Zara Larsson has been criticized for wearing a dress emblazoned with artwork by convicted murderer and neo-Nazi Varg Vikernes gang, Burzum.
The 25-year-old singer was forced to apologize after wearing the black dress, which featured artwork from Burzum’s 1996 album Filosofem, at the P3 Guld Awards in Gothenburg, Sweden, last week.
The one-man black metal band Burzum was fronted by Vikernes, whose real name is Louis Cachet, between 1992 and 1996. Vikernes was found guilty of stabbing to death his former bandmate, burning down a church and storing explosives in 1994.
Vikernes is also known for supporting Nazism and being openly anti-Semitic.
Under fire: Zara Larsson has come under fire for wearing a dress emblazoned with artwork of convicted murderer and Nazi white supremacist Varg Vikernes’ Burzum gang (pictured Jan. 26 in Sweden)
Wrong choice: The singer, 25, was forced to apologize after wearing a black dress that featured artwork from Burzum’s 1996 album Filosofem (pictured right) at the P3 Guld Awards in Gothenburg, Sweden In the past week.
The dress, which Larsson also showed off on TikTok, also featured artwork by the bands Cannibal Corpse and Behemoth, but the singer said she was completely unaware of the band and the controversy the outfit would spark.
larsson said AftonBladet:’Oopsie, I had no idea. I just thought my clothes looked great. it was unfortunate. To clarify, I wasn’t using their merchandise, I was using [clothing made by Belgian fashion designer] Raf Simons (with a copy of them then, I guess, where you see some of the artwork from Burzum’s 1996 Filosofem album).
Despite her protests, a video of Larsson modeling the dress on TikTok is still up on the platform, where it has drawn massive criticism.
One fan wrote: ‘You do know that guy in that band is a murderer and a Nazi right?
Jailed: Vikernes (pictured in 2013) was found guilty of stabbing to death his former bandmate, burning down a church and storing explosives in 1994
Controversy: The singer posed with the dress last week
Still up: Despite her protests, a video of Larsson modeling the dress on TikTok is still up on the platform, where it has drawn massive criticism.
Another wrote: ‘Is this the dress with Vargs Buzrum? Pretty tough having a gang of killers in a dress and burning churches haha.
Another wrote: ‘BURZUM ON THE DRESSa nazis band great job Zara’
In August 1993, Vikernes fatally stabbed Mayhem guitarist Euronymous during a fight in the latter’s apartment.
In May 1994, Vikernes was convicted of first-degree murder, church arson, and possession of explosives. He argued that the murder was in self-defense and argued unsuccessfully that the charge be reduced to voluntary manslaughter.
He was sentenced to 21 years in prison, served 15 years and was paroled in 2009, and moved to France with his wife and children.
He openly supported Nazism during the 1990s and in 2022 said he “appreciated” being labeled a Nazi.
Murdered: In August 1993, Vikernes fatally stabbed Mayhem guitarist Euronymous (pictured) during a fight in the latter’s apartment.
Convicted: In 2014, Vikernes was found guilty of inciting racial hatred and glorifying war crimes through an internet blog in France. He was given a six-month suspended sentence and fined €8,000 (approximately $10,900 – pictured 2014)
The musician has continued to spark outrage by defending “a pre-industrial European pagan society” and his active opposition to the Jewish, Islamic and Christian religions.
In 2014, Vikernes was found guilty of inciting racial hatred and glorifying war crimes through an internet blog in France. He he received a six-month suspended sentence and a fine of €8,000 (approximately $10,900).
He had previously denied writing the post, telling the court: “At any time [there are] 350 people pretending to be Varg Vikernes on Facebook.’
This came a year after Vikernes and his wife were arrested on suspicion of planning a ‘massacre’.
brush it? Zara posed in a colorful dress and furry jacket on SiriusXM in New York on Tuesday.