The iconic 2016 era has been brought back by popstar Zara Larsson and her comeback to fame. Colorful makeup, glitter, Lisa Frank, bright sequin clothes, LA palm tree vibes and flower designs were all trending a decade ago and now Larsson is singlehandedly influencing the return of the 2016 aesthetic.
The “Lush Life” dance has become an obsession amongst fans on TikTok. In December 2025, Larsson performed with the iHeart Radio Jingle Ball concerts in Los Angeles and New York, Larsson invited one fan each show to perform the dance on stage with her and her dancers.
Harper Wixom is a junior in COMPASS who enjoys Larsson’s music. “I love the “Lush Life” dance and my favorite song is “Stateside,” says Wixom. “I think music and fashion are definitely the main parts that are coming back from 2016 and I think people desire nostalgia and want to be more creative.”
Larsson’s music became popular during peak 2016 for her songs “Lush Life,” “Symphony,” and “Never Forget You.”
One of Millikan’s Assistant Principals, Ms. Moreland has been a fan of Larsson for quite some time now. “There’s a song “Uncover” that I think just started popping up on my Pandora station and then over the years I’ve heard “Symphony” and “Lush Life,” Moreland explains. “I like her music, I know she’s from Sweden and she’s a feminist.”
Larsson’s vibrant makeup looks have also been taking the internet by storm, her makeup artist Sophia Sinot bedazzling Larsson’s face with neon eyeshadow and gemstones.
“2016 makeup was heavy and definitely more colorful than what’s normalized today but Zara does it way brighter than 2016 so it’s cool to see her reliving trends but at the same time doing it differently,” adds Wixom.
Celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Melissa McCarthy, Malala Yousafzai, and more have been posting throwback photos from 2016. “Things that were popular when I was younger keep cycling, not just music, but fashion and style … I always encourage, unless it’s something not in good shape, to keep everything,” Moreland finished. Thanks to Larsson sparking the 2016 rebrand through her music, celebrities are tagging along with the trend, too.
Scrunchie messy ponytails, Snapchat filters, skinny jeans and obviously Larsson’s uprise are making a reappearance on social media, evidently declaring 2026 as the new 2016!
Julia Silva • Mar 16, 2026 at 11:47 am
On February 24, 2026, Rose Varley and Rhyan Keffer wrote an article titled “Zara Larsson Revives Iconic 2016 Era.” I would like to thank them for writing this article regarding Zara Larsson bringing back the 2016 style. I love her colorful makeup and outfits because they bring back a nice nostalgia that I remember from when I was younger. It would be nice to know of some other songs she’s known for to make other people aware. However, I appreciate how some of her different songs were mentioned in the article.
It’s nice to see that Larsson is getting a lot of recognition for her positive and cheerful creativity. Her songs are very upbeat and give off good vibes. A suggestion that I have is describing what other trends people are participating in to bring back the 2016 style, but I like how they mentioned some styles people are bringing back at the end of the article.
I want to thank Varley and Keffer for writing this article again. I’m looking forward to seeing what other 2016 styles may come back this year.
Riley Millan • Mar 4, 2026 at 10:57 am
I really like how the authors got the opinions of not only a student but an adult too in order to get their opinion of how Zara is bringing back 2016. I think the fact that the author includes that Larsson is not reviving the complete look is important to note because the vibe of 2016 is a bit different from what Larson is portraying. I like that she is putting her own spin on it but reviving the vibes of the era. I think adding the Lush Life dance would be a good addition to the article because the dance is a huge part of Zara Larsson’s brand. Furthermore, I like the description of 2016 and the imagery the author includes. to describe this era because a lot of high schoolers don’t remember the era vividly as those who are older than us.
Lastly I enjoy how the authors named a wide range of notable figures in 2016 life and how they were posting throw backs to honor the iconic era. Adding this detail make it really seem like 2016 is coming back.
Emily Gonzalez • Mar 2, 2026 at 1:34 pm
On February 24, 2026, Rose Varley wrote an article titled “Zara Larsson Revives Iconic 2016 Era.” In her article she thoroughly explains the trend of Zara Larsson “Lush Life” dance and how it is rebranding 2016 through her music, style, and makeup. Her music is noted as a crucial factor to reviving the 2016 era as it is described as “nostalgic.” I also appreciate her attention to detail as she vividly illustrates the aesthetic of 2016 with trending styles such as “bright sequin clothes, LA palm trees vibes and flower designs.” In addition to this, she goes further into detail by highlighting how Larsson’s makeup reflects the trends during this iconic year while also adding her own unique style to it.
Furthermore, Varley does an incredible job of including the importance and significance of this trend through Millikan Assistant Principal Ms. Moreland’s perspective, who is also a fan of Larsson. Ms. Moreland conveys how the key take away from this trend is to keep everything that is good, and leave everything that is bad. This advice can relate to a wide range of audiences and influence them in a positive way.
Emile Culbertson • Mar 2, 2026 at 1:22 pm
I loved the authors mentioning the connection between music and fashion. I really enjoy Larsson’s music and her fashion is really appealing to my eyes. The bright colors and makeup look really pretty and match her image and vibe perfectly. I agree with Harper Wixom’s statement about fashion bringing back feelings of nostalgia because the bright fun colors remind people of being happy. The rise of AI has killed creativity and I feel inspired by Larsson to be more creative in my clothes and music. I also really enjoyed Ms. Moreland talking about how Larsson is reviving 2016 trends of makeup but putting her own spin on it. I do not wear makeup but I like decorating my bags and school supplies with bright colors very similar to Larsson’s makeup. I believe it is great to bring back fun trends but it is much more impressive to make the trends your own.
In addition, Larsson’s music is just a lot of fun and is extremely creative which makes me listen to her often. My favorite songs are “Hot and Sexy” and “Stateside” because they are fun to dance to in the morning or on the drive to school. Wixom states that “Stateside” is also one of her favorite songs and it became mine after seeing Alysa Liu at the Olympic Gala. Liu was just having fun and performed to fun music which made me feel happy. Seeing other girls do well makes me feel proud. On a similar note, Moreland says Larsson is a feminist and has inspired other feminists to follow the 2016 trend which I absolutely support. Seeing women thrive on the big stages of the world inspires me in school to do well so I can be successful like them.
I also enjoyed the authors mentioning other parts of 2016 culture such as scrunchies, skinny jeans, and Snapchat filters because people were having fun with fashion and being themselves. I may not be creative with my fashion choices, but I support people who are creative with fashion. Larsson’s influence on people’s creativity is very inspiring because the more creative people are, the more they notice about their daily lives. I also have seen Unicorn Frappachinos, hydroflasks, and Vans more often due to the rise of the 2016 trend. I was 7 in 2016 so I did not know too much about the culture at the time but now that I am older I have a better appreciation for people’s creativity and my own creativity in the real world. Zara Larsson’s creativity has touched everything from makeup to drinks and it is so cool to see her succeed. I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next.
Jameson Woods-Mcguire • Feb 24, 2026 at 5:49 pm
I love zara larsons uprising and im only hoping to see her be on the come up more and more as time passes. The 2016 vibe being revived is such a refresher in comparison to today in my opinion. Im loving how some people are starting to actually express themselves more and more and I would like it to stay. Zara’s stateside song in collab with pinkpanthress has also been such a hit recently as well!
Marc cabral • Feb 24, 2026 at 5:47 pm
Well written!!