Sia makes it out “Alive” on seventh studio album

Eric Duran/Contributing Writer

We all have jammed out to a Sia song, whether we want to or not. She has single handedly infiltrated our radios and yet fans still do not have a face to match the name.

Many music enthusiasts have become aware of Sia’s influence on their ears. The Aussie singer is responsible for Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts,” Rihanna’s somber single, “Stay” and Katy Perry’s “Fireworks,” along with other notable hit songs”, among others. In an effort to avoid the spotlight, Sia has opted to write chart-topping hits for music’s biggest stars.

This is Acting, Sia’s seventh studio album, is in essence a reject album. Composed of songs originally written for Beyonce, Rihanna, Adele and Katy Perry, Sia has recycled what other artists have scrapped. The album’s title cleverly reflecting Sia’s portrayal of the artists the songs were meant for.

“It’s like when you have a bunch of stuff in the fridge that’s about to go bad, but you’re such a great chef you make something delicious out of it,” Sia said on “The Ellen Show”.

This Is Acting is a collective of potential radio hits; making it impossible not to love every song. Singles include “Cheap Thrills,” “One Million Bullets” and “Bird Set Free.”

With a voice as powerful as Sia’s, any song can become a hit. But Sia does not settle, charging her album with rhythmic beats and pulsating electronic synths, united with her unforgettable melodies.

Her voice overpowering the background, building into a climactic chorus she has become known for. This Is Acting is eclectic; each song varies in influence, from the Latin beats in “Move Your Body” and “Cheap Thrills” to the soft sounds of a piano in “One Million Bullets”. There’s a song for everyone.

The album features Sia confessing, “I don’t care if I sing off key, I find myself in the melody. I sing for love, I sing for me, I shout it out like a bird set free.” The words shooting out of her, like a gasp of air.

Sia is in a sweet spot in her career where she can take risks in her music and more importantly make music she loves. After spending years making meaningless hooks to songs like Flo-Rida’s “Wild Ones”, This is Acting feels like every word left unsaid. Each record is a cathartic experience for the songwriter and we are witnesses to her relief.

There are many impressive aspects about This is Acting and Sia’s fearlessness hooks listeners to the album. Behind her, blunt, blonde wig, Sia has become a faceless powerhouse with a voice that resonates well after one listen. If 2014’s 1000 Forms of Fear was her cry for help, This is Acting is proof Sia has made it out alive.

Image from Flickr