For years, Sia Furler enjoyed plenty of success in her native Australia. She really blew up in the United States after “Chandelier” became a mega hit. Sia has been very outspoken about how she prefers to operate behind the scenes, writing hits for other pop stars. So I don’t know why she chose to take her career to the next level, but I’m happy to hear her on the radio. Much moreso than, say, Ellie Goulding and her breathy lyrics (or most of the other current pop stars without personality). Sia songs have substance. She’s a complicated person, and it shows.
Sia has a few new interviews and appearances. She appeared on Australia’s Sunrise program and forgot her trademark wig, so she wore a tinsel headdress instead. (You can see that performance here.) Sometimes the wig feels stuntqueeny, although I understand the logic behind it. The wig has a new Billboard interview too:
On Kayne: “I think he’s a really interesting artist. This is the truth. I don’t really listen to music. I don’t. I watch television. I find him fascinating to talk to. I rate him as a person. He’s an ideas man. He’s fascinating to have a conversation with. Mostly you’re listening, but it’s fascinating.”
On writing Rihanna’s “Diamonds” in a few minutes: “It literally fell out.”
On her fame: “It’s kind of a disappointing because we can’t do anything. Because I’m a bit famous. I didn’t realize I was so famous. My friends were with me the other day when the paps were at the airport and it was like they all got diarrhoea and I had to explain … you go into fight or flight. You feel like prey and they’re the predator and you’re being hunted. Would you like to spend your life feeling like prey? Probably not.”
The wig: “It’s just like wanting to have a regular life just like a regular person and still be able to make music and sing … but without having to sacrifice just having a regular life, that’s all.”
[From Billboard & Daily Sunrise]
Sia seems to respect Kanye a lot, although it’s funny that she says a conversation with him involves mostly listening to the rapture of Yeezus. You know it’s true! I think Sia is genuinely befuddled by her fame level. She toiled away in the industry for awhile, and the stateside pop scene treats her like an overnight sensation. It must be a difficult adjustment. She’ll have to deal eventually though. There are shades of Shia LaBeouf at work here (he and Sia do collaborate together), but Sia doesn’t sound obnoxious like Shia does.
Photos courtesy of WENN
I listen to her on Howard stern. I was surprised by her vulnerability. She came across like a little bird.
I like her. She is beautiful too. I always thought she might be hiding under the wig because of something.
If she prefers to operate behind the scenes, stay there. The wig is ridiculous
Then we’d be deprived of her lovely voice. I love her, she could bring a prop door on stage with her and sing behind that and I’d be good with that.
I so agree Jaye. However she wants to present her music is ok with me. She could string two soup cans together and sing in one end and I’d be listening at the other.
Why does every star have to be required to be outgoing and gregarious and always attention hungry? Art is art, its been bastardized by the fame machine. If she wants to wear the wig, wear the damn thing, just keep making good music.
Preach it Chloeee.
I don’t think she meant to take her career to the next level. It wasn’t her first album or her first hit. She’s been singing for 20 years and first got a lot of attention a decade ago with ‘Breathe Me’, and she’s had quite a few memorable singles since then. She’s sung on some very popular mainstream artists singles. She somehow managed to become very successful without anyone being interested in her, but for some reason Chandelier set something off. She didn’t even put herself in the video, so I’d guess she was surprised when she suddenly became a ‘celebrity’ without doing anything she hasn’t always done.
She initially only released this latest album so she would be done with her record deal. Before this success her plan was to quit performing herself and just write for others.
Breath Me is such an emotionally fabulous song!!!
Breathe me is one of my all time favorite songs ! I think the wig is a bit of an over reaction to be honest but whatever she’s so genuinely talented that I don’t care.
Her performance in the Sunrise Studio linked literally gave me chills. Her voice is breathtaking.
I love her entire look in that second photo, she’s very talented.
I am in the US and have been listening to her for YEARS. Overnight sensation? Does anyone really say this? Maybe to people that only listen to top 40 and very very mainstream music. Honestly, 1000 Forms of Fear is her worst album IMO. Of course the masses would like it. If you like Sia, pick up Some People Have Real Problems or We Are Born. You will get what I am talking about.
Yes, these two albums are masterpieces. Sia is a brilliant artist, but like many extremely talented artists she also seems quite fragile. Don’t blame her one bit for just wanting to practice her art, but to also stay out of the brightest beams of the limelight and all that comes with it.
I loved her since zero 7.
Sia has been around forever.
Everyone else is just catching up to us 😉
It took me YEARS to realize that was her singing in the Zero 7 songs. And that made me feel ridiculous, because her voice is so distinctive. Sia can do whatever she wants in my opinion, she’s amazing.
I want to know what’s written on her hands.
Also, I would like to see words fall out of a mouth and onto a page. Or maybe fall out of a head? Either way, it would be a new experience for me. Literally.
I thinks her fame is a long time coming.
She had been writing songs and performing some of them for years without being a household name. She’s a real artist. I think she’s experimenting with the idea of fame now and not really into it
Overnight sensation??? Some People Have Real Problems was being sold in Starbucks nearly 10 years ago.
I think she’s stunning. Really beautiful.
I didn’t even know about her until recently because I don’t really listen to pop radio. And I hate that Chandalier song, ugh, but last time I heard it, I thought, “This singer has a huge voice” and I googled her. She makes some interesting statements.
In addition to being hugely talented she is absolutely gorgeous. Yikes.
She wasn’t a huge success in Australia for a long time, and only really became wider known due to her success as a songwriter in the US. She’s been around since the early nineties, but back them was putting out more ‘alternative’ music, which was played on JJJ, the non commercial, non mainstream, radio station that broadcasts across Australia. It’s only when she started selling music to big names that her work was heard on commercial networks, of course sung by other people.
Loved her since zero 7 love her now. She’s original. A breath pf fresh air actually and she’s a fantastic singer. Love her harmonies.
She and her wig have great shoe game.
I don’t get it. Madonna can change styles whenever she puts out an album. Ga Ga has a bunch of wigs, and so on and so forth. So what if she now decides to wear a wig.
I like her voice. Didn’t know she wrote for others.