Recommended Tracks: “Girl’s Girl” ft. Emilia, “Saturn’s Return” ft. Helena Gao and Malibu, “Pretty Ugly” ft. JT and Margo XS
Artists You May Like: Tyla, PinkPantheress, Tate McRae
Get in, loser. We’re going on a girls trip!
Almost a year after her last album release, Zara Larsson dropped the deluxe remix version, Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, on May 1. Throughout 10 tracks, Girls Trip showcases all-female collaborations, setting up a fun celebration of womanhood just in time for summer.
While the original album delivers some standout pop hits and cohesive visual branding of bright, sunny days, this remixed version sees Larsson taking advantage of her moment in the spotlight to elevate most of the songs into club-style electronic pop. Buzzy synths and altered choruses create an extroverted sister album that complements the themes of carefree evenings and big dreams in Midnight Sun.
The Swedish pop princess experienced a breakthrough year last year, prominently from her feature on PinkPantheress’ “Stateside.” The duo’s track landed at No. 1 on Billboard charts, marking both artists’ first time reaching that spot. It then makes sense for the UK singer to claim Larsson’s biggest hit from the last album, “Midnight Sun.”
Produced by PinkPantheress, the song goes into hyperdrive, with the tempo at least 1.5 times the original speed. Wobbling keys similar to video game soundtracks bounce over Larsson’s powerful belts, blending with PinkPantheress’ signature auto-tuned voice.
Girls Trip continues to take the form of an exciting night out after a trip to the beach. Most of the deluxe numbers are reworked to sound brand new; a common addition of intense and gritty synths adds a layer of chunky rhinestones to the shimmery album.
Meanwhile, anthems like “Eurosummer” (ft. Shakira), “Hot & Sexy” (ft. Tyla), and “Crush” (ft. Eli) serve as straight-up features with new verses swapped in.
A high point arrives in “Girl’s Girl,” which includes Argentinian artist Emilia Mernes. Choppy keys and drums elevate the message of the original tune by embracing the confusion of being a messy girl. The song’s original meaning of wanting someone else’s man changes with rewritten lyrics emphasizing a need for success: “I wanna be your girl’s girl, but what happens when a girl’s girl / Wants the spotlight, honey? / One and only / There’s room for everyone, but is there really?”
“Pretty Ugly” also faces an overhaul through JT’s catchy rap verse and Margo XS’ jumping bass production layered in. The end brings in blaring alarm-type keys, feeling like a chaotic dance floor.
A girl’s night is incomplete without a point in time to get contemplative and deep with your friends. “Blue Moon” leans into Kehlani’s R&B style. The slowed-down version of the song with light guitar ruffles makes for a calm dip in the pool before the rest of the album’s energetic nature.
Madison Beer jumps in for “Ambition,” which makes the perfect collaboration for this song’s message of always feeling like you can push yourself harder. The pair’s musical careers face similar trajectories of having chart-topping records, but still not receiving their mainstream pop moments.
In “Ambition,” Larsson changes the original lyrics of wanting to reach stardom to wanting even more, singing, “Still not satisfied / It blesses and curses my life / A worldwide number one / Want another one (I want it so much).” Beer’s verse goes into her childhood dreams of performing on a bright stage, emphasizing both singers’ goals of honoring their childhood dreams.
Surprisingly, “Saturn’s Return” with Helena Gao and Malibu stands out. As a personal previous skip, this transformation sounds angelic. Larsson and Gao release their siren vocals to float over a low, humming synth and provide a dreamlike contemplation of releasing control over every aspect of life.
“Puss Puss” closes the remixes with a Swedish team-up from Robyn. Larsson embraces following in the steps of an icon from her home country, echoing the Girls Trip theme of rising to the top while also elevating other women.
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