Zara Larsson Condemns White House TikTok Using “Midnight Sun” with ICE Footage

The official White House TikTok account posted a short video that pairs footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arresting and deporting individuals with the soundtrack of Swedish pop star Zara Larsson’s 2022 single “Midnight Sun.” The post includes the caption “Never ending deportations,” echoing a lyric from the song. The video has been described by observers as a meme-style presentation of immigration enforcement.

Billboard

Larsson reacted on her own TikTok account, stating that she feels “sad” and that her “heart is heavy” watching the clip. She emphasized that she sees no fundamental difference between herself and the people shown in the video, noting that her upbringing in Sweden afforded her educational and economic opportunities she considers “luck.” Larsson argued that the individuals in the ICE footage are simply seeking better lives for themselves and their families. She criticized the transformation of a serious issue into a meme, calling the creators of the White House post “f---king losers.” Earlier in the year, Larsson posted an Instagram Story declaring “I f---king hate ICE” after the White House used her earlier track “Lush Life” in a video of President Donald Trump dancing. Billboard reported that the White House has not provided a comment on Larsson’s latest criticism.

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Ariana Grande has similarly objected after her song “Bye” appeared in an ICE-related video, labeling the content “barbaric” and “inhumane.” Such responses underscore a broader pattern of musicians pushing back against the administration’s use of popular songs to illustrate immigration enforcement.

Billboard

• “This video is so dehumanizing. These people in the video are real people,” — Zara Larsson

Rolling Stone

• “I’m just sad. My heart is heavy seeing that, because I wish I could speak to whoever made that video,” — Zara Larsson

Rolling Stone