Sia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sia
Sia in 2006
Born	Sia Kate Isobelle Furler (1975-12-18) 18 December 1975 (age 49) Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Occupation	Singer songwriter director
Spouse(s)	Erik Anders Lang ​ ​ (m. 2014; div. 2016)​ Dan Bernad ​ (m. 2023)​
Children	2
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop electronica
Labels	Dance Pool Go! Beat Inertia RCA Monkey Puzzle Atlantic
Signature

Sia Kate Isobelle Furler (born 18 December 1975), known simply as Sia, is an Australian singer and songwriter. She was born and grew up in Adelaide. Sia started her music journey in the mid-1990s with the band Crisp.

After Crisp broke up in 1997, Sia released her first solo album, OnlySee, in Australia. She then moved to London and sang for the British group Zero 7. She released more albums, Healing Is Difficult in 2001 and Colour the Small One in 2004.

In 2005, Sia moved to New York City and toured the United States. Her albums Some People Have Real Problems (2008) and We Are Born (2010) became more popular. They were even certified gold in Australia. Sia felt uncomfortable with her rising fame. She decided to take a break from performing. Instead, she focused on writing songs for other famous artists. She wrote hit songs like "Titanium" for David Guetta, "Diamonds" for Rihanna, and "Wild Ones" for Flo Rida.

In 2014, Sia became a huge solo star with her album 1000 Forms of Fear. It reached No. 1 in the U.S. and included the hit song "Chandelier". She also co-directed music videos for her songs, starring young dancer Maddie Ziegler. To keep her privacy, Sia often wears a wig that covers her face when she performs. Her album This Is Acting (2016) had her first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100, "Cheap Thrills". Sia's Christmas album, Everyday Is Christmas, came out in 2017. She has also written many songs for movies. In 2021, she directed her first movie, Music, and released an album with its songs. Her latest album, Reasonable Woman, was released in May 2024.

Sia cares a lot about animal rights. She has won many awards, including ARIA Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards.

Early Life and Education

Sia Kate Isobelle Furler was born on 18 December 1975 in Adelaide, South Australia. Her father, Phil Colson, is a musician. Her mother, Loene Furler, teaches art. Sia is also the niece of actor Kevin Colson. As a child, Sia looked up to singers like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Sting. She went to Adelaide High School.

Music Career Highlights

In the mid-1990s, Sia began her singing career in the local acid jazz band Crisp. She sang on their albums Word and the Deal (1996) and Delirium (1997).

In 1997, Crisp broke up. Sia then released her first solo album, OnlySee, in Australia. This album sold about 1,200 copies. For this album, she used her full name, "Sia Furler."

Early Solo Work and Zero 7

Sia performing in 2006

After Crisp disbanded, Sia moved to London. She sang backup for the British band Jamiroquai. She also sang for the English group Zero 7 on their first three albums. She toured with Zero 7 as well. On Zero 7's 2001 album Simple Things, Sia sang on two songs, including the hit "Destiny". This song reached No. 30 in the UK. She continued to work with Zero 7 until 2006.

In 2000, Sia signed a record deal with Sony Music. She released her first solo song, "Taken for Granted". It reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2001, she released her second album, Healing Is Difficult. This album mixed jazz and soul music. It talked about her feelings after her first love passed away. Sia was not happy with how the album was promoted. She left Sony Music and signed with Go! Beat. In 2002, she won an award for Breakthrough Songwriter.

In 2004, Sia released her third album, Colour the Small One. This album used both acoustic and electronic sounds. It had four singles, including "Breathe Me". "Breathe Me" became popular in the UK, Denmark, and France.

Sia was still not happy with the marketing for Colour the Small One. She moved to New York City in 2005. Around this time, "Breathe Me" was used in the TV show Six Feet Under. This helped Sia become more famous in the United States.

Growing Fame and Songwriting

Sia performing at South by Southwest in 2008

In 2007, Sia released a live album called Lady Croissant. It had songs from a concert in New York. A year later, she left Zero 7. Sia released her fourth album, Some People Have Real Problems, in January 2008. This album reached No. 41 in Australia and was certified gold. It was her first album to chart in the United States, reaching No. 26.

In 2009, Sia released a DVD called TV Is My Parent. It included a live concert and music videos. She won an award for Best Music DVD.

In 2009, singer Christina Aguilera asked Sia to write songs for her album. Sia co-wrote four songs for Aguilera's album Bionic. In 2010, Sia also helped write "Bound to You" for the movie Burlesque. This song was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2011, Sia was an adviser for Christina Aguilera on the TV show The Voice.

In June 2010, Sia released her fifth album, We Are Born. It reached No. 2 in Australia and was certified gold. The song "Clap Your Hands" was a hit in Australia and the Netherlands. We Are Born won awards for Best Independent Release and Best Pop Release. Sia toured North America and Europe to promote the album.

Focusing on Songwriting

Sia performing in 2011

After We Are Born became successful, Sia felt uncomfortable with her fame. She wanted a private life. She decided to stop performing as much and focus on writing songs for other artists.

Sia wrote "Titanium" for Alicia Keys. However, it was given to David Guetta, who used Sia's original voice on the song. It became a top ten hit in many countries. Sia was surprised because she had retired from being a performing artist.

From 2011 to 2013, Sia wrote songs for many artists. These included Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Flo Rida, and Rihanna. Her song "Wild Ones" with Flo Rida reached No. 5 in the U.S. and was one of the best-selling songs of 2012. In 2012, Sia released a greatest hits album called Best Of... in Australia.

Breakthrough as a Solo Artist

In October 2013, Sia released "Elastic Heart" with The Weeknd and Diplo. This song was for the movie The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. In July 2014, Sia released her sixth album, 1000 Forms of Fear. It debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. and sold many copies. The album also reached No. 1 in Australia.

The first song from the album, "Chandelier", came out in March 2014. It reached No. 8 in the U.S. and was a big hit worldwide. "Elastic Heart" was also released as a single and reached the top 20. Sia received four Grammy nominations for "Chandelier" in 2015.

For her performances and music videos from 1000 Forms of Fear, Sia often hid her face. She would turn away from the audience or wear large blonde wigs. In the videos for "Chandelier," "Elastic Heart," and "Big Girls Cry," dancer Maddie Ziegler performed as Sia's stand-in. These videos have been watched billions of times online. Sia explained that she wanted to keep her privacy and avoid the pressures of being a celebrity.

In 2014, Sia also worked on the soundtrack for the movie Annie. She co-wrote three new songs for the film.

This Is Acting and Tours

Sia performing in 2016

In February 2015, Sia announced her next album, This Is Acting. It was another collaboration with producer Greg Kurstin. Sia said she released 1000 Forms of Fear to finish her record deal. She had planned to only write for other artists. But the album's success made her want to keep making her own music. The song "Alive" from This Is Acting was co-written by Adele.

In November, Sia sang "One Candle" for the documentary Racing Extinction. She also released "Bird Set Free" and "One Million Bullets" from her album. The song "Cheap Thrills", featuring Sean Paul, became her first No. 1 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. She released two videos for the song, one with Maddie Ziegler.

In April 2016, Sia gave a highly praised performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Her performance was called "one of the greatest moments" in the festival's history. It was her first full concert since 2011. Sia also gave money to contestants on the TV show Survivor: Kaôh Rōng because she loves animals.

In September 2016, she released the song "The Greatest" with Kendrick Lamar. The music video featured Maddie Ziegler. Sia's videos on YouTube have been watched over 12 billion times.

Sia went on her Nostalgic for the Present Tour in North America from September to November 2016. Maddie Ziegler performed with her. In October 2016, Sia released a deluxe version of This Is Acting. She was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 2017. Sia also co-wrote and sang on the song "Dusk Till Dawn" by Zayn.

In 2017, Sia performed in Dubai and then went on a stadium tour in Australia and New Zealand.

Music Style

When Sia started her career, she sang acid jazz with Crisp and Jamiroquai. With her first solo song, "Taken for Granted," she tried trip hop. When she joined Zero 7, she sang downtempo songs.

Her albums Colour the Small One (2004) and Some People Have Real Problems (2007) moved towards jazz and folktronica. Her hit song "Breathe Me" is described as alternative rock.

After leaving Zero 7 in 2009, Sia focused on her solo career. We Are Born (2010) included different pop styles, like synthpop and R&B. 1000 Forms of Fear (2014) made her even more known for pop music, with hints of electropop, reggae, and hip-hop. This Is Acting (2016) has songs Sia wrote for other pop artists. This album also mixes reggae and electropop.

In her live shows in 2016, Sia's music was part of a performance art show. It included dance and special effects. Everyday Is Christmas (2017) is a pop Christmas album. Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture (2021) added more electropop, reggae, R&B, and EDM to her music.

Awards and Recognition

Sia has won many awards. These include ARIA Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and nine nominations for Grammy Awards.

In March 2021, a street in Adelaide city centre was named Sia Furler Lane. A mural was painted nearby to honor her. As of October 2022, Sia has 15 songs on the APRA billion streams list, which is more than any other artist.

Other Projects

In 2014, Sia sang for a fictional song in the TV show South Park. In 2016, she covered "Blackbird" by The Beatles for the Netflix show Beat Bugs. She was the voice of pop star Songbird Serenade in the 2017 animated movie My Little Pony: The Movie. She also wrote an original song, "Rainbow", for the movie's soundtrack. Sia wrote the songs for the 2018 musical film Vox Lux.

She wrote and directed the 2021 musical film Music. It starred Maddie Ziegler, Kate Hudson, and Leslie Odom Jr.. Sia also wrote the soundtrack for the movie. The film received some negative reviews. It was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards. Sia later won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director for Music.

Helping Others

Sia is known for her kind actions over the years. Before Thanksgiving in 2019, Sia secretly paid for people's groceries and shopping at stores in Palm Springs, California. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Sia promised to donate $1 million to CORE Response. She also gave money from her song "Saved My Life" to help with relief efforts. That same year, she donated $100,000 to Australians in need and another $100,000 to help the Black Lives Matter movement.

Since 2016, Sia has given money to her favorite contestants on the TV show Survivor. This is called the "Sia Award." By the end of the 45th season, she had given a total of $1 million to contestants.

Animal Activism

Sia is a vegetarian and loves animals. She has supported animal rights throughout her career. In 2010, she joined a PETA campaign to help control animal overpopulation. She sang at an event for the Beagle Freedom Project in 2013. In 2015, her song "Free the Animal" was used in PETA messages about cruelty-free fashion. During her Nostalgic for the Present Tour in 2016, Sia worked with animal rescue groups. They set up dog adoption fairs at each of her shows. In 2017, she released another message with the ASPCA using her song "Puppies Are Forever" to encourage pet adoption. Sia also helped narrate the 2018 animal rights documentary Dominion.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

After her band Crisp broke up in 1997, Sia moved to London. She later adopted two boys in 2019 who were leaving the foster care system. In 2020, Sia shared that she had become a grandmother when one of her sons had twins.

Sia married documentary filmmaker Erik Anders Lang in August 2014. They divorced in 2016. In 2023, Sia married Dan Bernad in Italy.

Health Journey

Sia has faced some health challenges. In 2010, she canceled shows because of extreme tiredness and panic attacks. She was diagnosed with Graves' disease, which affects the thyroid. Later that year, she said her health was getting better with rest and treatment.

In 2019, Sia shared that she has Ehlers–Danlos syndrome. This is a condition that affects the body's connective tissues.

Discography

• OnlySee (1997)
• Healing Is Difficult (2001)
• Colour the Small One (2004)
• Some People Have Real Problems (2008)
• We Are Born (2010)
• 1000 Forms of Fear (2014)
• This Is Acting (2016)
• Everyday Is Christmas (2017)
• Music (2021)
• Reasonable Woman (2024)

Tours

• We Meaning You Tour (2010–2011)
• We Are Born Tour (2011)
• Nostalgic for the Present Tour (2016–2017)

Film and TV Work

Sia has written or performed songs for many film soundtracks:

Film Roles

Television Roles

Images for kids

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  Sia in 2006

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  Sia's signature

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  Sia in concert in 2006

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  Sia performing at South by Southwest in 2008

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  Sia performing in 2011

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  Sia performing in 2016

See also

In Spanish: Sia para niños

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