After ruling the entire year with the revival of bold makeup looks, Zara Larsson is at the center of attention again, but this time for a completely different reason. The Swedish star briefly stirred the pot with comments that seemed to shade Swifties, before quickly apologizing for the jab, while also opening up about the harsher realities of fame. And now, she has come in defense of Chappell Roan, delivering a sharp rallying cry that flips the script on the backlash surrounding the rising pop star.

In a recent The Guardian interview published April 3, 2026, the Swedish pop star voiced staunch support for Chappell Roan, who is catching so much flak. Spotlighting how women get slammed for simply protecting their space, Larsson dissected the hypocrisy head-on. She explained how boundaries from women trigger meltdowns, yet men dodge accountability for far worse, exposing what she calls straight-up hatred toward women.

"You guys just hate women, actually," she said. All this was said in reference to Roan's March 2026 encounter at a São Paulo hotel.

Brazilian footballer Jorginho blasted Roan's security for roughly confronting his 11-year-old stepdaughter after the girl smiled at her. Roan fired back online, explaining she had not seen the child or told the guard to step in, though Jorginho's wife, Catherine Harding, later posted a video insisting Roan take the fall for her team's behavior.

While Larsson calls out the unfair treatment of women like Roan, another music legend offered his own take on fame's pressures.

Lionel Richie shares advice on handling fame and fans

Lionel Richie chimed in on the Chappell Roan backlash with a pointed caution to up-and-coming stars during a chat with his son-in-law, Joel Madden. Richie, a veteran who never gripes about fans mobbing him in public, reflected on his early days.

“They want to say something… For me to ignore them would be the worst,” he said. Richie drove home a celebrity truth: sometimes one meets the person they idolize most, and they are sorry they did, he noted, vowing, how he is never going to be that ever in his life.

“When I tell folks breaking in, there's one thing you didn't figure: I hope you like people,” Richie advised. Together, Richie and Larsson frame the Roan saga's push-pull: she calls out gender-fueled overreach on boundaries, while he urges enduring grace under fame's relentless gaze.

What do you think about Zara Larsson hitting back at critics for Chappell Roan? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Pratham Gurung

Edited by

Itti Mahajan