Sia (other)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Sia Kate Isobelle Furler ( ; born 18 December 1975) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Adelaide, she started her career as a singer in the acid jazz band Crisp in the mid-1990s. When Crisp disbanded in 1997, she released her debut
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
, ''OnlySee'', in Australia. She moved to London and provided vocals for the British duo Zero 7. Sia released her second studio album, '' Healing Is Difficult'', in 2001, and her third, ''
Colour the Small One ''Colour the Small One'' is the third album by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, which was released in Australia and the United Kingdom on 19 January 2004. It was issued in the United States on 3 February 2004. Production was by Jimmy Hogarth, ...
'', in 2004. Sia moved to New York City in 2005 and toured the United States. Her fourth and fifth studio albums, '' Some People Have Real Problems'' and ''
We Are Born In Modern English, ''we'' is a plural, first-person pronoun. Morphology In Standard Modern English, ''we'' has six distinct shapes for five word forms: * ''we'': the nominative (subjective) form * ''us'' and ': the accusative (object ...
'', were released in 2008 and 2010, and both were certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association and attracted wider notice than her earlier albums. Uncomfortable with her growing fame, Sia took a hiatus from performing and focused on songwriting for other artists, producing successful collaborations " Titanium" (with David Guetta), " Diamonds" (with
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
) and " Wild Ones" (with
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida (, ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 breakout single " Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the record for digital dow ...
). In 2014, Sia broke through as a solo recording artist when her sixth studio album, ''
1000 Forms of Fear ''1000 Forms of Fear'' is the sixth studio album by Australian singer Sia. It was released on 4 July 2014 by Monkey Puzzle and RCA Records worldwide, and Inertia Records in Australia. Primarily an electropop album, the record also incorporates i ...
'', debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 and generated the top-ten single "
Chandelier A chandelier (; also known as girandole, candelabra lamp, or least commonly suspended lights) is a branched ornamental light fixture designed to be mounted on ceilings or walls. Chandeliers are often ornate, and normally use incandescent li ...
" and a trilogy of music videos co-directed by Sia and starring child dancer Maddie Ziegler. Since then, Sia has usually worn a wig that obscures her face to protect her privacy. Her seventh studio album, '' This Is Acting'' (2016), spawned her first ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number one single, " Cheap Thrills". That year she also began her
Nostalgic for the Present Tour The Nostalgic for the Present Tour was the fifth concert tour by Australian recording artist Sia. The 23-date North American leg of the tour, which featured opening acts Miguel and AlunaGeorge, began at Seattle, Washington's KeyArena on 29 S ...
, which incorporated dancing by Ziegler and others, and other performance art elements. Her eighth studio album, '' Everyday Is Christmas'', was released in 2017 and reissued in 2018 with three bonus tracks. In 2018, she collaborated with Labrinth and
Diplo Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
in the group LSD, and they released their self-titled debut album in April 2019. Sia has written many songs for films, and she directed a feature film, titled '' Music'', which was released in early 2021 alongside an album, '' Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture''. She is an advocate for animal rights. Among the accolades received by Sia are nearly a dozen ARIA Awards, 9 Grammy Award nominations and an MTV Video Music Award.


Early life and career

Sia Kate Isobelle Furler was born on 18 December 1975 in Adelaide, South Australia. Her father, Phil Colson, is a musician, and her mother, Loene Furler, is an art lecturer. She is the niece of actor
Kevin Colson Kevin Colson (28 August 1937 – 18 April 2018) was an Australian stage, film and television actor. He is known for playing Sir George Dillingham in the musical '' Aspects of Love'', for which he received a Tony nomination, and Cliff in the origi ...
. She said that as a child she imitated the performing style of
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
,
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
and
Sting Sting may refer to: * Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger * Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself Fictional characters and entities * Sting (Middle-eart ...
, whom she cites as early influences. She attended Adelaide High School. In the mid-1990s, Sia started a career as a singer in the local acid jazz band Crisp. Sia collaborated with the band and contributed vocals to their album ''Word and the Deal'' (1996) and EP ''Delirium'' (1997). In 1997 Crisp disbanded, and Sia released her debut
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
, ''OnlySee'', on Flavoured Records, in Australia, on 23 December. The album sold about 1,200 copies. Unlike her later albums, ''OnlySee'' was marketed under her full name, "Sia Furler". It was produced by Jesse Flavell.


Career


1997–2006: Zero 7, ''Healing Is Difficult'' and ''Colour the Small One''

After Crisp disbanded in 1997, Sia moved to London, where she performed as a background vocalist for British band Jamiroquai. She also provided vocals for English downtempo group Zero 7 on their first three studio albums and toured with the group. On Zero 7's 2001 album '' Simple Things'', Sia contributed vocals to two tracks including the single " Destiny", which peaked at No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2004, she provided vocals for Zero 7 on " Somersault" and "Speed Dial No. 2" (from the album '' When It Falls''). In 2006, Sia collaborated with Zero 7 for their third album, '' The Garden''. In 2000, Sia signed a recording contract with Sony Music's sub-label Dance Pool and released her first single, " Taken for Granted", which peaked at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2001, she released her second solo album, '' Healing Is Difficult'', which blends retro jazz and soul music and lyrically discusses Sia's dealing with the death of her first love affair. Displeased with the promotion of the album, Sia fired her manager, left Sony Music and signed with
Go! Beat Go! Discs was a London-based record label, launched in 1983 from offices in Wendell Road, Shepherd's Bush, by Andy Macdonald and Lesley Symons. The pair founded the label after Macdonald left his job as press officer at Stiff Records, and Symo ...
, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group (UMG). At the
APRA Awards of 2002 APRA or Apra may refer to: Places *Apra, Punjab, a census town city in Jalandhar District of Punjab, India * Apra Harbor, the main port of Guam Acronyms * American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana), a Peruvi ...
, Sia won the Breakthrough Songwriter category alongside Brisbane pop duo Aneiki's Jennifer Waite and Grant Wallis. In 2004, Sia released her third studio album, ''
Colour the Small One ''Colour the Small One'' is the third album by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, which was released in Australia and the United Kingdom on 19 January 2004. It was issued in the United States on 3 February 2004. Production was by Jimmy Hogarth, ...
''. The album employs a mixture of
acoustic instruments Acoustic music is music that solely or primarily uses instruments that produce sound through acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means. While all music was once acoustic, the retronym "acoustic music" appeared after the adven ...
and electronic backing to her material. The album spawned four singles, including "
Don't Bring Me Down "Don't Bring Me Down" is the ninth and final track on the English rock band the Electric Light Orchestra's 1979 album '' Discovery''. It is their highest-charting hit in the United States to date. History "Don't Bring Me Down" is the band's ...
" and " Breathe Me", the latter of which charted in the United Kingdom, Denmark and France. Dissatisfied with ''Colour the Small One''s poor marketing and the album's struggle to connect with a mainstream audience, Sia relocated to New York City in 2005. During that time, "Breathe Me" appeared in the final scene of the U.S.
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
television series '' Six Feet Under'', which helped increase Sia's fame in the United States. Consequently, Sia's manager, David Enthoven, set up a tour across the country to maintain her career.


2007–2010: ''Some People Have Real Problems'' and ''We Are Born''

In 2007, Sia released a
live album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
, '' Lady Croissant'', which included eight live songs from her April 2006 performance at the Bowery Ballroom in New York and one new studio recording—"Pictures". A year later, she left Zero 7 on friendly terms, replaced by Eska Mtungwazi as the band's frontwoman. Sia released her fourth studio album, '' Some People Have Real Problems'' on 8 January 2008. The album peaked at No. 41 in Australia and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association.Australian chart position and certification: * * It charted at No. 26 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, becoming Sia's first to chart in the United States. ''Some People Have Real Problems'' yielded four singles, including " The Girl You Lost to Cocaine". It peaked at No. 11 in the Netherlands and No. 12 in Spain; it additionally reached No. 8 on the US
Hot Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
. Another single from the album was " Soon We'll Be Found". In May 2009, Sia released ''
TV Is My Parent ''TV Is My Parent'' is the first video release by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, released on DVD in May 2009 through Starbucks' record label Hear Music and Sia's own Monkey Puzzle. The album features a live concert recorded at the Hiro Ballro ...
'' on DVD, which includes a live concert at New York's Hiro Ballroom, four music videos and behind-the-scene footage. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009, Sia won the Best Music DVD category for ''TV Is My Parent''. She also received a nomination for Best Breakthrough Artist Album for ''Some People Have Real Problems''. In 2009, American singer Christina Aguilera approached Sia about writing ballads for Aguilera's sixth studio album. The final product, '' Bionic'', includes four songs co-written by Sia. Later in 2010, Sia also co-wrote "Bound to You" for the soundtrack of the film ''
Burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.
'', which starred Aguilera and
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
. The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 68th Golden Globe Awards. In May 2011, Sia appeared on the inaugural season of the U.S. version of '' The Voice'' as an adviser for Aguilera, who served as a vocal coach and judge. In June 2010, Sia released her fifth studio album, ''
We Are Born In Modern English, ''we'' is a plural, first-person pronoun. Morphology In Standard Modern English, ''we'' has six distinct shapes for five word forms: * ''we'': the nominative (subjective) form * ''us'' and ': the accusative (object ...
''. The release peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The release of the album was preceded by three singles: the lead single, " You've Changed", was released in December 2009 and charted at No. 31 in Australia. The follow-up single, " Clap Your Hands", peaked at No. 17 in Australia, No. 10 in the Netherlands and No. 27 in Switzerland. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010, ''We Are Born'' earned Sia two categories won: Best Independent Release and Best Pop Release. Meanwhile, at the 2011
APRA Music Awards The APRA Music Awards in Australia are annual awards to celebrate excellence in contemporary music, which honour the skills of member composers, songwriters, and publishers who have achieved outstanding success in sales and airplay performan ...
, Sia received a nomination for Song of the Year for "Clap Your Hands". To promote ''We Are Born'', Sia gave the
We Meaning You Tour The We Meaning You Tour was the third concert tour by Australian recording artist, Sia. The tour was launched in support of her fifth studio album, ''We Are Born'' (2010). The tour performed shows in North America, Europe and Australasia. The co ...
, which visited North America and Europe in April–May 2010. She followed this with the
We Are Born Tour The We Are Born Tour was the fourth concert tour by the Australian recording artist Sia in support of her fifth studio album, ''We Are Born'' (2010). It is a continuation of her 2010 tour, after several dates were cancelled. Opening acts *Oh L ...
, which visited Australia in February 2011 and North America in July–August 2011.


2010–2013: Songwriting career and mainstream recognition

Following the success of ''We Are Born'', Sia became uncomfortable with her growing fame. She later told '' The New York Times'': "I just wanted to have a private life. Once, as my friend was telling me they had cancer, someone came up and asked, in the middle of the conversation, if they could take a photograph with me. You get me? That's enough, right?"Knopper, Steve
"Sia Furler, the Socially Phobic Pop Star"
, ''The New York Times'', 18 April 2014, accessed 26 October 2016
She refused to do promos for her tours, began to wear a mask on stage and became increasingly dependent on drugs and alcohol on the road; she considered suicide. Sia fired Enthoven and hired Jonathan Daniel, who suggested that she write songs for other artists. Sia retired as a recording artist and began a career as a songwriter. She soon penned " Titanium" for American singer Alicia Keys, but it was later sent to David Guetta, who included Sia's original demo vocals on the song and released it as a single in 2011. "Titanium" peaked within the top ten of record charts in the United States, Australia and numerous European regions. However, Sia recalled: "I never even knew it was gonna happen, and I was really upset. Because I had just retired, I was trying to be a pop songwriter, not an artist." From 2011 to 2013, Sia also co-wrote songs for many recording artists, including
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
,
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
,
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida (, ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 breakout single " Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the record for digital dow ...
and
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
. Her collaboration with Flo Rida, " Wild Ones", peaked at No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was the tenth best-selling song of 2012 globally. In March 2012, Sia released a greatest hits album, '' Best Of...'', in Australia.


2013–2014: Breakthrough with ''1000 Forms of Fear''

In October 2013, Sia released "
Elastic Heart "Elastic Heart" is a song written by Australian singer Sia, featuring Canadian singer the Weeknd and American record producer Diplo, for the soundtrack of '' The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'', a film based on the novel of the same name by Su ...
" featuring The Weeknd and
Diplo Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
for the soundtrack of the American film '' The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'' (2013). Sia executive-produced
Brooke Candy Brooke Dyan Candy (born July 20, 1989) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and tattoo artist. Raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, daughter of Tom Candy, former CFO of ''Hustler Magazine'', Brooke rose to prominence after starring in Gr ...
's debut EP, '' Opulence'', released in May 2014, and co-wrote 3 songs on the EP. In July 2014, Sia released her own sixth studio album, ''
1000 Forms of Fear ''1000 Forms of Fear'' is the sixth studio album by Australian singer Sia. It was released on 4 July 2014 by Monkey Puzzle and RCA Records worldwide, and Inertia Records in Australia. Primarily an electropop album, the record also incorporates i ...
''. She again collaborated with Greg Kurstin. * * The album debuted at No. 1 in the US ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 52,000 copies. By October 2015, it was certified gold by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
denoting 500,000 equivalent-album units sold in the United States. The record peaked at No. 1 in Australia and reached the top ten of charts in numerous European regions. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry and gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. By early 2016, the album had sold 1 million copies worldwide. ''1000 Forms of Fear''s lead single, "
Chandelier A chandelier (; also known as girandole, candelabra lamp, or least commonly suspended lights) is a branched ornamental light fixture designed to be mounted on ceilings or walls. Chandeliers are often ornate, and normally use incandescent li ...
" was released in March 2014. The song peaked at No. 8 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Sia's first entry on that chart as a lead artist. Elsewhere, the song experienced similar commercial success, ranking in the top ten of the record charts in Australia and numerous European regions. As of January 2015, the single had sold 2 million copies in the United States. " Eye of the Needle" and "
Big Girls Cry "Big Girls Cry" is a single by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, from her sixth studio album ''1000 Forms of Fear'' (2014). The single was not released internationally; it was only released in Australia and some parts of Europe. It charted in Be ...
" were released as the second and third singles from the album, respectively, in June 2014. In January 2015, Sia released a solo version of "
Elastic Heart "Elastic Heart" is a song written by Australian singer Sia, featuring Canadian singer the Weeknd and American record producer Diplo, for the soundtrack of '' The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'', a film based on the novel of the same name by Su ...
" as the fourth single from ''1000 Forms of Fear''; it eventually reached the top 20 on the Hot 100. At the
57th Annual Grammy Awards The 57th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 8, 2015, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The show was broadcast live by CBS at 5:00 p.m. PST ( UTC−8). Rapper LL Cool J hosted the show for the fourth consecutive time ...
(2015), Sia received four nominations for "Chandelier": Record of the Year,
Song of the Year Song of the Year may refer to: * Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year * Dove Award for Song of the Year * Golden Melody Award for Song of the Year * Grammis Song of the Year * Grammy Award for Song of the Year * Latin Grammy Awa ...
, Best Pop Solo Performance and
Best Music Video The Grammy Award for Best Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos. Hon ...
. For performances of songs from ''1000 Forms of Fear'', Sia chose not to show her face, either facing away from audiences or hiding it behind oversized platinum blonde wigs. In videos for the singles "Chandelier", "Elastic Heart" and "Big Girls Cry", choreographed by Ryan Heffington and co-directed by Sia and Daniel Askill, and in many of the promotional live performances, child dancer Maddie Ziegler performed as a proxy for Sia in bobbed blonde wigs similar to Sia's familiar hairstyle. The three videos have received a total of more than 4 billion views on Vevo. Sia explained to Kristen Wiig in an interview in '' Interview'' magazine that she decided to conceal her face to avoid a celebrity lifestyle and maintain some privacy: "I'm trying to have some control over my image. And I'm allowed to maintain some modicum of privacy. But also I would like not to be picked apart or for people to observe when I put on ten pounds or take off ten pounds or I have a hair extension out of place or my fake tan is botched. Most people don't have to be under that pressure, and I'd like to be one of them." The video for ''Elastic Heart'' "courted controversy and plaudits in equal measure", with some commentators perceiving it to have paedophilic undertones due to the relative ages of the dancers. Sia explained that the two dancers represented "warring 'Sia' self states", but she nevertheless apologised on Twitter to anyone who was " triggered".Ranscombe, Siân
"The 10 most controversial music videos"
, ''The Telegraph'', 10 May 2015
Gia Kourlas wrote in ''The New York Times'' in 2016 that Sia's collaborations with Heffington have "done more to raise the standards of dance in pop music than nearly any current artist integrating the forms". The "Chandelier" video was ranked as the 10th "greatest music video" of the 2010s by ''Billboard''. In 2014, Sia contributed to the soundtrack to the 2014 film adaptation of the Broadway musical ''Annie''. Sia, along with producer Greg Kurstin, wrote three new songs for the film as well as re-working songs from the musical. Sia, Kurstin and the film's director Will Gluck were nominated for Best Original Song at the
72nd Golden Globe Awards The 72nd Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and American television of 2014, was broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 11, 2015, by NBC. The ceremony was produced by Dick Clark Production ...
for "Opportunity".


2015–2017: ''This Is Acting''

In an interview with '' NME'' in February 2015, Sia revealed that she had completed the follow-up to ''1000 Forms of Fear'', entitled '' This Is Acting''. The album was another collaboration with producer and co-writer Greg Kurstin. Furler said that she released ''1000 Forms of Fear'' to free herself from her record deal and had planned simply to write for other artists, but the album's success spurred her to continue writing her own music. The same month, alongside the digital deluxe release of ''1000 Forms of Fear'', she released a mobile game, ''Bob Job''. " Alive" from ''This Is Acting'' was co-written by Adele and had originally been intended for Adele's third album. In November, Sia collaborated with composer J. Ralph on the soundtrack of the environmental documentary '' Racing Extinction'', co-writing and singing the song "One Candle". She also released two more songs from the album, " Bird Set Free" and "One Million Bullets". " Cheap Thrills" and " Reaper" were subsequently released as promotional singles for the album. Eventually, the single "Cheap Thrills", featuring
Sean Paul Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques OD (born 9 January 1973) is a Jamaican rapper and singer who is regarded as one of dancehall's most prolific artists. Paul's singles "Get Busy" and "Temperature" topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the ...
, reached No. 1 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Sia released two videos for the song, one of which features Ziegler and two male dancers, while the other, featuring Sean Paul, shows a 1950s style teen dance party; it has accumulated more than 1.7 billion views. In April 2016, Sia gave a widely acclaimed performance at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...
that went
viral Viral means "relating to viruses" (small infectious agents). Viral may also refer to: Viral behavior, or virality Memetic behavior likened that of a virus, for example: * Viral marketing, the use of existing social networks to spread a marke ...
online. Her performance received an effusively positive critical reception as "one of the greatest moments in Coachella's 17-year history", and it was consistently called one of the best performances of the 2016 festival. The performance was her first full concert since 2011. In May 2016, Sia made a surprise appearance on the finale for '' Survivor: Kaôh Rōng'' where she donated $50,000 to contestant Tai Trang. She donated another $50,000 to an animal charity of his choice, noting that the two share a mutual love of animals. In June 2016, Sia gave a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, featuring Ziegler. From May to August, Sia performed in nearly a dozen festival and other concerts in America and European and Middle Eastern countries, including Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Poland, the United Kingdom, Russia, Lebanon and Israel. In September 2016, she released a single, " The Greatest", with vocals from American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar. A video was released the same day featuring Ziegler – the dancer's fifth video collaboration with Sia and Heffington.Glicksman, Josh
"A Timeline of Sia & Maddie Ziegler's Friendship, From 'Chandelier' to a New Car"
, ''Billboard'', 3 October 2018; and Furler, Sia
"Sia – The Greatest"
, SiaVEVO, 5 September 2016
The two performed the song with several other dancers, and also performed "Chandelier", live the next day at the Apple annual fall event, drawing media attention. The videos that Sia has posted to her YouTube channel have accumulated a total of more than 12 billion views, and the channel has more than 22 million subscribers. Sia gave her
Nostalgic for the Present Tour The Nostalgic for the Present Tour was the fifth concert tour by Australian recording artist Sia. The 23-date North American leg of the tour, which featured opening acts Miguel and AlunaGeorge, began at Seattle, Washington's KeyArena on 29 S ...
in North America from September to November 2016, featuring Ziegler. As at Coachella and subsequent live performances, Sia appeared at the back of the stage with her familiar wig covering her face, while her dancers performed Heffington's choreography synchronised with pre-recorded videos played on big screens. The tour received a warm reaction: "She let her dancers own center stage, carrying out one skit/performance after another as Sia delivered the soundtrack. ... It defied all the regular rules of pop concerts, which are usually designed to focus every ounce of the audience's attention on the star of the show. Yet, Sia's bold gamble paid off, resulting in one of the most daringly original and wholly satisfying shows of 2016." Ed Masley of '' The Arizona Republic'' described the show as "part performance art, part interpretive dance. ... iasounded amazing. ... There's so much raw emotion in her songs. And you can definitely hear that in her voice, but it becomes more visceral when you can also read it in the faces of her dancers, especially Ziegler. ... The entire performance was brilliantly staged, with one song flowing seamlessly into another". Sia released the deluxe edition of ''This Is Acting'' in October 2016, which includes three new tracks, a remix version of "Move Your Body" and a solo version of "The Greatest". She was nominated for three 2017 Grammy Awards."Here Is the Complete List of Nominees for the 2017 Grammys"
, ''Billboard'' magazine, 6 December 2016
Sia co-wrote and performed on a platinum-selling single, " Dusk Till Dawn", by Zayn. Sia performed in concert at the close of the Dubai World Cup in March 2017, together with her dancers, led by Ziegler. They gave a second leg of the Nostalgic for the Present Tour, her first stadium tour in Australasia, in late 2017.


2017–present: ''Everyday Is Christmas'', ''LSD'' and ''Music''

In 2017, Sia moved from RCA to
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
. She released the album '' Everyday Is Christmas'' on Atlantic and Monkey Puzzle in November 2017. The album features original songs co-written and co-produced with Kurstin. She promoted it by releasing the single "
Santa's Coming for Us "Santa's Coming for Us" is a song written by Sia and Greg Kurstin and released on 30 October 2017 as the lead single from Sia's eighth studio album and first Christmas album, '' Everyday Is Christmas''. Background and release Sia wrote "Santa ...
" and the track "Snowman", which she performed during the finale of the 13th season of ''The Voice'' and on '' The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' together with Maddie Ziegler. In November 2018, Sia released the deluxe edition of the album, containing three bonus tracks, as a Target exclusive. In 2018, Sia collaborated with English musician Labrinth and American DJ/record producer
Diplo Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
, under the name LSD, to release four songs, which were then released as an EP called ''Mountains'' on Spotify. The group released an album, '' Labrinth, Sia & Diplo Present... LSD'', in April 2019, containing the same four songs, five new songs and a previously released remix of their track " Genius" with Lil Wayne. Also in 2018, Sia was one of the narrators of Australian animal rights documentary '' Dominion'', and shared in a 2018 Award of Excellence from the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards. Sia's ninth album, '' Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture'', was released in February 2021 in connection with the release of her film, '' Music''. She announced via social media that she has finished her tenth album, which is slated for a 2023 release.


Artistry and musical style

At the start of her career, with the band Crisp, Sia performed acid jazz in Australia and later in London. With her first solo single, "Taken for Granted", she experimented with trip hop. When she joined Zero 7, she sang downtempo numbers. With ''
Colour the Small One ''Colour the Small One'' is the third album by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, which was released in Australia and the United Kingdom on 19 January 2004. It was issued in the United States on 3 February 2004. Production was by Jimmy Hogarth, ...
'' (2004) and '' Some People Have Real Problems'' (2007) she moved into jazz and folktronica, although the album's biggest hit, " Breathe Me", is described as alternative rock and a power ballad. ''Some People Have Real Problems'' expanded her connection with indie pop. Sia stated, "''Colour the Small One'' ... couldn't be more derivative of
Kings of Convenience Kings of Convenience is an indie folk-pop duo from Bergen, Norway, consisting of Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe. History Øye and Bøe were both born in 1975 (Øye on 21 November and Bøe on 25 October) and have known each other since ...
and James Taylor and the things that Zero 7 were playing on the ourbus. I'm very easily influenced." In 2009, after leaving Zero 7, Sia dedicated herself entirely to her solo career. ''
We Are Born In Modern English, ''we'' is a plural, first-person pronoun. Morphology In Standard Modern English, ''we'' has six distinct shapes for five word forms: * ''we'': the nominative (subjective) form * ''us'' and ': the accusative (object ...
'' (2010), incorporated various pop styles, including
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
and R&B, with introspective themes accompanied by more insistent and livelier rhythms. ''1000 Forms of Fear'' (2014) consolidated her connection with pop (with traces of
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
, reggae and hip-hop), while ''This Is Acting'' (2016) is mostly composed of songs written by Sia with other female pop artists in mind, but the artists did not include the songs on their albums. Sia described songwriting for others as "play-acting." '' The Guardian''s Kitty Empire commented that the latter album "provides an obvious counterpoint to Sia's more personal album of 2014, ''1000 Forms of Fear'', whose stonking single, "Chandelier", tackled her intoxicated past. ''This Is Acting'' makes plain the fact of manufacture – a process akin to bespoke tailoring." The record also alternates reggae and electropop with more introspective themes. In her 2016 live performances, Sia's music was part of performance-art-like shows that involved dance and theatrical effects. An
MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
writer opined that "Sia's throaty, slurred vocals are her norm", while a contributor to '' The Fader'' noted that "in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 landscape, Sia's songwriting voice, which deals with depression and addiction, is singular—her actual voice even more so." ''Everyday Is Christmas'' (2017), Sia's first release of
Christmas music Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...
, is a pop album that gives old-fashioned holiday music "some 21st century pop gloss" and is made for those who grow tired of the classics. ''Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture'' (2021) further developed Sia's pop music catalogue, with the album incorporating more electropop and reggae, alongside R&B and EDM. National Public Radio called Sia "the 21st century's most resilient songwriter".


Accolades and recognition

Sia has received an array of accolades, including ARIA Awards, an MTV Video Music Award and nine nominations for Grammy Awards. In March 2021, a laneway in Adelaide city centre was renamed Sia Furler Lane, and a mural titled ''She Imagined Buttons'' was painted on a wall nearby to commemorate Sia's 2011 performance in Adelaide. As of October 2022, Sia has 15 entries on the APRA billion streams list, the most of any artist.


Other ventures

In the 2014 ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand th ...
'' episode " The Cissy", Sia provided the vocals for the fictional
Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and i ...
track "Push (Feeling Good on a Wednesday)". In 2016 Sia covered " Blackbird" by The Beatles for the Netflix original series '' Beat Bugs''. She appeared in the 2017 animated film '' My Little Pony: The Movie'' as the voice of pop star Songbird Serenade. She also contributed an original song, " Rainbow", to the film's soundtrack. Sia wrote the songs for the soundtrack to the 2018 musical film ''
Vox Lux ''Vox Lux'' is a 2018 American musical drama film written and directed by Brady Corbet from a story by Corbet and Mona Fastvold. The film stars Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin and Jennifer Ehle. ''Vox Lux'' had its world ...
'', with a score by Scott Walker. She wrote a screenplay, based on a story that she had written in 2007, for the 2021 musical film, '' Music'', which starred Ziegler, Kate Hudson and Leslie Odom Jr. Sia also directed the film and wrote its soundtrack. The film was released in Australia in January 2021 and in select
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. Graeme F ...
theatres in the US for one night on 10 February 2021, followed by an on-demand release. It received negative reviews from critics and generated controversy for its depiction of autism. It was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 78th Golden Globe Awards. As director of ''Music'', Sia later won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director.


Personal life


Relationships and family

Following the disbandment of Crisp in 1997, Sia moved to London to follow her relationship with boyfriend Dan Pontifex. Several weeks later, while on a stopover in Thailand, she received the news that Pontifex had died after being in a car accident in London. She returned to Australia, but received a call from one of Pontifex's former housemates, who invited her to stay in London. Her 2001 album ''Healing Is Difficult'' lyrically deals with Pontifex's death: "I was pretty fucked up after Dan died. I couldn't really feel anything." Sia recalled the effect of his death in a 2007 interview for '' The Sunday Times'': "We were all devastated, so we got shit-faced on drugs and Special Brew. Unfortunately, that bender lasted six years for me." Sia married documentary filmmaker Erik Anders Lang at her home in
Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land a ...
, in August 2014. The couple divorced in 2016. During a 2014 appearance on '' The Howard Stern Show'', Sia was asked if she was religious, to which she responded, "I believe in a Higher Power and it's called 'Whatever Dude' and he's a queer, surfing Santa that's a bit like my grandpa, so yes." In the same interview, she stated that she is a feminist and that Whatever Dude divinely inspired the lyrics she wrote for
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
's song " Diamonds". One of Sia's tattoos on her hand reads "Whatever Dude". Sia is a cousin of Australian
Christian rock Christian rock is a form of rock music that features lyrics focusing on matters of Christian faith, often with an emphasis on Jesus, typically performed by self-proclaimed Christian individuals. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Ch ...
musician Peter Furler. In 2019, Sia adopted two boys who were aging out of the
foster care system Foster care is a system in which a underage, minor has been placed into a ward (law), ward, group home (Residential Child Care Community, residential child care community, Treatment centre, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state-ce ...
. In 2020, Sia announced that she had become a grandmother when one of her two 19-year-old sons had fathered twins.


Sexuality

In 2008, Sia discussed her sexual orientation in interviews and revealed her relationship with JD Samson; they broke up in 2011. When asked about her sexuality in 2009, she said, "I've always dated boys and girls and anything in between. I don't care what gender you are, it's about people. ... I've always been... well, flexible is the word I would use." Sia identified as
queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...
on Twitter in 2013.


Health and substance use

Sia has suffered from depression and addictions to painkillers and alcohol. In 2010, she wrote a suicide note, planning to overdose. A friend phoned her and, unintentionally, saved her life. Following this, Sia joined
Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid fellowship of alcoholics dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined Twelve Step program. Following its Twelve Traditions, AA is non-professi ...
. Sia cancelled various promotional events and shows due to her poor health in 2010. She cited extreme lethargy and panic attacks and considered retiring permanently from performing and touring. She stated that she had been diagnosed with
Graves' disease Graves' disease (german: Morbus Basedow), also known as toxic diffuse goiter, is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It frequently results in and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It also often results in an enlarged thyr ...
. Later that year, Sia said her health was improving after rest and thyroid hormone replacement therapy. In 2019, Sia stated that she suffers from Ehlers–Danlos syndrome. She has also stated that she was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from childhood traumas, including being sexually abused at the age of nine, and autism. Sia said that following
the backlash ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...
she received regarding her film ''Music'', she relapsed, became suicidal again, and returned to rehabilitation.


Animal activism

Sia is a vegetarian and "has long been an advocate for animals"."ASPCA and Sia – 'Puppies Are Forever'"
LooktotheStars.org, 7 December 2017, accessed 7 August 2020
She has participated in campaigns to protest against large-scale pet breeding and encourage people to spay or neuter their pets. She performed her song "I'm in Here" at the Beagle Freedom Project Gala, in 2013, and wrote the song "Free the Animal" for public service announcements supporting "cruelty-free ... fashion" in 2015. For her 2016
Nostalgic for the Present Tour The Nostalgic for the Present Tour was the fifth concert tour by Australian recording artist Sia. The 23-date North American leg of the tour, which featured opening acts Miguel and AlunaGeorge, began at Seattle, Washington's KeyArena on 29 S ...
, Sia partnered with various rescue organisations to conduct a dog adoption fair at each of her concerts. In 2017, she released another public service announcement to encourage pet adoption. She is a narrator of the animal rights documentary '' Dominion''.


Discography

* ''OnlySee'' (1997) * '' Healing Is Difficult'' (2001) * ''
Colour the Small One ''Colour the Small One'' is the third album by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, which was released in Australia and the United Kingdom on 19 January 2004. It was issued in the United States on 3 February 2004. Production was by Jimmy Hogarth, ...
'' (2004) * '' Lady Croissant'' (2007) * '' Some People Have Real Problems'' (2008) * ''
We Are Born In Modern English, ''we'' is a plural, first-person pronoun. Morphology In Standard Modern English, ''we'' has six distinct shapes for five word forms: * ''we'': the nominative (subjective) form * ''us'' and ': the accusative (object ...
'' (2010) * ''
1000 Forms of Fear ''1000 Forms of Fear'' is the sixth studio album by Australian singer Sia. It was released on 4 July 2014 by Monkey Puzzle and RCA Records worldwide, and Inertia Records in Australia. Primarily an electropop album, the record also incorporates i ...
'' (2014) * '' This Is Acting'' (2016) * '' Everyday Is Christmas'' (2017) * '' Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture'' (2021)


Tours

*
We Meaning You Tour The We Meaning You Tour was the third concert tour by Australian recording artist, Sia. The tour was launched in support of her fifth studio album, ''We Are Born'' (2010). The tour performed shows in North America, Europe and Australasia. The co ...
(2010–2011) *
We Are Born Tour The We Are Born Tour was the fourth concert tour by the Australian recording artist Sia in support of her fifth studio album, ''We Are Born'' (2010). It is a continuation of her 2010 tour, after several dates were cancelled. Opening acts *Oh L ...
(2011) *
Nostalgic for the Present Tour The Nostalgic for the Present Tour was the fifth concert tour by Australian recording artist Sia. The 23-date North American leg of the tour, which featured opening acts Miguel and AlunaGeorge, began at Seattle, Washington's KeyArena on 29 S ...
(2016–2017)


Filmography

Sia wrote and/or performed songs on the following film soundtracks: * '' The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'' (2010) * ''
Burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.
'' (2010) * ''The Great Gatsby'' (2013) * '' The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'' (2013) * '' Annie'' (2014) * '' Transparent'' (2015) * '' Racing Extinction'' (2015) * ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' (2015) * ''
Pitch Perfect 2 ''Pitch Perfect 2'' is a 2015 American musical comedy film directed and produced by Elizabeth Banks (in her feature directorial debut) and written by Kay Cannon. It is a sequel to the 2012 film ''Pitch Perfect'' and the second installment in the ...
'' (2015) * ''San Andreas'' (2015) * '' Beat Bugs'' (2016) * '' The Eagle Huntress'' (2016) * ''
Zootopia ''Zootopia'' (titled ''Zootropolis'' in various regions) is a 2016 American computer-animated buddy cop action comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 55th Disney animated feature film, ...
'' (2016) * '' Finding Dory'' (2016) * '' The Neon Demon'' (2016) * '' Star Trek Beyond'' (2016) * ''
Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
'' (2016) * '' Fifty Shades Darker'' (2017) * '' Wonder Woman'' (2017) * ''My Little Pony: The Movie'' (2017) * '' Fifty Shades Freed'' (2018) * '' A Wrinkle in Time'' (2018) * '' Charming'' (2018) * ''
Dumplin' ''Dumplin is a 2015 young adult novel and the second book by the American author Julie Murphy (author), Julie Murphy. It was first published in hardback in the United States on September 15, 2015 through Balzer + Bray. An audiobook adaptation, na ...
'' (2018) * ''
Vox Lux ''Vox Lux'' is a 2018 American musical drama film written and directed by Brady Corbet from a story by Corbet and Mona Fastvold. The film stars Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin and Jennifer Ehle. ''Vox Lux'' had its world ...
'' (2018) * '' Seven Worlds, One Planet'' (2019) * '' Dolittle'' (2020) * '' Music'' (2021) * '' Kangaroo Valley'' (2022)


Film roles


Television roles


See also

* List of artists who reached number one in the United States


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sia 1975 births Living people 20th-century Australian women singers 21st-century Australian actresses 21st-century Australian women singers 21st-century LGBT people Acid jazz musicians APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Atlantic Records artists Australian animal rights activists Australian dance musicians Australian expatriates in England Australian expatriates in the United States Australian feminists Australian film actresses Australian indie pop musicians Australian multi-instrumentalists Australian voice actresses Australian women activists Australian women in electronic music Australian women pop singers Female music video directors Feminist musicians Go! Beat artists Australian LGBT singers Australian LGBT songwriters LSD (group) members Masked musicians Musicians from Adelaide People in veganism Queer actresses Queer feminists Queer singers Queer songwriters RCA Records artists Singers from South Australia Trip hop musicians People educated at Adelaide High School