Shit Hot: Sia

19 April 2010

by Nathan Jolly

Sia Furler has had a slow and steady rise to pop stardom, including many detours and forays into different genres, and a frustratingly slow reaction from her homeland. Never one to equate commercial with artistic success, Sia moved overseas in order to garner the type of recognition that should be afforded such a dynamic talent.

Of course, things are quite different now. From Kate Moss blagging her way onto her guest list, to Christina Aguilera asking her to pen songs for her, Sia is in demand, both at home, and worldwide. In June, Sia will release her fifth album, the cosmically titled We Are Born, and already the lead single is on rotation nationwide, from Triple J to Nova.

The album comes off the back of a huge eighteen months for Sia, in which she won an ARIA award, did the national television circuit and headlined two tours of the country. In her spare time she has been penning songs for Bionic, the anticipated new album for global popette Christina Aguilera, who gushed about Sia’s voice; high praise from the owner of some of the best pipes in recent pop history. “I’m definitely a fan of Sia’s,” Aguilera stated. “Her voice has a really cool sound to it. It’s really gritty and unique.”

That voice, as well as her songwriting technique will be on full display on her latest album, produced by Greg Kurstin, the man who helmed recent records by Lily Allen, Kesha, Britney Spears, and Ladyhawke, among others. But don’t let this cavalcade of major label pop stars fool you. One listen to the album, and it is clear that Sia is the one in the driver’s seat. And, according to her, it is long overdue.

“We Are Born is the album I’ve been wanting to make since Colour the Small One,” explains Sia, referring to her 2004 album. “But I wasn’t allowed to.” This pointed barb refers to her former label’s refusal to allow Sia to traverse any other terrain but the downtempo sound she had developed with Zero 7. “I’m really impressionable about music,” she explains. “When I was hanging out with hiphoppers I made Healing Is Difficult in 2000. When I was hanging out with Zero 7, I made Colour the Small One. In 2008 I made Some People Have Real Problems because, apparently I was a downtempo artist exclusively. We Are Born is the album I’ve made when I’ve been hanging out with myself.”

But this doesn’t mean that Sia is dismissive of her earlier efforts. To the contrary, they represent an important part of her larger body of work, a catalogue that is building steadily. It’s just that Sia is looking forwards rather than backwards. “They were real,” Sia says of her past albums. “They did happen. They were important to me. They represent real times that I went through. I just try to move out of the way and let whatever happens happen as wondrously as possible. I control nothing.”