Musician Analysis: Three Reasons Why I'm Crushing on Sia
I have a big lady crush on Sia. It may be the little girl in me who once considered being a pop star. It may be due to her fantastic, specific style. It’s likely a bit of both.
Ms. Furler rocks my sartorial world and piques my musical interest. Trying to make better sense of it, I had to break it down. After a hard look inside I have gotten to the bottom of it. Below are the three reasons why she floats my boat.
The first thing I find admirable about the Aussie is her talent. She is a fantastic pop singer/ songwriter. I was surprised to learn some mega hits she penned for others. “Diamonds” (Rihanna), “Pretty Hurts” (Beyonce), and “Cannonball” (Lea Michele) to name a few. There’s more stars records listed here. On a vocal note, the haunting break in her upper range adds delicious complexity to her tone that I may find annoying on another vocalist.
The second is her commitment to her method. She has been covering her face via wigs, visors or just turning her back to the audience for over a year. Her use of accessories and body positioning are effectual. By hiding her face and moving minimally the only thing left to stand behind is her voice. It’s a gamble that works.
Her voice is ice cold, fragmented, and yet buttery warm somehow. With no choreography or clear visual of her face she uses other dancers to illustrate the emotions of her songs. Her clothing remains pristine and unaffected by movement. This would usually be a disservice to the overall effect, but in Sia’s case it enhances her performance. Through this approach she manages to tell vulnerable, personal stories with the help of others.
Appearance after appearance, the theme of wigged out dancers in a nude leotard remains constant while the set design and dance choreography around her still body changes. Though repetitive, it remains fresh somehow. To me it’s a testament to the strength of her seemingly effortless talent and approach amongst the crop of perpetual desperation of try hards in pop music.
The third reason why I’m such a fan girl is her inimitable style. Many try and poke fun at it but no one comes close. I find that these attempts to copy give her style more authenticity. You cannot truly copy how one carries oneself.
Her style is so purposeful, minimal, and tight from the neck down. Tight not in the form fitting sense rather in the deliberate, tailored sense. She wears a lot of black and white. She uses classic prints. The cuts she choses are often architectural but never compete with her headgear. Clean lines and tailoring are priorities in her dress and it shows. It flatters. Often she dons suits or high collars. It’s a lot of structured fashion. These specific and unfussy clothing choices juxtapose her free, fearless vocal sound.
The combined effect of the three above reasons is why Sia is an IT person right now. Hopefully for a while.
In the case of Sia does classic style lead to innovative sound? Or is it the other way around?
