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The Aussie woman behind the platinum blonde wig has quite a story and although many people know about her success in the music industry, many don’t know her recovery story as well. If you haven’t guessed who am referring to already, I am talking about Sia Furler or as most people know her as just “Sia.”
In her early years of fame, Sia showed her face to the public and performed independently as well as with the band Zero 7. She didn’t become extremely popular in the US until her powerful album debuted in 2014 called 100 Forms of Fear. However, Sia wrote many pop songs for artists such as for Rihanna (Diamonds), Flo Rida (Wild Ones), and many collaborations with artists such as David Guetta (Titanium). So we have heard her music and her voice for a long time, but why have we not seen more of her til recently?
Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Sia struggled with balancing her mental health with the fame. She was so stressed and overwhelmed, she unfortunately developed an addiction to prescription pills and alcohol which made her spiral into a deep depression. On top of losing her boyfriend in a horrific accident in 2010, Sia started isolating herself. At one point, she was so depressed and was planning to end her life until a friend reached out to her to seek treatment.
Since then, Sia has committed to being sober and maintaining her mental wellness by keeping her face hidden from the media while still writing music for other artists and singing some of her own. She introduced a new genre of music “mystery” to world and proves how popular her music can be and how talented she is even if her back is to the audience. (Check out her interview and wonderful appearance in Carpool Karaoke with James Corden!)
I have the privilege to see her (or most of her) in concert at Mohegan Sun tomorrow 10/26! She has been such an inspiration to me and has helped me through some of the toughest moments in my life, as well as some of the best moments too. She has also incorporated a lot of dance in her videos and guest stars wearing the famous wig (Heidi Klum, Maddie Ziegler, Shia Labeouf, etc). which makes her music more entertaining and interesting.
Do you have a favorite song by her? Is there another artist in recovery that you feel has inspired you?
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Val,
That is so cool to read about Sia’s story. To be honest, I thought she was kinda like another Lady Gaga – more of the same wild outfits and stuff. I had nothing against her, but this will definitely make me check her out, and pay attention.
I can definitely see how her personal experiences can lead to more powerful and soulful music. Music can express a spiritual/life journey in a way that logic cant comprehend.
She’s phenomenal, and she will be totally honest when she performs – like when she performed Titanium after the Orlando shooting, she broke down crying and admitted to the crowd “I’m just so sad.” Her song The Greatest is a response to the shooting to be an ally – in the video, Maddie wears a dark wig due to the sad event and there are 49 children dancing in the video to represent each person killed.
When she collaborated with Eminem, all of the royalties to the music went to an LGBTQIA+ group in California because there was a controversy of him being “anti-gay” and Sia considers herself bisexual.
Although she does cover her face to protect herself from the media, she can laugh at herself and make fun of it and make it a new fashion trend. 🙂
I love Sia… she’s not your typical artist. I think her ingenuity and her “disguise” makes her so special. The whole “hiding her face” thing really makes so much sense but then again, I struggle with that idea b/c it almost feels like she is hiding from the very people who support her. Almost like she’s too shy (or afraid?) to be herself and show who she is… but then again I could be looking way too deep. At the end of the day, she is saving herself from a lot of unwanted attention I suppose and whether or not she shows who she is physically, she’s been showing who she is emotionally and musicly. It’s just a very different approach. I def see the whole Gaga relation.. as far as taste in wigs and clothing. lol