The morning of Friday, May 8 marked the first Citi Concert of 2026. Live from the TODAY Show Plaza in Rockefeller Center, Swedish pop star Zara Larsson brought the high-energy summer spirit to New York City.
Performing on the Plaza at 8:00 AM, Larsson seemed unfazed by the early call time. During the 6:00 AM soundcheck, the singer was signing autographs and interacting with fans in the crowd between songs. NYC fans were eager to chat with the pop star. Many arrived on Thursday night to secure their spots along the Citi Concert catwalk, with some camping out extra hard on Wednesday to also attend her in-store meet and greet at Urban Outfitters SoHo.
Larsson taped “Blue Moon” before her sit-down interview during the 3rd Hour of TODAY with Laura Jarrett, Dylan Dreyer, and Savannah Sellers. Favoring the small, circular stage at the end of the catwalk to the main stage, Larsson performed directly to front-row fans with two backup dancers. Bejeweled from head to toe (and microphone) in bright yellow and gemstones, the pop star’s tropical motifs brought the sunshine out on an otherwise chilly May morning.
Returning to the Plaza for her live performances escorted by Sheinelle Jones, Larsson took to the main stage to perform her title track “Midnight Sun.” With four dancers and a backing band all composed of women, Larsson takes her “Girls Trip” motto to the stage. At the chorus, the sparkle-adorned singer was hoisted into the air by her dancers, demonstrating her impressive vocal stability and physical strength. Larsson doesn’t just sing and dance – she’s a true live performer, and her bright, dynamic presence during “Midnight Sun” only proves that to be true.
“Pretty Ugly” – a pop anthem fusing euro-dance and ‘90s house music – brought Larsson’s ‘main character energy’ to the Plaza. The singer broke into a choreographed dance complete with hair flips before transitioning to her verse of “Stateside,” a collaboration with PinkPantheress off her remix album Fancy Some More? The song became infinitely popular during the 2026 Winter Olympics, when Olympic Gold figure skater Alysa Liu closed the Exhibition Gala with a routine to the hit remix.
Larsson concluded her Citi Concert performance with “Lush Life,” a song she released in 2015. A resurgence for the ages, “Lush Life” is a fan-favorite at the singer’s shows. As a tour tradition, the pop star brings a fan onstage to perform the song’s choreography with her at each stop. Larsson told the crowd that everyone would have to dance the “Lush Life” choreography extra hard, as she broke her heel during the previous song.
Rather than bringing out a fan in the crowd, Larsson explained that she had a special guest who’d been preparing themselves for the moment – TODAY Anchor Sheinelle Jones. Clad in Zara Larsson merch, Jones confidently walked onstage to dance with the singer, nailing each movement of the routine effortlessly. If Larsson hadn’t mentioned her wardrobe malfunction, nobody would’ve known she was dancing on one heel as she ended her Citi Concert performance flawlessly.
The Citi Concert Series continues throughout the summer, with Bleachers coming next to the TODAY Plaza on May 22. To see a Citi Concert live, fans can enter the Fan Pass Lottery here.
Setlist: Blue Moon (Pretape, Aired Last), Pretty Ugly & Stateside (Remix), Midnight Sun, Lush Life
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