Where to Start with Sia

You probably know her name already. You've heard "Chandelier" at every party you've ever been to, it's lodged in your brain like a second language. You might even know that she wrote "Diamonds" for Rihanna, or that she won't show her face in her own music videos. But that's surface-level. Getting to know Sia properly means understanding both sides of her: the solo artist and the invisible architect. And the best way to do that is following this path, in this order.

Press play: Chandelier

If you're coming to Sia fresh, this is your door in. Released in 2014, "Chandelier" is the song that tells you everything about what makes her distinctive. The vocal cracking open at the chorus, the way the production just winds tighter and tighter, the video showing a dancer instead of Sia's face. All of that is deliberate. This is her saying: this is how I want to exist in pop music. It takes three minutes to understand her entire philosophy.

Then step back: Titanium with David Guetta (2011)

Now rewind to before "Chandelier", before she became a solo artist, before anyone knew her name. Sia provided the vocal on David Guetta's "Titanium" in 2011, and hearing it after "Chandelier" gives you the full story: this voice was reaching massive audiences before she was the one getting credit for it. That's the foundation everything else is built on.

Hear her as the songwriter: Diamonds by Rihanna (2012)

Next, play Rihanna's "Diamonds". Written by Sia in 14 minutes. And listen to how differently that songwriting sits on someone else's voice, how it adapts to fit perfectly. Same instinct for a massive chorus, same emotional weight, completely different artist. This is the hidden part of her career that most people never see.

The lighter version: Cheap Thrills feat. Sean Paul (2014)

Back to her solo work, but the other mood. "Cheap Thrills" is 2014 Sia without the vulnerability of "Chandelier", all brightness and dance-floor energy. Sean Paul's verse gives it a sense of play. These two Sia songs from the same year show you her range in a way listening to one song never would.

The full picture: Elastic Heart with The Weeknd & Diplo (2014)

Finish with "Elastic Heart". It's darker than both the previous tracks, more tense, more atmospheric. By this point you've heard Sia as a solo ballad artist, as a party song writer, as an invisible architect for other people. "Elastic Heart" is where all of those things come together in one track. Once these five songs click, you've got the full Sia.