Zara Larsson Says She Was Never Asked to Replace Camila Cabello in Fifth Harmony

Zara Larsson has denied longstanding rumors that she was considered to join Fifth Harmony after Camila Cabello left the group, saying she was never approached and would not have been interested in joining a group regardless.

The Swedish pop singer addressed the speculation during a recent Spotify Live Room conversation, where she responded directly when asked about the possibility. According to Larsson, the idea simply does not match the kind of career she has always wanted.

She explained that she has always seen herself as a solo artist and prefers the independence that comes with that path. While she did not criticize the structure of pop groups, she suggested that her personality and artistic goals are better suited to working on her own.

At the same time, Larsson made clear that she has respect for girl groups and their place in pop music. She noted that she enjoys many of them as a listener and believes there has been renewed interest in the format in recent years. Her comments suggested that her decision is based on personal preference rather than any negative view of groups themselves.

Larsson’s name may have become loosely connected to Fifth Harmony because of an early professional overlap. In 2014, she toured with the group as an opening act on Cher Lloyd’s I Wish Tour, a period when both Larsson and Fifth Harmony were still establishing themselves internationally. She recalled the experience as a positive one and described it as an important moment in her early career.

She said the tour created lasting memories and described it as part of an important era in her development as a performer. However, she also made clear that touring together never led to any discussions about her joining the group.

Fifth Harmony was originally formed in 2012 during the second season of The X Factor USA, when the five singers were brought together by the show’s judges. The group quickly built a large fanbase and went on to become one of the most commercially successful girl groups of the 2010s, releasing multiple hit singles and albums.

Cabello left the group in December 2016 to pursue a solo career, a move that drew significant media attention at the time. Rather than replacing her, the remaining members, Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jauregui, and Normani, decided to continue as a four-piece. The group released one more album before announcing an indefinite hiatus in 2018 so each member could focus on individual projects.

Since then, all five artists have pursued solo careers with varying degrees of commercial success. Despite earlier reports of tensions following Cabello’s departure, the members have appeared more publicly supportive of one another in recent years.

In 2022, all five original members publicly acknowledged the 10th anniversary of the group’s formation, something that fans noted as a sign of improved relationships. More recently, the four remaining members briefly reunited for a surprise performance at a Jonas Brothers concert in Dallas in 2025, performing two of their best-known songs, “Worth It” and “Work From Home.”

Cabello has also occasionally referenced the group in recent years. In social media posts, she has shared moments revisiting Fifth Harmony’s music and has publicly supported some of the other members’ work. These interactions have kept public interest alive in the possibility of future collaborations, even though no official reunion involving all five members has been announced.