Zara Larsson has been criticized for wearing a dress with artwork from the band of convicted murderer and neo-Nazi Varg Vikernes.
The 25-year-old singer was compelled to apologize after she wore a black outfit featuring artwork from Burzum's 1996 album Filosofem at last week's P3 Guld awards in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Between 1992 and 1996, Burzum was fronted by Vikernes, whose true name was Louis Cachet.
In 1994, Vikernes was convicted of stabbing to death his former bandmate, torching a church, and stockpiling explosives. Vikernes is also notorious for his embrace of Nazism and outright anti-Semitism.
The dress, which Larsson also displayed on TikTok, contained artwork from the bands Cannibal Corpse and Behemoth; nevertheless, the singer said she was ignorant of the bands and the controversy the dress would cause.
Larsson stated to AftonBladet that she had no idea and simply thought her attire was stylish. It was regrettable. To be clear, she said she was not wearing their merchandise. The designer of the clothing is Dilara Fndkolu.
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Still, a video of Larsson modeling the outfit on TikTok, despite her protests, remains on the platform, where it has drawn much condemnation.
Some fans asked if she is aware that the lead singer of that band is a murderer and a Nazi?
Others asked if this the dress that features Vargs Buzrum and sarcastically praised the singer for her Nazi-supporting style.
During an altercation at the apartment of Mayhem guitarist Euronymous in August 1993, Vikernes fatally stabbed him. Vikernes was found guilty of first-degree murder, church arson, and possession of explosives in May 1994. He maintained that the killing was in self-defense and unsuccessfully requested that the charge be reduced to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 21 years in jail, served 15 years, and was paroled in 2009, at which point he moved to France with his wife and children.
During the 1990s, he publicly supported Nazism, and in 2022, he stated that he 'loved' being labeled a Nazi. The musician's advocacy for "a pre-industrial European pagan culture" and his outspoken opposition to the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian faiths continue to provoke uproar.
In France in 2014, Vikernes was convicted guilty of inciting racial hate and glorifying war atrocities through an online blog. He received a six-month suspended sentence and a €8,000 (about $10,900) fine.
Meanwhile, Zara Larsson also appeared on the KISS Breakfast show to discuss her new single "Can't Tame Her." She revealed that she was inspired by a song but couldn't reveal which one because she and her team could get sued! on KISS Breakfast with Jordan and Perri, Jordan Banjo stated that 'Can't Tame Her' gave him and Perri Kiely "huge Blinding Lights by The Weeknd energy" and wondered, "was that at anyway influential?"
Zara responded that it wasn't really an inspiration, adding that she can't tell what inspired us because they may get sued!" She clarified that it was inspired by a song, but it's not Blinding Lights. Jordan joked "Zara's lawyers are pounding on the doors right now like 'get her out get her out!'"
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