BEYONCE IN A FLANNEL SHIRT？ Ft. Zara Larsson ｜ Drew Afualo ｜ THE COMMENT SECTION EP 67
Summary
Zara Larson is a Swedish singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation. In this episode, Zara talks about how she got her start in the music industry, how she became a star, and why she loves being in front of an audience.
Transcript
00:00:00.000
I think to some extent you have to be like, you have to love attention just a little bit.
00:00:07.300
No, no, no, no. If I didn't do singing, if I was like, my voice was trash, I would find a way.
00:00:14.180
To like be in front of the camera, to have an audience, and it's so funny.
00:00:26.080
Hey everyone and welcome back to another episode of the comment section show.
00:00:29.540
Sorry, me, your favorite. Everybody knows who I am.
00:00:32.240
And as my guests get more and more famous, nobody gives a shit about me anymore.
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The wonderful, the amazing, the iconic, Zara Larson.
00:00:54.440
I know, I think sometimes people think it's like...
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People think there's not 50 people watching you.
00:01:01.220
But when they come, they're like, oh, this is like a thing.
00:01:03.440
I'm like, yeah, a studio audience that's not allowed to laugh.
00:01:06.080
They're the worst audience in the world, honestly.
00:01:15.560
So, you posted a YouTube video where you sang a song called She's Not Me Part 1 and 2 almost 10 years ago.
00:01:29.280
Yeah, because I was too broke-y to have a Spotify account.
00:01:38.420
But I used to listen to that song all the time.
00:01:44.980
And I'm just looking, like, right into the camera.
00:01:48.420
In the second part, I'm not looking at you at all.
00:01:54.460
Me only wanting to know about that YouTube video.
00:01:58.460
No, that's so funny, though, because that's one of my favorite songs.
00:02:04.380
And I could, like, at that point, I was, like, 14.
00:02:09.620
And I did not relate to anything that I was saying.
00:02:22.200
And then I just kept listening to it all during college.
00:02:36.260
But I think that's what I've been doing my whole life.
00:02:38.620
You know, I just picture myself where I want to be.
00:02:41.700
Or, like, I love talking about my dreams and my goals.
00:02:47.120
And a lot of people get really, for some reason, like, offended by that.
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We have this thing called Jantelogen, which is both a good and a bad thing.
00:03:01.240
People want to make sure that you're not better than anybody else.
00:03:08.700
And, um, in a way, I think it gives you, like, perspective on, like, everyone's equal.
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And then you come here to LA and everyone's like, I'm the shit.
00:03:26.840
I think manifestate, or, like, how would you, how would you, what's the word?
00:03:45.760
And it's so funny, because I've been doing that since I got the platform.
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It's like, when I went to the Oscars, that was something that was like, I manifested, but
00:04:01.620
I didn't think it was going to happen that soon.
00:04:03.900
And then we were leaving for New York, like, the day after I finished the Oscars.
00:04:13.400
So, I feel like, I feel like you, you've been in the business for so long, though.
00:04:17.520
So, I was like, I feel like you have to be a big, like, manifester.
00:04:20.660
Or at least think about your dreams and, like, act on them a lot.
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I feel like you've got my dreams and my goals a lot.
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And in a little way, I'm scared of, like, will it ever, what if, because it's such a big
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Like, being an artist, I've been doing this since I was so young.
00:04:36.460
And, like, I was on the Sweden's Got Talent at 10.
00:04:40.740
But it was still, like, a way of putting myself out there.
00:04:50.080
And then I wonder, you know, do I, is this actually my goal and dream?
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Or have I just put myself in a box where it's, like, this is what you're going to do?
00:05:00.200
But I actually think, or I know, performing and singing and music, it really brings me so
00:05:12.300
And then, of course, there's all these things around it as well that sometimes can be less
00:05:18.620
But the singing and the music in itself is why I do it.
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And it's nice to remind yourself, like, whatever's going on, like, social media or Twitter, what
00:05:32.960
people are saying, it comes down to me loving to entertain and perform.
00:05:41.180
I was talking to one of my guests about being, like, a public person, and I was saying that
00:05:45.920
I think to some extent you have to be, like, you have to love attention just a little bit.
00:05:53.640
If I didn't do singing, if I was, like, my voice was trash, I would find a way to, like,
00:06:10.620
And some people, I don't know if it's a personality thing.
00:06:14.620
Have you always been a person who, you know, is, like, likes to, I don't know, entertain
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Or likes to be out there and, like, share your opinions.
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And I don't really know where it comes from, you know?
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Sometimes I ask my therapist, like, did my parents love me?
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You're like, why do I feel this desperate need for attention?
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But I think I, I just think that my voice, not my singing voice, but, like, my opinions
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and my personality is, is something that everybody should hear.
00:07:12.500
And I think starting off, like, so young, too, just singing, it's so easy to get praise and,
00:07:20.160
Like, my mom, obviously, parents are like, you're amazing, you're amazing.
00:07:24.460
Um, and then you just, like, keep riding that wave because it feels good when people like
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But if I wouldn't, if I, if I wasn't singing, I would most likely be maybe, maybe, I don't
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Talk show host or do, you know, now we have TikTok.
00:07:50.340
I'll take the reins and then you could take mine.
00:07:55.200
I've, that's the one thing I've talked about because I'm, what sign are you, by the way?
00:08:16.180
Yeah, so you're very, you love attention, that's for sure.
00:08:26.380
So I'm, I need to be working all the time and I'm, like, very, like, about everything.
00:08:35.780
I just think, like, one time's a coincidence, two times it's a pattern.
00:08:48.840
When you talk about astrology, like, sometimes I'll talk about astrology and then, like, if
00:08:52.580
astrology's not real, why are all Virgo men the worst?
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Like, as I said, one time's a coincidence, two times it's a pattern.
00:09:04.300
Like, and I've run a hate train on Capricorns before.
00:09:30.140
Yeah, I think with Capricorns, my beef with them has always been that I feel like Capricorns
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I feel like they get people to love them very...
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As soon as they decide they no longer like you or want to be involved with you, they act
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I just think people side-eye like Scorpios or Geminis.
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And I feel like you're letting Capricorns fly under the radar.
00:10:06.460
And I started to beef with them on Twitter once.
00:10:12.780
I did that once with peanut butter and jelly, too.
00:10:31.000
Like, I just tweeted, one day you guys will be brave enough to have the conversation with
00:10:38.420
My thing went super viral, and they were like, you don't know what you're talking...
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Some people were like, you gotta have it on a rioche bread.
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Did you see that girl who's like, I'm gonna make a peanut butter jelly sandwich for my
00:11:19.360
I do have to say, I don't get, like, pizza like that.
00:11:52.120
I love avocado, but I feel like I could live without it.
00:11:56.100
Like, I could never have one again and it'd be okay.
00:11:58.720
But some people are like, you gotta add avocado.
00:12:05.040
I also think if you put it on there and it's too much, that's all you taste.
00:12:08.180
I always add it and then I'm like, why did I do that?
00:12:15.420
And then I have to force myself to eat it because I'm like, I know it's good for me.
00:12:19.940
I hate, I hate, like, I think a lot of the stuff I hate are like more so condiments because
00:12:23.660
like, I guess you could count peanut butter and jelly as a condiment.
00:12:41.340
Yeah, it's really against my culture too because I'm someone and they love mayonnaise and I
00:13:03.580
We're going to take away all the pizzas or all the mayo.
00:13:12.740
Well, speaking of mayonnaise, what we're going to talk about today, it has nothing to do
00:13:17.880
with mayonnaise, but we are going to talk about being a woman in the music industry.
00:13:20.980
So you've been in the industry for a long time.
00:13:32.840
What's been the most, like, shocking part about being in the music industry?
00:13:42.880
I think I have always been surrounded by really good people.
00:13:53.780
I've always had, I know your mom's here today, and I've always had my mom with me for a really
00:14:00.140
Now she lives in Rome and just lives her best life.
00:14:05.780
But she was always with me, but she was always with me, or I have, you know, my manager or
00:14:12.300
So you hear these really scary stories about people.
00:14:17.020
And I've, I have experienced, like, definitely some, some shit, but I don't know if there's
00:14:25.480
I think I, like, all the things that I've done, I kind of expected what it would be like, if
00:14:34.400
Like, it happened kind of the way you thought it would?
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But you've had a really good, solid team around you for a long time?
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I'm super new to the game, like, of, like, the world of entertainment and stuff.
00:14:49.640
But I found out pretty quickly how important it is to have a really good team.
00:15:00.100
Everywhere I go, I'm like, can I get a plus eight?
00:15:10.500
Like, everywhere I go, they're like, well, Drew needs, like, at least nine plus ones.
00:15:16.340
If I set the precedent, maybe it'll just start opening up.
00:15:19.420
But then you see some, like, rappers rolling with, like, 30 of their friends.
00:15:30.040
Well, that's why I'm curious to know, because, like,
00:15:32.200
if I could pick one talent, I would pick singing.
00:15:38.440
That's the one thing that, because as a Virgo, I'm a know-it-all,
00:15:43.220
Like, I could watch someone trapeze, and I'd be like, I could do that.
00:15:46.620
If I tried hard enough, if I really put my mind to it, I could do that.
00:16:00.160
Yeah, I'm waiting for your next single in a couple months.
00:16:08.120
Yeah, when we went to that show, I was watching with my friend...
00:16:17.460
But she and I were sitting next to each other, and we were watching, I think,
00:16:21.180
Kim Petras before, and she was like, I say all the time,
00:16:26.920
And she's like, the way I would have dropped three singles, why not?
00:16:31.080
But I feel like, no tea, no shade, but I feel like there's people
00:16:49.900
Like, it doesn't sound like you're killing cats when I sing, but...
00:16:54.780
If we're going to talk about star signs, isn't it true that you guys are perfectionists?
00:16:59.720
And you want it to be, like, the most amazing, amazing, amazing?
00:17:06.000
So I feel like maybe you're being very hard on yourself.
00:17:20.800
I just, like, don't think I sound good enough to be a singer.
00:17:25.080
I know everybody kind of sometimes tweaky-tweaky here and there, but, like, I don't want to
00:18:05.000
So, we're going to be talking about being a woman in the music industry, especially.
00:18:09.000
What would you say, do you think, is, like, the hardest thing about being a woman in the
00:18:16.000
I would say, in general, that maybe people don't take you as serious.
00:18:24.160
And, you know, I always say this, but I got in so early into the industry, which was amazing,
00:18:34.880
Because I've always been very confident in, like, myself and what I do, but...
00:18:38.820
You know, starting off so young and getting assigned, like, here's a choreographer, like,
00:18:43.380
here's a stylist, here's a producer, here's a writer.
00:18:48.720
You feel like it's kind of hard to develop your own sense of...
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And also by being, like, a teenager in general.
00:18:57.340
You haven't really, like, found yourself in that by just, like, existing.
00:19:02.400
So, going into rooms and expressing your taste in music, or, like, I want to do this, I want
00:19:12.620
to do that, when, like, there's six guys in the room.
00:19:16.420
And they're like, oh, yeah, yeah, like, let's talk about this, let's talk about this.
00:19:29.380
Like, being really young, and I felt like, well, you guys are the professionals.
00:19:38.620
I'm so young, and it took me a really long time to get to a point.
00:19:41.360
I feel like I'm there now to really, even, like, writing a song, to walk in and say,
00:19:46.060
like, this is how I want it to be done, and I would love for this to happen.
00:19:50.940
And sometimes I still feel that little sense of insecurity when it comes to that.
00:19:57.720
And then there's, you know, so many writers and producers and people who are really making
00:20:06.620
And people still are like, like, you know, my favorite artist is Beyonce, and people
00:20:17.060
At this point, she don't have to do anything, and I would still, I'd give her my left nut
00:20:22.120
No, but people feel like, I think girls aren't capable of making their own things.
00:20:31.160
They're not as involved in the process of everything.
00:20:33.940
Yeah, and it's like from artist to artist, but definitely, I think that's also an issue
00:20:44.200
Overall, that you don't really take women seriously like that.
00:20:48.680
But I would say I really try to surround myself with women in the studio.
00:20:55.580
Like, now I'm no longer interested in being in a room with all men.
00:21:06.600
Like, I would much rather have an up-and-coming or a newer top-liner writer with me than having
00:21:15.560
these, like, men who've been around for a long time, and they, like, have all these
00:21:29.420
Like, I feel like I can really say what I want to say in those situations.
00:21:35.980
Like, sometimes you don't have to explain yourself.
00:21:37.560
Like, one time I walked into a session my friend invited me to, and he was like, let
00:21:48.220
He's like, yeah, I'm trying to give it to, like, a girl.
00:21:53.460
And it was about, from a girl's perspective, obviously.
00:21:58.000
And then me and my friend, who I was there, we just looked at each other, and he was like,
00:22:01.940
I don't know if, like, a girl would say that, really.
00:22:04.260
And they were like, no, no, no, no, but, like, hear me out, hear me out.
00:22:10.720
But it's not that, like, it's crazy, but it's not that crazy, because it happens all
00:22:14.500
But even us saying, like, okay, so here are our notes.
00:22:25.880
You think because you're a girl, you would know better?
00:22:30.120
Well, and also, I think, too, yeah, the thing about Beyonce, like, people saying, like,
00:22:35.880
I'm sure she has a big hand in it, but, like, lots of artists have writers.
00:22:41.400
Some artists, like, even, like, I had Meghan Trainor on the show.
00:22:44.480
Like, she wrote music for the longest time before she became an artist herself.
00:22:50.000
So, I was like, there are a lot more women at work than you would think.
00:22:55.740
I think men just, like, consistently, like, terrible men don't want to give women credit
00:23:03.200
Because, like, some of your favorite hits are probably written by women.
00:23:08.820
And they just, like, refuse to acknowledge the fact that sometimes women are more capable
00:23:15.780
Even in the same room where you're like, well, I don't know.
00:23:17.940
I think, like, I have a couple notes that are like, nah.
00:23:21.680
He's like, I really just, this isn't an advice thing.
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Okay, for those of you who don't know, what we like to do here on the comment section
00:24:40.960
is we take videos that I was tagged in that are applicable to our topic today, and we talk
00:24:45.440
about them, kiki, make fun of them, whatever it requires, right?
00:24:49.380
So this first one is a video where a woman is breaking down statistics and differences
00:24:54.600
between male and female artists in the music industry.
00:24:58.060
And she says, in a 10-year study from 2012 to 2021, there were 180 artists on Billboard's
00:25:04.800
Top 100, but of those artists, only 21% were women and 78% were men.
00:25:10.400
The statistics for female music producers are even worse.
00:25:13.140
In that same 10-year period, only 2.8% of the top songs were produced by women.
00:25:21.140
But that's also a reason, like I said, why I want to have the girlies in the room.
00:25:24.840
Because it's like, if we make a hit, I want a girl on that.
00:25:31.780
But I also, like, you know, men are just so f***ing terrible about stuff like that.
00:25:38.000
Like this first comment says, but is it men's fault that there aren't more female songwriters
00:25:56.040
Because, you know, they might think, oh, because men are better.
00:26:08.500
No, but like, it's really interesting because I think I've worked with a producer who was
00:26:21.300
When I walked in and we were gonna like, you know, she was setting up the mic and like
00:26:26.160
doing her thing and I was like, I was thinking like, like, do you know what you're doing?
00:26:33.140
Because it made me, like, just a quick thought.
00:26:35.680
And obviously, you know, I know she knows what she's doing, but just never having seen that
00:26:43.620
And then being there with her and she's young and she's so talented.
00:26:49.960
I really, I haven't seen it to the point where I, my, my, my initial thought was like,
00:26:59.580
Like, how do, how do I know that you know what you're doing?
00:27:02.000
Because you've never worked with women nearly as often.
00:27:04.660
And she, no, like never, never as a producer and, uh, you know, see, just seeing them.
00:27:10.660
And that's why I, I, I believe personally in, um, what do you call it when, uh, you know,
00:27:19.980
you, you fool, let's say like, oh, we're going to have a program and 50% have to be women.
00:27:27.680
Like I believe in that because even if, um, let's say there are a hundred thousand men
00:27:35.860
who would apply for, uh, like a producing camp, let's say, and, uh, 10 women apply.
00:27:41.960
Maybe statistically they are, they're like good, good producers of the, those 10,000 or a hundred,
00:27:48.480
And there's 20 places for the women, but just by adding, um, um, that requirement, you
00:27:55.520
It shows to other women that, oh, there's space for us.
00:27:59.340
Like we can do that and that will grow and evolve.
00:28:04.880
So yeah, it's more of a, I feel like, I feel like they always like terrible men always like
00:28:09.700
to lean into statistics like that and think like, oh, it's proven that.
00:28:13.400
But a lot of times it's just opportunity is not given.
00:28:18.280
And a lot of times I feel like, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like artists
00:28:22.300
aren't really in the beginning of their careers, especially aren't really in a position to
00:28:26.920
Like they're not like, I want women in the room too.
00:28:30.060
Like they're kind of just like, oh, like what you said, I just kind of gave, I took what
00:28:35.720
Which is, I feel like how most young female artists start out anyways, but then they always
00:28:40.880
Cause they're like, you need women in the room.
00:28:49.480
Like I've had a couple of guests on this show that were like, I like how there's so many
00:28:55.040
It's great, but I also feel like that's why men have the responsibility also for them
00:29:00.380
too, to not just like open the doors for their bros, but like to actually bring in women.
00:29:06.360
And because it looks like this in the statistics and it kind of looks like this for a lot of
00:29:13.360
statistics, no matter if it's music or whatever it is, whatever industry.
00:29:21.940
Like, why do we have to be the ones who are like, please, like, you know what I mean?
00:29:29.620
I think it's the people who have the power, you guys, you better make some space.
00:29:35.820
Well, I also think too, you think there's not one other woman on this planet that's just
00:29:40.800
There are even some women like, I saw, I saw a tweet about it once.
00:29:44.320
I think, I think you had tweeted about it too, or liked it or something.
00:29:47.840
Cause I think we follow each other on Twitter, but it was someone saying that there are a
00:29:51.220
lot of female artists now who, who produce and comp their own music.
00:29:54.380
A lot of times, like Ariana Grande is one of them.
00:29:58.540
Like they, they produce a lot of their own music because they're like, I mean, I'm going
00:30:05.060
I don't know if you produce your own music too.
00:30:06.460
No, no, no, not yet, not yet, but you're on your way there.
00:30:24.380
And it's like you say, you know, there's obviously capable women and many of them might
00:30:29.140
be the classic, you know, you have to work twice as hard to get to half.
00:30:36.460
To even like, even, even be weighed in the same conversation.
00:30:40.900
This next comment says, I think it's because the female voice isn't as good and easy to
00:30:56.160
Who the f*** listens to a woman sing and they're like, ugh, turn it off.
00:31:01.940
Talking about pop music and just women in general that I feel like it's not being seen
00:31:14.000
Or something that guys would want to listen to.
00:31:21.060
It is very, it is very strange and I truly believe that.
00:31:24.520
And I believe that's why a lot of guys would lean towards hip hop or rock where it's heavily
00:31:32.440
male dominated because it makes, you know, it's like a part of like the little macho
00:31:36.880
macho thing where they feel like, oh, I'm a real man.
00:31:47.520
And that's so wild to me that it's even, even like the music genres are very kind of
00:31:54.420
And I think that people don't want to listen to pop because a lot of pop is female dominated.
00:32:03.180
And you know what's funny is, is I've talked about this before on the show, but like brands,
00:32:08.420
consumers, it's been statistically proven that women determine what's popular.
00:32:12.380
So like if you have a large female fan base, you will be popular.
00:32:17.300
I promise you that brands, especially in the influencer world, like they love working
00:32:22.080
with creators who have heavily female dominated demographics because women buy shit.
00:32:36.420
So like statistically speaking, if you want to be famous, you should have female girl
00:32:43.860
Like that's why pop stars are so like you think about like the biggest pop stars in
00:32:49.720
But you have like people like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande.
00:32:59.680
But I think like women like yourselves, like you have large female audiences.
00:33:08.960
Every time I go on like my Instagram statistics, you know, when it's like the gender circle.
00:33:14.160
I'm like not another man, not another percentage.
00:33:32.960
I haven't checked them in a while, but like at one point I was like 96 for women, which
00:33:40.180
is like obviously doesn't factor in like non-binary people either.
00:33:43.280
But like when I was showing it, someone was like, how did you do that?
00:34:01.340
Like that was actually one of my catalysts into being popular in Sweden where I'm from.
00:34:06.880
I had a blog that I used to run and I would just, I was a pioneer in Swedish feminism
00:34:13.580
when it came to like the mainstream of being like, I hate men.
00:34:19.560
A lot of girls also back in the days were like, you can't say that.
00:34:25.600
Now, when you say like, I hate men, it's not as controversial because also I think people
00:34:32.900
And also, you know, the kind of content that you make is very reactionary.
00:34:37.280
It's not something that you just wake up and feel like saying.
00:34:40.500
I don't go find men who aren't doing anything and harass them.
00:34:43.960
It's like men who are actively harassing women.
00:34:48.160
And I feel like the hate towards men is, have always been that.
00:34:53.080
Like men wake up and they're like, cool, we're going to like murder you and rape you.
00:34:59.720
And then they're like, how could you do this to me?
00:35:02.660
The amount of times I've had men be like, I can't believe you would do this.
00:35:06.620
I'm like, you made a really horrible, sinister joke.
00:35:25.560
Because you're actually not that controversial.
00:35:29.680
And you're trying to make light of a really terrible situation.
00:35:33.220
Because like we can all sit and laugh at stuff.
00:35:44.080
But then when you really deep it, shit's really sad.
00:35:54.500
And it's like, why are these men out here attacking women for no reason?
00:36:00.900
Like the fact that that is a thing that you get so much attention to.
00:36:14.640
You are not the root cause of what's happening.
00:36:17.820
And I've talked about too how like it's really easy to like cast stones from the sideline.
00:36:25.840
But you have a lot of opinions about how I choose to stop it.
00:36:32.920
But I've talked about how like the reason why I've been able to build a platform is literally
00:36:37.200
because they've found they've found community with me because they feel validated in their
00:36:47.380
It doesn't even have to be like, oh, you're you.
00:36:52.420
Like sometimes it's enough to just start a debate, start a conversation about it.
00:36:59.520
Because maybe you don't even want to get like super political.
00:37:03.300
You just want to say some shit and like laugh at people.
00:37:07.800
And that creates like these bigger ripples and waves that leads to the fact that people
00:37:16.280
A lot of my fans have told me that like that they feel they feel validated when they see
00:37:21.280
me because they feel like they've been conditioned to be nice all the time to like take the high
00:37:29.780
So I've been like, you don't have to take the high road here.
00:37:44.700
This last comment on here says, sounds like the ladies need to step it up.
00:37:49.480
There are several I can think of that are doing well.
00:38:03.740
But you know what's so like frustrating is that I believe that these guys like actually
00:38:15.400
And then you're like, so where do we go from here?
00:38:22.620
People who walk around with that noodling around in here determine the well-being of
00:38:29.960
I'm like, I can't believe you can drive a moving vehicle.
00:38:34.260
You should be, you should be locked in a padded cell until it's, this is fixed and then you
00:38:42.140
It's crazy to think like they just walk around thinking shit like that all the time.
00:38:49.640
So this video is an edit showing several male performers wearing, playing t-shirts and
00:38:55.980
playing guitar on stage compared with female performers wearing like elaborate costumes,
00:39:02.040
The caption is women in the music industry are expected to give more to be taken even half
00:39:29.320
Giving you nothing and they don't care if they give you nothing.
00:39:39.380
Well, and he's just kind of like, you know, yeah, but it's so true.
00:40:10.120
But when you watch Ed Sheeran and then you go to a Taylor Swift concert or you go to a
00:40:17.880
Beyonce concert that do the same stadium capacities.
00:40:21.680
And you're like, could you imagine if Beyonce just like walked out in a flannel shirt and
00:40:34.060
I think, or even Taylor Swift, I think, will be a closer comparison because she's a guitar
00:40:42.860
And we've seen, too, like videos where people are criticizing women who don't do enough.
00:40:53.340
Do you think it's because, like, women just have to be, like, look good all the time that
00:41:00.380
that is, like, half of the value of a woman that they expect us to do.
00:41:05.380
Yeah, I think it's this expectation that women are expected to entertain.
00:41:11.960
Whereas, like, men, even, like, regardless of how you identify, I feel like a lot of times
00:41:16.460
when you're going to go see a man perform, you just automatically assume they're not going
00:41:21.980
Like, they're going to sing or they're going to rap or whatever, but they're not going to
00:41:29.680
Yeah, like, who would be a guy who would really bring that?
00:41:38.560
He had a lot of huge production value on the stage.
00:41:41.220
Like, he was, like, up really high and then came down low.
00:41:45.820
Like, so I feel like he's an artist who, like, he has done that where he performs.
00:41:55.700
But see, like, we both talked about loving Rosalia at Coachella, like, an artist.
00:42:02.520
I would always love anybody who, like, brings me a show.
00:42:09.240
I love when people have put in a lot of time in rehearsal.
00:42:15.420
I think it's just the bar's always much lower for a minute.
00:42:20.720
Even if they, like, do, like, a little bit of this with their feet.
00:42:32.320
This one says, who's forcing the women to put on a big show like that?
00:42:48.420
I don't necessarily want the women to not do the show.
00:43:11.920
And I don't think anyone is really, I mean, this also comes down to, like, do we
00:43:18.320
Can you be a pop star and not do all of those things?
00:43:24.560
But I've always looked up to, I mean, when I was growing up, I was just listening to
00:43:28.600
women and they were all big voices and they were all dancing, costumes, lights.
00:43:43.260
But then, I don't know, like, I'm not, I've never seen, like, a rock band.
00:44:00.720
I don't know if you can count that as a rock band.
00:44:04.680
All the men are going to be like, that's not rock.
00:44:15.420
That was my version of rock when I was younger.
00:44:23.600
It's always women can dress up for themselves until that doesn't suit your argument.
00:44:31.240
Those aren't, those two things aren't the same.
00:44:33.400
We're talking about work and we're talking about, like, wanting to let your titties out
00:44:41.740
I want to see, like, put on Jay-Z in a leotard.
00:44:46.520
Those two, like, those two pairs of pantyhose that girls wear?
00:44:50.500
I think Beyonce, I don't know if Beyonce started that, but I know she talked about wearing,
00:44:53.980
like, one pair first and then rhinestones after.
00:45:12.280
Like, they go to work and they have to get dressed up.
00:45:15.860
But it also comes down to, like, the illusion of a choice.
00:45:18.360
Because we can say, like, oh, my God, I feel great in makeup.
00:45:25.800
So, like, if I show up here and just, like, I just got out of bed, people would be like,
00:45:46.580
And you always feel good when you feel like you're slaying.
00:45:54.760
I always look for compliments from the girlies.
00:46:02.840
When they say something nice to me, I'm like, what do you want?
00:46:07.180
Yeah, it was, like, Christmas shopping in a department store.
00:46:15.680
And I walked over there by myself, and I was, like, looking through stuff.
00:46:20.540
He's like, hey, like, behind me, I'm like, oh, my God.
00:46:28.280
And I, like, I don't even remember what I was wearing.
00:46:40.820
So I was like, girl, you came from across the store.
00:46:51.920
But, like, he didn't know who the s*** I was at all.
00:46:53.800
But I was just like, as soon as it gets, you get two questions from me.
00:47:05.240
And sometimes when I joke about that, men are like, oh, so men can't just talk to women?
00:47:18.140
They're like, oh, if men never talk to you again?
00:47:20.400
If a man never spoke to me again, it would be too soon.
00:47:22.740
Before I leave this earthly plane, if a man never spoke to me again, it'd be too soon.
00:47:32.860
Sometimes you give them an inch, they'll take a mile.
00:47:37.640
But you don't really have, we were just talking about this earlier, you don't really have
00:47:41.440
Because I bet you get a lot of negative Nancy, not Nancy's, negative Nicholas, I don't know,
00:47:53.340
Because they don't actually have the boss to do that.
00:47:59.740
And I had like a lot of hate, like online, especially when I used to run my blog, as I was talking
00:48:04.780
And all I get is like girls coming up to me saying, you are amazing.
00:48:13.220
But it really makes you feel like, you know what?
00:48:18.780
Even before I had this platform, I was like, don't talk to me.
00:48:23.680
Even if I'm, if I'm lost and stranded in the woods, don't talk to me.
00:48:33.040
I think too, uh, with, with like getting hate or having someone talk to me in real life,
00:48:38.600
I've only ever had one kind of like that, but it wasn't even like, um, like it wasn't
00:48:44.380
It was actually like another creator, but interesting.
00:48:47.940
Like I had just met him that day, like earlier in the day.
00:48:51.160
And, uh, we were, we did some work stuff together.
00:48:55.760
We just got randomly grouped together and we worked together a little bit and he hated
00:49:00.280
me by the end of the thing we did because he was an asshole.
00:49:03.080
And I was like, you were not having it in front of an audience.
00:49:07.480
If your mom's in the audience, I'm going to be rude too.
00:49:10.820
So I was like standing up for two other people and he was like trying to bully us.
00:49:14.860
And it was like a, like a, like a fan central center thing.
00:49:24.300
I stood up for two other guys that were with me.
00:49:26.660
And even those guys, like their teams came up to me and they were like, thank you so
00:49:34.700
Like, and I ran into that asshole later on in the night and he had been drinking.
00:49:40.220
So then, you know, he gets a little courage, gets a little brave.
00:49:43.100
So we're like waiting to go on a rollercoaster, literally like, cause they rented a park for
00:49:49.360
And so we were waiting to go on a rollercoaster and it was like me and my boyfriend.
00:49:52.660
And then there was a random couple between us and then there was him and his like wife
00:50:01.540
So he like turns on, he sees me and he's like, so I guess we're not all bad.
00:50:13.320
I don't want to call a spade a spade, but you know, it is what it is.
00:50:18.520
Well, I, he, he started the conversation as if we were talking already, which we weren't,
00:50:34.140
And then he goes, oh, like he didn't, I think he just assumed I was single.
00:50:44.540
So like, and, and better looking, listen, that's not being, being biased.
00:50:51.760
And so then, and then he goes, oh, and he was like, well, I just assumed because of
00:50:56.200
all, all the shit you say, I just assumed you hate all of us.
00:51:09.040
And when he said that, I go, I never said that.
00:51:11.780
And then he was like, it was so palpably awkward.
00:51:15.560
Like the couple in front of us was kind of like, like they felt weird.
00:51:27.080
And he even, he ended up like, he like, the rollercoaster came and he like went to get
00:51:32.140
on and he turned around and he like tried to, he tried to like shake my boyfriend's hand.
00:51:39.000
So he just stood there and he goes, oh, just want to thank you for taking one for the team.
00:51:44.480
And him is like, it's like a huge sacrifice to do with me.
00:51:47.560
And then he gets on the rollercoaster and I was like, what a bitch move.
00:51:51.360
Like you said that and then got on something that runs at 200 miles an hour.
00:51:56.060
And then when he got on the rollercoaster, I was like, hey, wait for me.
00:51:59.040
Hey, hey, when, when you land, wait for me at the exit.
00:52:03.600
And then he was just like, he just wouldn't look at me.
00:52:05.680
Like he just put his little thing on dreads hanging out.
00:52:12.520
See, I couldn't know where to be found that whole ride.
00:52:15.660
I thought I was going to die the whole time, but I was like, I can't wait to see that
00:52:29.260
That's the only real like interaction I've had where it was like with someone who clearly
00:52:32.660
Because I just like whenever, when, when we met, we didn't meet, when I saw you, I was
00:52:37.700
I didn't really walk up to anybody, but I did send you a message after.
00:52:40.100
And I was like, Hey, and then I was like, Hey, and then I was like, you know, just make sure
00:52:44.920
to, cause I just know having that many people like coming at me, it did affect me in a way
00:52:50.140
that I didn't, I didn't want it to because I feel like I'm so strong and like, Oh, I can
00:52:54.580
But then I think once I like stopped blogging and like got some time to myself, that's
00:53:00.640
when I'm like, these people are in saying, and people coming at you like that is kind
00:53:06.800
of like, I don't think any person in this world is meant to have thousands upon thousands
00:53:12.720
and thousands of followers, or even up to them.
00:53:21.660
But it is good to know that you have a huge part that is like a thousand times more supportive.
00:53:32.940
But it's still like, it's just sometimes you're like, shut up.
00:53:41.840
But I always appreciate that, especially from people who have been in the industry for a
00:53:46.240
I always appreciate, um, any sort of like advice and stuff about like taking care of yourself
00:53:53.780
And then we can laugh about it and be like, but it's like, you are insane.
00:53:58.600
That's why that's the most asked question I get when people are like, I don't know how you
00:54:03.400
I'm like, well, I feel like, well, first of all the time, I'm like, I'm like,
00:54:10.200
I always, I feel like I have a really supportive family unit and in team.
00:54:14.420
So I feel like that helps me a lot in real life in real life.
00:54:25.500
Like when I, when this especially took off for me, I was like, I really prioritize going
00:54:30.960
Cause I was like, I need that because I need to be able to like take care of myself too.
00:54:35.780
Cause even, even as someone like myself who like really doesn't give a shit about hate,
00:54:42.620
Not necessarily the hate, but just having people, opinions, just having people like opinions
00:54:48.140
about you, whether it's good or bad, it's, it's a weird thing.
00:54:54.160
And I'm, I'm, that's actually kind of nice that you are like a grown woman because being
00:54:57.940
like 15, 16 and just having like 40 year old men like coming at you, you're like,
00:55:04.960
I've had some of the, I actually saw a hate video about myself yesterday by someone that
00:55:14.240
Dude from Florida teeth stacked on top of each other.
00:55:18.760
Like go see the orthodontist, like get off TikTok and go to the dentist.
00:55:27.500
I'm always like, I'm like, you're in love with me.
00:55:32.720
I also think like, don't you have affairs to get in order?
00:55:35.540
Don't you have a plot of land to pick for your body when you die in two days?
00:55:47.700
Old people are like coming at you on social media.
00:55:53.420
And they're so like, they're never funny, but they're never even like, oh, you kind of
00:56:03.060
The best thing is when they would like do like a little like Facebook post that they
00:56:07.540
would write something and then they would do, you know, when it's like skip the.
00:56:15.260
They're writing you like a little comment thread.
00:56:17.900
They do that to me on TikTok because I'm so petty.
00:56:21.340
Like if they start writing me a thread and they're like one and they're like, this is
00:56:27.500
As soon as they get to like two or three, I delete it.
00:56:33.400
I cackle to myself because they're like, what the fuck?
00:56:36.540
And then they go on a backup account and they come back and they're like, she deleted what
00:56:46.320
When I do that, I'm just like, yeah, I just do that because it pisses them off.
00:56:53.860
Or sometimes someone will say something like really, they'll write out this really horrible
00:56:58.520
comment and talk about what a terrible person I am.
00:57:00.880
And they'll be like, you should, you should do this.
00:57:10.860
That's why when, when people ask me, how do I like be mean to men too?
00:57:16.360
If you just, if you make a little jokey joke, they can't stand that.
00:57:19.600
They take that a lot more seriously than they do if you like argue with them.
00:57:23.340
Because it just proves like, I'm not taking you seriously.
00:57:26.460
I'll just, we'll sit and we'll goof all day long.
00:57:42.640
What would you say is your like best piece of advice for like up and coming artists,
00:57:58.500
I think it's so important to surround yourself with people that you trust.
00:58:03.520
Um, because music is great and it's fun, but it's also a whole life out there that you
00:58:11.520
need to live and you need to feel good about what you're doing and yourself.
00:58:15.440
So just to like have people that you trust around you to just have fun, do whatever you want
00:58:23.560
to do at the end of the day, I think, uh, life is about having fun.
00:58:32.020
Um, and, um, to, I don't know, like, but be yourself, keep going.
00:58:58.000
Just to surround yourself with like a strong unit.
00:59:00.840
It's like you said earlier, you kind of take what you're given, um, at a point in your
00:59:05.740
career when, when you don't really have much of a choice.
00:59:15.320
It can change people's lives, but it also doesn't cure cancer.
00:59:27.480
I think too, a lot of people take it really seriously too, because they want to make it,
00:59:33.640
But then I think you like, kind of, you burn yourself out faster that way.
00:59:46.020
She's so creative and she's so talented and she's working with her best friend, Andrea.
00:59:54.220
But she, like, refuses to put herself out there.
01:00:04.980
And she's like, how are people going to hear you?
01:00:08.800
Just, like, not be afraid to put yourself out there and to advertise for yourself.
01:00:24.020
Because I think sometimes, I've also been in that situation where I'm like, oh no, no,
01:00:35.980
And then, you know, 80% of those people who see it might not even go in.
01:00:40.040
They're like, you better shove it down people's throats.
01:00:45.820
I can't tell you how many comments I got where people were like, oh my god, congrats on the
01:00:58.240
So I posted yesterday that I was, I was like, oh, this is going to be in my book.
01:01:02.080
People were like, oh my god, girl, congrats on the book.
01:01:12.460
Like, just really be your biggest fan and advertiser and advocate.
01:01:24.640
Thank you so much to my amazing guest, Zara Larson.
01:01:38.560
Thank you all so much for joining us on this episode of The Comment Section.
01:01:41.180
Thank you so much for my amazing guest, Zara Larson.
01:01:43.460
And don't forget to stream the comment section.
01:01:46.380
New episodes drop every Wednesday only on Spotify.