Zara Larsson has never been one to quietly let an insult slide, but one of her most memorable clapbacks happened after someone on her own team made fun of her body. In 2021, the Swedish pop star publicly called out her creative director after discovering comments about her arms.
Instead of brushing it off or dealing with the situation privately, Larsson made the conversation public. She made it clear that she was not interested in having someone working for her comment on her appearance. The incident quickly became one of those celebrity moments fans still bring up years later.
The Body-Shaming Comments
In 2021, Larsson called out creative director Ryder Ripps after screenshots of his conversation with Azealia Banks circulated online.
Ripps had mocked Larsson's arms, even referring to her as 'Zara Armsson' alongside a photo of the singer performing. At one point, she hit back: 'What about my arm?? Huh?? I literally see people commenting on my weight every single day, but really? You??'
The comments went further, with Ripps writing in the private conversation that Larsson should 'get fatter' and stop 'trying to be hot'. Larsson subsequently shared the messages herself and questioned why someone working closely with her would speak about her body that way.
She explained that her arms are naturally bigger because of her body type and pushed back against the idea that there was anything wrong with them. 'It's not even about this specific convo specifically about me,' Larsson wrote at the time, pointing to the wider issue of people commenting on other people's bodies. 'It's just tiring to always see women's bodies being this... "funny" topic,' she added.
Larsson also defended her health, saying she was healthier than she had been in years. 'I'm way healthier now than I've been for a long time. I actually have three meals a day, I'm not constantly cold, I have energy and I actually love the way my ass is getting fat.'
In another post, she wrote: 'Like, can we all just STOP commenting on other people's bodies? Where's the fun in that?'
Larsson later confirmed that Ripps was no longer working with her, delivering a particularly cutting one-liner: 'Ryder Ripps? I only know Ryder R.I.P.' She then asked her followers: 'Who knows any good creative directors lol'.
When Her Clapback Still Hits
For fans, the way Larsson handled the situation is almost as memorable as the original comments. She did not simply move on quietly. She posted the conversation, named the creative director and made it clear that she had decided to end the working relationship.
'She's funny for this, I'm sorry 😭 and I love that she did it publicly,' one fan wrote. 'More people need to be shamed in front of the masses because private embarrassment just isn't enough anymore it seems.'
'I love that she dragged him like that,' another person commented, while someone else called it 'Iconic as alwayss'.
Larsson's famously unbothered personality also got plenty of love. 'She always wins the idgaf war she's hilarious,' one fan wrote.
'Zara so damn powerful she's got haters in her own campppp. Give em hell queen 😍😍😍,' another fan added.
Then there was the fan who connected the firing to Larsson's later career, joking: 'Meanwhile her creative direction became 100% more cohesive and marketable once he got fired. Loser!'
The Rebrand Is Impossible To Miss
Larsson's visual evolution since the issue is certainly noticeable. Her recent Midnight Sun era has leaned heavily into bright colours, glitter, Y2K-inspired styling and a playful summer aesthetic.
Her fashion has become a major part of the rollout, with rhinestones, swimwear-inspired looks and colourful styling helping shape the identity around the album. The singer has also spoken about wanting the era to feel fun and colourful.
And the music is matching the mood. Larsson has found herself back in the spotlight with viral tracks including 'Pretty Ugly' and 'Midnight Sun', while her older hit 'Lush Life' has also enjoyed a fresh wave of attention, thanks to TikTok.
