Zara Larsson pokes fun at the stereotype of Swedes being blonde and blue-eyed. The video responds to racist comments about her boyfriend, Lamin Holmén, and his Swedishness, as he is of Black ancestry from Gambian roots.
In her latest TikTok, Zara Larsson responds to the question about whether her boyfriend is Swedish:
“How people react when they see the Swedish boy im kissing isn’t blonde with blue eyes.”
@zaralarsson Replying to @Anders S960 get well soon ❤️🩹
♬ Stateside + Zara Larsson – PinkPantheress
Holmén is from Stockholm and has been a professional dancer. He has been in a relationship with the singer since 2020. A considerable number of immigrants reside in Sweden, and Statistics Sweden has found that 20% of the population was born abroad. The image of Swedes has been contested due to their diversity.
The funny, exaggerated video was widely appreciated on social media for fostering inclusiveness. The video received thousands of views and sparked discussions about the Eurocentric ideal of beauty in popular culture.
“Why are people so salty and jealous of a happy, gorgeous couple with a healthy relationship?” asked one fan. “The whole personality is dating interracial after the 2015 songs,” criticized another as regards her dating preferences. “nationality, ethnicity, and race be beating yalls asses,” one fan wrote.
