"Stateside" by PinkPantheress // Song Review + Zara Larsson Remix

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"Stateside" blends such a fun, infectious mix of Euro‑dance and electronic influences. PinkPantheress worked with The Dare for the first time on the production, and I love seeing her collaborate with artists who push her sound in new directions like this. The energy of the song is incredible, and the lyrics are just so cute and playful. She has such a distinct voice in pop music that is so unique and instantly recognizable, and "Stateside" really highlights that.

The song itself is a cheeky recollection of falling for an American guy, and all the longing and excitement that comes with it. "You could be my American, ha, ha, ha, ha," she sings in the chorus. She has talked many times about how this is her personal favorite track from her sophomore mixtape, Fancy That, feeling like it really explored her growth as an artist.

It is overall such a clever piece of pop writing, infused with garage and Y2K influences from some of the great UK pop stars who came before her, like Sugababes, whom she samples. It has a sense of nostalgia to the sound, but it's also very modern as well. Hopefully she and The Dare collaborate again in the future because they truly match each other's strengths so well. 

"Is it right? I don't know, yet you're taking my control, never been abroad before, now I'm knocking through your door," she sings in the post-chorus. "But you're nice, so I'll stay, never met a British girl, you say? No one treats me this way, are all boys out here the same?"

The atmosphere she builds is so vivid, and the blend of influences is impeccable. It's so distinctly her style, but also a strong evolution of the sound everyone knows from her so far. She is such a fresh voice in music and is absolutely a defining voice for the current generation of pop.

PinkPantheress very much took a BRAT remix approach with Fancy That's companion album, Fancy Some More?, which reimagined every song on the mixtape with new, elevated productions and features. "Stateside" in particular received several remixes; one featuring Kylie Minogue, another with Bladee, among others. The best and most notable of them all is the remix featuring Zara Larsson.

That version is an undeniable highlight of the project, adding so much of Zara's charm and signature pop sound to the song. I love the new verse and the really fun lyrics she brings to the remix. She matches the energy of the original so well, yet still brings a vibe that is inexplicably her own, taking an already amazing track to a new level.

It's so reflective of her personal style and sound, while still feeling completely complementary to PinkPantheress' world. They're both having such a big moment in pop music right now, which is so cool to see after they've each put in the work for so many years to reach this point. I love seeing two rising pop stars come together in the way that they have.

Added lyrics like "All those years I put in for the American Dream, is it worth all the work if you can't be here with me?" and "Kissing my Swedish boy over FaceTime, who knew opening up would make me a headline?" land so perfectly. Of course, the iconic "Boots, that's my ego boost, schedule ain't been loose for a minute, yeah, I'm that girl, I've been it," is another major standout moment.

I have loved this song and every iteration of it since it was released in 2025, but there is something so undeniably special about this version with Zara!

It also felt like the perfect time to highlight this song, as PinkPantheress made history as the first female producer to be awarded Producer of the Year at the 2026 BRITs, which is such an incredible accomplishment. She's also the youngest to ever win the award, and the success is so deserved.

I would also be remiss not to mention the iconic moment from the 2026 Winter Olympics Exhibition Gala, when U.S. figure skater and gold medalist Alysa Liu performed to the "Stateside" remix. There will never be a time that clip comes across my feed and I scroll past it without watching it over and over! It's so beautifully done in every way. Alysa really breathed new life into the song, which was already incredible on its own, but her immense talent amplified it even further.

Alysa's performance is such a perfect embodiment of her as both an artist and an athlete, and such a strong reflection of her personality too. All of the circumstances around it made for a massive viral moment that I can never get enough of.




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