Sia Kate Isobelle Furler ( ; born 18 December 1975) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, she started her career as a singer in the
acid jazz band Crisp in the mid-1990s. In 1997, when Crisp disbanded, 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 ...
, titled ''OnlySee'', in Australia. She moved to London and provided vocals for the British duo
Zero 7
Zero 7 are an English musical duo consisting of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. They began as studio engineers and in 1997 formed the group Zero 7. Their debut album, '' Simple Things'', was released in 2001 in which their song "Destiny" stayed ...
. Sia released her second studio album, ''
Healing Is Difficult
''Healing Is Difficult'' is the second studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Sia. It was released in the United Kingdom on 9 July 2001 and in the United States on 28 May 2002.
In the UK the album's first single "Taken for Granted" was ...
'', 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, w ...
'', 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
''Some People Have Real Problems'' (sometimes stylised as ''Some People Have REAL Problems'') is the fourth studio album by Australian singer Sia. Released in 2008, the album featured singles including "Day Too Soon", " The Girl You Lost to Coca ...
'' 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 (objective; ...
'', were released in 2008 and 2010, respectively. Each was certified gold by the
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
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
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in ...
" (with
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta ( , ; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and music producer. He has over 10 million album and 65 million single sales globally, with more than 10 billion streams. In 2011, 2020 and 2021, Guetta was voted the number one D ...
), "
Diamonds
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, b ...
" (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
Madison Nicole Ziegler (; born September 30, 2002) is an American actress and dancer. She was initially known for appearing in Lifetime's reality show ''Dance Moms'' from 2011 (at age 8) until 2016. From 2014, she gained wider recognition for ...
. Since then, Sia has usually worn a wig that obscures her face to protect her privacy.
[ Her seventh studio album, '']This Is Acting
''This Is Acting'' is the seventh studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Sia. It was released on 29 January 2016 by Inertia, Monkey Puzzle and RCA Records. The album is mostly composed of songs written by Sia for other pop artists that ...
'' (2016), spawned her first ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number one single, " Cheap Thrills". The same year, she 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 Se ...
, 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
Timothy Lee McKenzie (born 4 January 1989), better known by his stage name Labrinth, is an English singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. After initially pursuing a career in music production, Simon Cowell signed him to his record labe ...
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
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
, 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
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
'', which was released in early 2021 alongside an album, ''Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
''Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture'' is the ninth studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Sia. It was released on 12 February 2021 by Monkey Puzzle and Atlantic, in connection with the release of the musical film ''Mus ...
''.
She is an advocate for animal rights. Among the accolades
The accolade (also known as dubbing or adoubement) ( la, benedictio militis) was the central act in the rite of passage ceremonies conferring knighthood in the Middle Ages. From about 1852, the term ''accolade'' was used much more generally to ...
received by Sia are nearly a dozen ARIA Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music
The music of Australia has ...
, 9 Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nominations and an MTV Video Music Award
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
.
Early life and career
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler was born on 18 December 1975 in Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, 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 origin ...
. 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
Adelaide High School is a coeducational state high school situated on the corner of West Terrace and Glover Avenue in the Adelaide Parklands. Following the Advanced School for Girls, it was the second government high school in South Australia ...
. 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
Jamiroquai () are an English funk and acid jazz band from London. Formed in 1992, they are fronted by vocalist Jay Kay, and were prominent in the London-based funk and acid jazz movement of the 1990s. They built on their acid jazz sound in the ...
.[ She also provided vocals for English downtempo group ]Zero 7
Zero 7 are an English musical duo consisting of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. They began as studio engineers and in 1997 formed the group Zero 7. Their debut album, '' Simple Things'', was released in 2001 in which their song "Destiny" stayed ...
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
Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.
Fate
Although often ...
", which peaked at No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. In 2004, she provided vocals for Zero 7 on "Somersault
A somersault (also ''flip'', ''heli'', and in gymnastics ''salto'') is an acrobatic exercise in which a person's body rotates 360° around a horizontal axis with the feet passing over the head. A somersault can be performed forwards, backwards ...
" and "Speed Dial No. 2" (from the album ''When It Falls
''When It Falls'' is the second album by Zero 7, released on 1 March 2004.
The album features vocals by Sia (on tracks "Somersault" and "Speed Dial No.2"), Mozez (on "Warm Sound", "Over Our Heads" and "Morning Song"), Sophie Barker (on "Passin ...
''). In 2006, Sia collaborated with Zero 7 for their third album, '' The Garden''.
In 2000, Sia signed a recording contract with Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
's sub-label Dance Pool and released her first single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
, "Taken for Granted
"Taken for Granted" is the debut single of Australian singer Sia. It was the first single released from Sia's second studio album, ''Healing Is Difficult'' (2001), and was written by Sia and produced by Nigel Corsbie. It heavily samples from Se ...
", which peaked at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart.[ In 2001, she released her second solo album, '']Healing Is Difficult
''Healing Is Difficult'' is the second studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Sia. It was released in the United Kingdom on 9 July 2001 and in the United States on 28 May 2002.
In the UK the album's first single "Taken for Granted" was ...
'', which blends retro jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
and soul music
Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...
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, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
(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 Pe ...
, Sia won the Breakthrough Songwriter category alongside Brisbane pop duo Aneiki
Aneiki is an Australian pop duo from Brisbane, Queensland made up of Jennifer Waite and Grant Wallis. The duo was originally called Halogen, but were forced to change their name after a Perth-based Halogen (band) established sole rights to the na ...
'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, w ...
''. 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
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
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 s ...
" and "Breathe Me
"Breathe Me" is a 2004 single by Australian singer Sia featured on the album ''Colour the Small One.'' The single has sold over 1.2 million copies in the United States. The song became popular on alternative radio and has been used in many diffe ...
", 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
''Lady Croissant'' is a live album by Australian singer Sia, released in April 2007 through the record label Astralwerks. Called a "mini-album" by Astralwerks, the collection contains one studio recording ("Pictures") as well as eight live trac ...
'', which included eight live songs from her April 2006 performance at the Bowery Ballroom
The Bowery Ballroom is a New York City live-music venue located at 6 Delancey Street in the neighborhood of Bowery in Manhattan. The Bowery Ballroom holds something of a cult status among musicians as well as audiences. ''Rolling Stone'' magazi ...
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
''Some People Have Real Problems'' (sometimes stylised as ''Some People Have REAL Problems'') is the fourth studio album by Australian singer Sia. Released in 2008, the album featured singles including "Day Too Soon", " The Girl You Lost to Coca ...
'' on 8 January 2008. The album peaked at No. 41 in Australia and was certified gold
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
.[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
"The Girl You Lost to Cocaine" (sometimes titled "The Girl You Lost") is a song by Australian singer Sia. It was released on 27 March 2008 as the second single from her studio album ''Some People Have Real Problems''.
Background
Sia said the al ...
". 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
"Soon We'll Be Found" is a song by Sia. Released on 13 October 2008, "Soon We'll Be Found" is Sia's third single from ''Some People Have Real Problems'' (2008). The single is only available for download in the UK, but the music video for "Soon ...
".
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 Ball ...
'' on DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
, 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
The 23rd Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) took place on 26 November 2009 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex. The ceremony was telecast on ...
, 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
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
approached Sia about writing ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s for Aguilera's sixth studio album. The final product, ''Bionic
Bionics or biologically inspired engineering is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology.
The word ''bionic'', coined by Jack E. Steele in August 1 ...
'', 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
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
at the 68th Golden Globe Awards
The 68th Golden Globe Awards were broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 16, 2011, by NBC. The host was Ricky Gervais. The nominations were announced on December 14, 2010, by Josh Duhamel, Katie Holmes ...
. In May 2011, Sia appeared on the inaugural season of the U.S. version of ''The Voice
The Voice may refer to:
Fictional entities
* The Voice or Presence, a fictional representation of God in DC Comics
* The Voice (''Dune''), a fictional ability in the ''Dune'' universe
* The Voice, a character in the American TV series ''Cleo ...
'' 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 (objective; ...
''. The release peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
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
"You've Changed" is a popular song published in 1942 with music by Carl Fischer and words by Bill Carey. The melody features descending chromaticism. The song was first recorded on October 24, 1941 by Harry James & His Orchestra (vocal by Dick H ...
", 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
The 24th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) are a series of award ceremonies which included the 2010 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine ...
, ''We Are Born'' earned Sia two categories won: Best Independent Release and Best Pop Release. Meanwhile, at the 2011 APRA Music Awards, 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
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'': "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
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in ...
" for American singer Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
, but it was later sent to David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta ( , ; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and music producer. He has over 10 million album and 65 million single sales globally, with more than 10 billion streams. In 2011, 2020 and 2021, Guetta was voted the number one D ...
, who included Sia's original demo
Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to:
Music and film
*Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release
* ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes
* ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
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
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
, '' 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 S ...
" featuring The Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
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
Gregory Allen Kurstin (born May 14, 1969) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and written and produced four songs t ...
.[
*
*] 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
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
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 chart
A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often ...
s 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 S ...
" 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
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...
, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guides, the Best Pop So ...
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
Ryan Heffington (born June 7, 1973) is an American dancer and choreographer based in Los Angeles. He was nominated for two Grammy Awards for choreographing the music videos for Arcade Fire's "We Exist" (2013) and Sia's "Chandelier" (2014), winning ...
and co-directed by Sia and Daniel Askill
Daniel Askill (born 1977) is an Australian filmmaker and artist who uses film, photographs, video installation and sculpture in his work. He has directed short films, music videos, commercials and fashion films. He is currently based between Sydn ...
, and in many of the promotional live performances, child dancer Maddie Ziegler
Madison Nicole Ziegler (; born September 30, 2002) is an American actress and dancer. She was initially known for appearing in Lifetime's reality show ''Dance Moms'' from 2011 (at age 8) until 2016. From 2014, she gained wider recognition for ...
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
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
. Sia explained to Kristen Wiig
Kristen Carroll Wiig (; born August 22, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Born in Canandaigua, New York, she was raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Rochester, New York. She moved to Los Angeles, where she joi ...
in an interview in ''Interview
An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "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
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
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
Will Gluck (born November 7, 1978) is an American film director, film producer, screenwriter, songwriter, and composer.
Life and career
Gluck is the son of American academic and Japanologist Carol Gluck and architect Peter L. Gluck. He began ...
were nominated for Best Original Song
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
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
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' in February 2015, Sia revealed that she had completed the follow-up to ''1000 Forms of Fear'', entitled ''This Is Acting
''This Is Acting'' is the seventh studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Sia. It was released on 29 January 2016 by Inertia, Monkey Puzzle and RCA Records. The album is mostly composed of songs written by Sia for other pop artists that ...
''. 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
Alive may refer to:
*Life
Books, comics and periodicals
* ''Alive'' (novel), a 2015 novel by Scott Sigler
* '' Alive: The Final Evolution'', a 2003 shonen manga by Tadashi Kawashima and Adachitoka
* '' Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors'', ...
" from ''This Is Acting'' was co-written by Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
and had originally been intended for Adele's third album.
In November, Sia collaborated with composer J. Ralph
Josh Ralph (born 1975), known professionally as J. Ralph, is an American composer, producer, singer/songwriter and social activist who focuses on creating awareness and change through music and film.
A three-time Academy Award-nominated compos ...
on the soundtrack of the environmental documentary ''Racing Extinction
''Racing Extinction'' is a 2015 documentary about the ongoing anthropogenic mass extinction of species and the efforts from scientists, activists and journalists to document it by Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos, who directed the document ...
'', co-writing and singing the song "One Candle". She also released two more songs from the album, "Bird Set Free
"Bird Set Free" is a song recorded by Sia for her seventh studio album ''This Is Acting'' (2016). It was released as the first promotional single from the album on 4 November 2015.
Background
In an interview with ''Rolling Stone'', Sia sa ...
" and "One Million Bullets". " Cheap Thrills" and "Reaper
A reaper is a agricultural machinery, farm implement or person that wikt:reap#Verb, reaps (cuts and often also gathers) crops at harvest when they are ripe. Usually the crop involved is a cereal grass. The first documented reaping machines were ...
" 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 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
Red Rocks Amphitheatre (also colloquially as simply Red Rocks) is an open-air amphitheatre built into a rock structure in the Western United States, western United States, near Morrison, Colorado, west of Denver. There is a large, tilted, flyi ...
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
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his Progressive rap, progressive musical styles and Social consciousness, socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most infl ...
. 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
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
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 Se ...
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
''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...
'' 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
The Dubai World Cup (Arabic: كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse (Arabic: ميدان) which in Arabic suggests a place wher ...
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
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was prod ...
'' together with Maddie Ziegler. In November 2018, Sia released the deluxe edition of the album, containing three bonus tracks, as a Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
exclusive.
In 2018, Sia collaborated with English musician Labrinth
Timothy Lee McKenzie (born 4 January 1989), better known by his stage name Labrinth, is an English singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. After initially pursuing a career in music production, Simon Cowell signed him to his record labe ...
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
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
, 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
Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for future works, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...
" with Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
. Also in 2018, Sia was one of the narrators of Australian animal rights documentary ''Dominion
The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire.
"Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 1926 ...
'', 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
''Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture'' is the ninth studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Sia. It was released on 12 February 2021 by Monkey Puzzle and Atlantic, in connection with the release of the musical film ''Mus ...
'', was released in February 2021 in connection with the release of her film, ''Music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
''. 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 bands Crisp and Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai () are an English funk and acid jazz band from London. Formed in 1992, they are fronted by vocalist Jay Kay, and were prominent in the London-based funk and acid jazz movement of the 1990s. They built on their acid jazz sound in the ...
, Sia performed acid jazz in Australia and later in London. With her first solo single, "Taken for Granted", she experimented with trip hop
Trip hop (sometimes used synonymously with "downtempo") is a musical genre that originated in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom, especially Bristol. It has been described as a psychedelic music, psychedelic fusion of hip hop music, hip hop ...
.[ When she joined Zero 7, she sang ]downtempo
Downtempo (or downbeat) is a broad label for electronic music that features an atmospheric sound and slower beats than would typically be found in dance music. Closely related to ambient music but with greater emphasis on rhythm, the style may ...
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, w ...
'' (2004) and ''Some People Have Real Problems
''Some People Have Real Problems'' (sometimes stylised as ''Some People Have REAL Problems'') is the fourth studio album by Australian singer Sia. Released in 2008, the album featured singles including "Day Too Soon", " The Girl You Lost to Coca ...
'' (2007) she moved into jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
and folktronica
Folktronica is a genre of music comprising various elements of folk music and electronica, often featuring uses of acoustic instruments – especially stringed instruments – and incorporating hip hop, electronic or dance rhythms, although ...
, although the album's biggest hit, "Breathe Me
"Breathe Me" is a 2004 single by Australian singer Sia featured on the album ''Colour the Small One.'' The single has sold over 1.2 million copies in the United States. The song became popular on alternative radio and has been used in many diffe ...
", is described as alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
and a power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. C ...
. ''Some People Have Real Problems'' expanded her connection with indie pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...
. 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 they ...
and James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
and the things that Zero 7 were playing on the our
Our or OUR may refer to:
* The possessive form of "we"
* Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany
* Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium
* Our, Jura, a commune in France
* Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a Politics of Jamaica#Regulator ...
bus. 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 (objective; ...
'' (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
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''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
''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes.
It is o ...
'' 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
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...
called Sia "the 21st century's most resilient songwriter".
Accolades and recognition
Sia has received an array of accolades, including ARIA Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music
The music of Australia has ...
, an MTV Video Music Award
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
and nine nominations for Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s.[
In March 2021, a ]laneway
An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane, path, or passageway, often reserved for pedestrians, which usually runs between, behind, or within buildings in the older parts of towns and cities. It is also a rear access or service road (back lane) ...
in Adelaide city centre
Adelaide city centre (Kaurna: Tarndanya) is the inner city locality of Greater Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It is known by locals simply as "the City" or "Town" to distinguish it from Greater Adelaide and from the City of Ade ...
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'' episode "The Cissy", Sia provided the vocals for the fictional Lorde track "Push (Feeling Good on a Wednesday)". In 2016 Sia covered "Blackbird (Beatles song), Blackbird" by The Beatles for the Netflix original series ''Beat Bugs''. She appeared in the 2017 animated film ''My Little Pony: The Movie (2017 film), My Little Pony: The Movie'' as the voice of pop star Songbird Serenade. She also contributed an original song, "Rainbow (Sia song), Rainbow", to My Little Pony: The Movie (soundtrack), the film's soundtrack. Sia wrote the songs for the Vox Lux (soundtrack), soundtrack to the 2018 musical film ''Vox Lux'', with a score by Scott Walker (singer), Scott Walker.
She wrote a screenplay, based on a story that she had written in 2007, for the 2021 musical film, ''Music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
'', 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 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 Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, 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, 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
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, b ...
". One of Sia's tattoos on her hand reads "Whatever Dude". Sia is a cousin of Australian Christian rock musician Peter Furler.
In 2019, Sia adopted two boys who were aging out of the foster care system. 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 on Twitter in 2013.
Mental health and substance use
Sia has suffered from depression and addictions to painkillers and alcohol. In 2010, she wrote a suicide note, planning to Drug overdose, overdose. A friend phoned her and, unintentionally, saved her life. Following this, Sia joined Alcoholics Anonymous. 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. 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 syndromes, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, and in 2020, she stated that she has been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from childhood traumas, including being sexually abused at the age of nine.
Animal activism
Sia "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 Se ...
, 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 (2018 film), Dominion''.
]
Discography
* ''OnlySee'' (1997)
* ''Healing Is Difficult
''Healing Is Difficult'' is the second studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Sia. It was released in the United Kingdom on 9 July 2001 and in the United States on 28 May 2002.
In the UK the album's first single "Taken for Granted" was ...
'' (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, w ...
'' (2004)
* ''Lady Croissant
''Lady Croissant'' is a live album by Australian singer Sia, released in April 2007 through the record label Astralwerks. Called a "mini-album" by Astralwerks, the collection contains one studio recording ("Pictures") as well as eight live trac ...
'' (2007)
* ''Some People Have Real Problems
''Some People Have Real Problems'' (sometimes stylised as ''Some People Have REAL Problems'') is the fourth studio album by Australian singer Sia. Released in 2008, the album featured singles including "Day Too Soon", " The Girl You Lost to Coca ...
'' (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 (objective; ...
'' (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
''This Is Acting'' is the seventh studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Sia. It was released on 29 January 2016 by Inertia, Monkey Puzzle and RCA Records. The album is mostly composed of songs written by Sia for other pop artists that ...
'' (2016)
* '' Everyday Is Christmas'' (2017)
* ''Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
''Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture'' is the ninth studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Sia. It was released on 12 February 2021 by Monkey Puzzle and Atlantic, in connection with the release of the musical film ''Mus ...
'' (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 Se ...
(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 film), ''The Great Gatsby'' (2013)
* '' The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'' (2013)
* ''Annie (2014 film), Annie'' (2014)
* ''Transparent (TV series), Transparent'' (2015)
* ''Racing Extinction
''Racing Extinction'' is a 2015 documentary about the ongoing anthropogenic mass extinction of species and the efforts from scientists, activists and journalists to document it by Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos, who directed the document ...
'' (2015)
* Fifty Shades of Grey (film), ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' (2015)
* ''Pitch Perfect 2'' (2015)
* San Andreas (film), ''San Andreas'' (2015)
* ''Beat Bugs'' (2016)
* ''The Eagle Huntress'' (2016)
* ''Zootopia'' (2016)
* ''Finding Dory'' (2016)
* ''The Neon Demon'' (2016)
* ''Star Trek Beyond'' (2016)
* ''Lion (2016 film), Lion'' (2016)
* ''Fifty Shades Darker (film), Fifty Shades Darker'' (2017)
* ''Wonder Woman (2017 film), Wonder Woman'' (2017)[
* My Little Pony: The Movie (2017 film), ''My Little Pony: The Movie'' (2017)
* ''Fifty Shades Freed (film), Fifty Shades Freed'' (2018)
* ''A Wrinkle in Time (2018 film), A Wrinkle in Time'' (2018)
* ''Charming (film), Charming'' (2018)
* ''Dumplin' (film), Dumplin''' (2018)
* ''Vox Lux'' (2018)][
* ''Seven Worlds, One Planet'' (2019)][Pearce, Tilly]
"''Seven Worlds One Planet'': How Sia joined forces with Sir David Attenborough and Hans Zimmer to create epic track"
Metro.co.uk, 28 October 2019
* ''Dolittle (film), Dolittle'' (2020)
* ''Music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
'' (2021)
Film roles
Television roles
See also
* List of artists who reached number one in the United States
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sia
Sia (musician),
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
LGBT singers from Australia
LGBT songwriters
LSD (group) members
Masked musicians
Musicians from Adelaide
People in veganism
Queer actresses
Queer feminists
Queer musicians
RCA Records artists
Singers from South Australia
Trip hop musicians
People educated at Adelaide High School