Zara Larsson has sparked a heated online debate after joking that she would fire members of her team if they refused to make a 'goon face' on demand. The Swedish pop star's comments, made during a podcast appearance, prompted criticism from social media users who questioned whether the request was appropriate in a professional setting.
While some accused the singer of making light of workplace sexual harassment, others defended her remarks as an obvious joke about being comfortable and silly around colleagues. The disagreement has since drawn attention to the different ways people interpret humour, personal boundaries and workplace behaviour.
Zara Larsson Explains Her 'Goon Face' Rule
Larsson made the comments during her appearance on Las Culturistas, the comedy and pop culture podcast hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. In the episode, released on 7 October, the singer discussed an unconventional expectation she has for people working alongside her.
'If I ask someone on the spot, like, "Make a goon face", and they're like, "I can't do that", I'm like, "You gotta go". I want everyone around me to be able to do a goon face because that's what it is to me,' she said.
Larsson went on to explain that she associates the expression with being carefree, comfortable and willing to be silly around others. 'Are you free? Are you carefree? Are you yourself? Like, can you be silly?' she added, before joking that making the face was part of the job interview.
The term 'gooning' has a sexual meaning in internet slang, commonly referring to prolonged masturbation. Meanwhile, a 'goon face' can describe an exaggerated expression associated with sexual pleasure. However, the phrase can also be used jokingly online, which has contributed to varying interpretations of Larsson's comments.
@curiouslymedia Zara Larsson shares her ‘goon face’ firing rule for her team on the Las Culturistas podcast 🤪 #zaralarsson #lasculturistas #midnightsun #midnightsuntour #bowenyang
♬ original sound - Curiously
Why Are Fans Calling It Harassment?
Social media users were divided over the remarks. Some described the request as inappropriate, but others argued that the singer's comments had been taken too literally.
One critic bluntly accused: 'Zara Larsson casually admits she sexually harasses all her employees'. Another argued that asking staff to make an expression associated with sexual pleasure was inappropriate, even if the request was intended as a joke.
Others compared the hypothetical scenario to unwanted behaviour in the workplace. 'This is literally equivalent to when your male coworker catcalling you and say they didn't mean no harm,' one user wrote before asking: 'Are we normalising it now?' Then one person echoed that sentiment, saying: 'Men would be called weird for this'.
The criticism also highlighted the pressure employees might feel to comply with an unusual request when it comes from someone with authority over their jobs. Even if no one actually loses their job, critics argued that the joke could make some workers uncomfortable.
However, not everyone believed the singer's comments should be taken seriously. Defending Larsson, one social media user wrote: 'It's quite obviously a joke lmfao do u really think she would fire her team for that??' Another added: 'you know she just means to make a "silly face", right?'
Zara Larsson casually admits she sexually harasses all her employees: https://t.co/MnwZVS5VRt
— Mars (@Marsspace17_) October 7, 2026
Previous Remarks on Harassment
The controversy has also drawn attention to Larsson's previous comments about sexual harassment, particularly her experiences as a young woman working in the music industry.
In a 2021 interview with The Independent, the singer spoke about older men she had worked with who began making comments about her body and asking personal questions after she turned 18. She recalled feeling uncomfortable when people she had looked up to started making unwanted advances.
'I'm a very strong feminist,' Larsson said in the interview. She also described freezing during encounters with inappropriate behaviour and explained how difficult it could be to respond when the person crossing a boundary held power over her career. 'Usually that person has a lot of power and they know that,' she said.
