PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson Go Behind the Scenes of 'Stateside'

Official Announcement | Published: Mar 03, 2026 1:11 PM EST

(BHM) PinkPantheress has released a new episode of Vevo Footnotes, giving fans an inside look behind the scenes of the hit “Stateside” featuring Zara Larsson. The episode reveals an exclusive look into the making of the song and video featuring commentary from PinkPantheress and director Charlotte Rutherford. They break down the creative process, from the initial DM that sparked the collaboration to the “battle of the giftshops” visual concept.

In the episode, PinkPantheress reveals she reached out to Larsson directly for the song, “It was super quick and easy to work with Zara. I asked her [to collaborate] through DMs! But of course I’ve been in the know about her since I was younger! I used to dance to ‘Lush Life’ back when I was a teen, such a bop.” When the track was sent over, the results were instant. “She sent it back so quickly and it was such an amazing verse. We had no notes to send back.”

Director Charlotte Rutherford, who has worked with both artists previously revealed that the challenge was merging two distinct visual styles. “Aethetically, Pink and Zara have super concentrated and clear visual identities, which are completely different to one another,” she explains. “So pretty immediately I couldn't see it being anything but a battle of gift shops where the two respective worlds could shine separately and then merge.”

The episode discusses the fan-favorite choreography, spotting “Easter eggs” as well as giving a nod to the fan memes of the Candace and Vanessa from Phineas and Ferb “Busted” clip that were posted when the song was released. PinkPantheress gave a special shoutout to the LGBTQ+ community about how much she admires their curiosity and willingness to go on a journey with an artist. Additionally, PinkPantheress credits Zara’s amazing energy and "pragmatic disposition," saying “It’s honestly impressive how she’s able to make a song about heartbreak move you to dance.”