Lush Life

The harmony of 'Lush Life' is built on a high-energy loop typical of mid-2010s tropical house and electropop. Its distinctiveness comes from the 'circular' nature of the IV-vi-V-I progression. By starting on the IV chord rather than the I, the song maintains a sense of constant motion and 'lushness' that never feels fully grounded or static, mirroring the lyrical themes of a fleeting, hedonistic summer lifestyle. The use of the vi chord (Bm) provides a subtle melancholic counterpoint to the bright production.

The song was written by a team of songwriters including Emanuel Abrahamsson, Marcus Sepehrmanesh, Linnea Södahl, Iman Conta Hultén, Fridolin Walcher, and Christoph Bauss. In 2021, Zara Larsson revealed that the high-energy electropop version known globally was actually a remix of the original recording. The 'Retro Version,' which was the song's original form, featured a slower, jazz-influenced arrangement.

Serving as Zara Larsson's massive international breakout hit, 'Lush Life' blends Swedish pop precision with a distinct tropical house influence. It remains a definitive summer anthem of the streaming era, eventually surpassing one billion plays on Spotify.