” Larsson stated. “I don’t like how she’s being treated at all.”
Larsson attributed some of Roan’s backlash to societal norms regarding women’s boundaries. “When a woman has boundaries, I think people freak out,” she remarked. “Men can do violent criminal things, and people applaud them, but when a woman says, ‘Stop following me,’ it’s controversial? It’s like, ‘You guys just hate women, actually.’”
Larsson’s comments referenced specific incidents where Roan confronted those she felt were crossing personal boundaries. This includes a notable moment at the 2024 VMAs, where she firmly addressed a cameraman, as well as confronting photographers in Paris earlier this year. Fellow musician Noah Kahan also publicly supported Roan during this particular incident.
Recently, Roan encountered criticism following an incident in São Paulo involving the daughter of actors Jude Law and Catherine Harding. Reports indicated that a security guard reprimanded the child for smiling at Roan in a hotel. Jorginho, Harding’s husband and a professional soccer player, criticized Roan in an Instagram Story, prompting the singer to clarify that she was unaware of the situation and had not instructed the guard to intervene. However, Harding later suggested that Roan should take responsibility for the actions of those employed to assist her.
Larsson, too, has faced backlash for her comments. After joking about abortion on TikTok in March, she disclosed to The Guardian that she lost a multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal as a result. “I lost $3 million, which is the biggest brand deal I’d been offered in my life,” she recounted. “I was genuinely like, ‘OK, losers!’”
