Zara Larsson Criticises White House Over Use of ‘Midnight Sun’ in Deportation Video
Swedish pop star Zara Larsson has criticised the White House after her song Midnight Sun was used in a social media video featuring footage of US immigration enforcement operations.
The video, posted on the White House’s official TikTok account, showed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detaining and handcuffing people before placing them into vehicles. It was captioned “never ending deportations”, an apparent play on the “never-ending midnight sun” lyric from Larsson’s song.
Larsson responded with a three-minute video of her own, describing the White House clip as “so dehumanising”. She said she was saddened by the way her music had been paired with footage of people being detained.
“These people in this video – they’re real people,” Larsson said, arguing that many undocumented immigrants are ordinary people with jobs who are seeking better opportunities.
She also criticised what she described as the use of humour and memes in connection with immigration enforcement, saying she believed the video promoted division.
Larsson explained that Midnight Sun was intended to reflect themes of connection between people, nature and the wider world, making its use alongside immigration enforcement footage particularly upsetting to her.
In her response, Larsson also used an “L” gesture against her forehead before criticising those responsible for creating the video.
The song was subsequently removed from the White House post, although the video itself remained visible on the White House’s TikTok account, according to reports. The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.
This is not the first time Larsson has objected to her music being associated with the Trump administration. Earlier this year, she criticised the use of her hit Lush Life in a video showing President Donald Trump dancing at various events.
Larsson is also among a growing number of musicians who have publicly objected to their songs appearing in White House social media content. Taylor Swift’s August was removed from an administration video in August, while Olivia Rodrigo previously criticised the use of one of her songs in a post she described as political propaganda.
Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande have also publicly asked the Trump administration not to use their music in social media content following separate incidents involving their songs.
The latest dispute highlights the continuing tension between artists and political organisations over the use of copyrighted music in social media campaigns and promotional material.
