Chris Brown lashes out at Pitchfork review in Instagram video, cites Zara Larsson

Chris Brown responded aggressively to a viral, scathing review of his latest album, Brown, lashing out at critics and directly referencing Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson during a video posted to his Instagram Stories on May 12. The 37-year-old singer’s comments came days after the 27-track album was released on May 8, amid mixed online reaction and a widely circulated negative assessment from Pitchfork.

In the video, Brown rejected the criticism and said he planned to continue with an ongoing promotional push, including his upcoming tour with Usher. He also told viewers that if they were not his fans, they should not listen to his music and urged them to listen to Larsson instead, framing the exchange as personal rather than purely artistic.

The backlash followed Pitchfork’s review of Brown, which gave the project a 1.3 out of 10 and described it as lacking soul, while also arguing that it failed to justify Brown’s return to broader public visibility. The review circulated widely, with the album’s negative reception quickly becoming a major talking point alongside Brown’s long-running controversies.

Brown’s mention of Larsson reflected tension between the two performers. In an...