Last weekend I was at a music conference in Denmark, scoping Scandi indie bands and asking everybody’s opinion of Zara Larsson . “You mean the queen?” replied the first Swede I ran into. Two Norwegians told me they’ve claimed her ever since her first proper single, 2013’s “ Uncover ,” a Nordic No. 1 that Americans would barely recognize. Before they mention a song, though, people are more likely to tell you about a Larsson-related video or quip: her “Midnight Sun” music video that married the aesthetic of a nihilistic dolphin meme and a vintage screensaver; her “ Lush Life ” choreo, and the many fans who’ve all nailed it onstage with a good angle; the Dionne Warwick endorsement ; her scorn for the Trump administration and uncompromising pro-abortion humor . “There are no classic songs,” acknowledged one Danish music guy who said his young daughter was the bigger fan, “but Zara Larsson is a classic.”

A dozen stars must align to create a mainstream pop star, and this year it happened for Zara Larsson.…