If you work for Zara Larsson, you’d better have your ‘goon face’ ready

Zara Larsson is facing criticism from fans after giving them a sneak peak into the unusual work environment her employees must grapple with (Picture: Getty) Not typically known for controversy, Zara Larsson found herself in hot water with fans this week. While some bosses demand their employees stay late after work or remain active on Slack during annual leave, the Lush Life signer takes a slightly different approach… During a recent appearance on the popular podcast Las Culturistas, Zara let slip that she will fire anyone on her team who refuses to pull a ‘goon face’ at work. ‘The people I work with, we have this thing,’ she shared. ‘I want everyone around me to be able to do a goon face. To me, it’s like, “Are you free? Are you carefree? Are you yourself? Can you be silly?”.’ Doubling down, the singer emphasised that if an employee of hers refuses to make a goon face ‘on the spot’, they’ve ‘gotta go’. What is a goon face? Many of Zara’s fans, who are as chronically online as she is, were pretty horrified by this admission. Originating in internet sexual subcultures, a ‘goon face’ is an exaggerated, silly, or slack-jawed facial expression which usually includes crossed eyes or an extended tongue. Could you imagine pulling a ‘goon face’ at work? (Picture: Getty Images) You typically pull a ‘goon face’ after a long ‘gooning’ session – aka the slang term for a prolonged form of masturbation that focuses on edging — coming close to climaxing, but pulling back to achieve a trance-like pleasure state. Videos featuring gooning have exploded in popularity over the past two years. In December 2025, porn site Clips4Sale, shared with Metro that interest has increased by 151% since November 2023. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. The NSFW term was also one of the top five most Googled slang words in 2025, too, with 28,000 searches in the UK — that’s roughly 77 searches a day. In short, it’s not exactly the expression you’d associate with a hard day at work… How did fans react to Zara’s comments? On X, users definitely didn’t shy away from sharing their disappointment with the singer. @Marsspace reacted to the clip by posting: ‘Zara Larsson casually admits she sexually harasses all her employees.’ @Unicornyazzie added: ‘Workplace sexual harassment isn’t a joke I fear. She may be sarcastic but still.’ “The people I work with, we have this thing…I want everyone around me to be able to do a goon face. To me, it’s like, ‘are you free, are you care free, are you yourself, can you be silly?’ If I ask someone on the spot to make a goon face, and they’re like ‘I can’t do this’ I’m… pic.twitter.com/hvY2UT8ObZ— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 7, 2026 Of course, many others quickly came to the artist’s defence. ‘Grown ass people calling Zara Larsson’s stupid innocent goon face joke “sexual assault” and an “unsafe work place”… We are in hell,’ @sunny wrote. Many insisted that she was obviously joking, arguing that is was simply a case of choosing the wrong words. ‘It would be a completely different thing if Zara just said “make a silly/funny face”, but using the term “goon face”, directly drawing a line to sexual performance and porn, and then tying it to employment… Girl that is so stupid?’ wrote @LillyPCancan. Experts however, are less keen to let her off that easy. Sexologist Sarah Berry tells Metro that the concept of ‘enforcing someone to do anything in the name of fun is the opposite of installing a carefree environment.’ ‘This becomes even more problematic with the idea that goon face can be associated with an orgasmic face during masturbation. ‘While for some this is amusing, for others it is intrusive,’ she continues. ‘It’s not important for everyone to feel the same way about anything, what is important is to not force or peer pressure someone into doing something they don’t want. Especially when it has absolutely no bearing on how they do their job or how they are socially.’ Whether said in jest or not, Zara’s comments didn’t land well with many (Picture: Getty Images) Sarah suggests that given we’re currently living in a post-MeToo society, even if said as a joke, it’s shocking to hear of something so suggestive being mandatory in an office. ‘Even if Zara’s tongue is firmly in her cheek and she’s enjoying the publicity of such a decisive announcement, it doesn’t promote a healthy work ethic.’ Is asking an employee to make a ‘goon face’ sexual harassment? Controversial? Yes. But does Zara’s requirement count as sexual harassment in the workplace? According to Jim Moore, employee relations expert at HR consultants Hamilton Nash, Zara’s comments definitely verge on inappropriate. ‘It’s common to think that sexual harassment in the workplace is easy to spot or that it has to be extreme, but the legal test includes a lot of things that employees might not consider,’ he tells Metro. ‘Asking a colleague to pull a sexually suggestive face at work could easily cross the line, no matter how funny the boss thinks it is.’ Are Zara’s dancers also required to ‘goon’ on demand? (Picture: Getty Images North America) ‘It doesn’t matter what the intent of the person who asked, it’s only the effect on the employee that counts,’ Jim adds.What makes Zara’s comments so surprising is that she’s previously spoken out against sexual harassment and assult. The artist has been vocally critical of fellow singer Chris Brown who has faced multiple sexual assault and abuse allegations over the years, and regularly uses her platform to advocate for social justice and human rights. It’s quite possible she was joking. That being said, there’s power in the words you choose. So, maybe next time, just stick to ‘silly face’. 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