Former talent contest star Zara Larsson, 17, set the charts on fire with her latest track, which went straight to number one in her home country in June and went on to clock up more than 1.5 million hits on YouTube.

 

The Stockholm-born singer's hit was also the most-streamed song by Swedish subscribers of Spotify between June 1st and August 31st, the music company revealed on Thursday.

 

 

If Larsson's name doesn't sound familiar, 'Lush Life' almost certainly will if you've spent any time listening to Swedish radio or in bars and clubs over the past few months, thanks to its catchy lyrics and distinctive whistle sample. The Local's resident music guru Paul Connolly has even suggested that the teenager could be described as a Nordic Rihanna.

 

Spotify's streaming figures put two other Swedish artists in focus, with superstar Avicii's hit 'Waiting for Love' the second-most streamed track of the summer, closely followed by the more divisive club anthem 'Shots & squats' by newcomers Vigiland.

 

The biggest non-Swedish song of the season, measured by Spotify streams was 'Lean on', which combines the work of American group Major Lazer and French producer DJ Snake and features vocals from Danish singer MØ. 

 

READ ALSO: Why Swedish pop is the best in the world 

 

 

 

Spotify, which was launched in Stockholm in 2008, is the biggest music streaming site in the world and has more than 60 million users. But it has faced strong criticism from some singers, including Taylor Swift, who argue that it should give a larger slice of its income to artists.

 

Sweden – which has a population of under ten million – is the third largest exporter of music in the world, just behind the US and the UK.

 

The most-streamed tracks of summer 2015 in Sweden

1. Zara Larsson – Lush Life

 2. Avicii – Waiting for Love

3. Vigiland – Shots & squats

4. Axwell ^ Ingrosso – Sun is shinning

5. Major Lazer (feat. Mo and DJ Snake) – Lean on

6. Jakob Karlberg – Damn good

7. Lost Frequencies – “Are you with me”

8. Samir & Viktor – Saxofuckingfon

9. Felix Jaehn – Aint nobody (loves me better)

10. Otto Knows – Next to Me