Sia Furler is an enigma. For years, she was a respected indie singer and songwriter for stars like Beyoncé and Rihanna, until she became a superstar herself (almost against her will). She is well-known for her oversized wigs that hide her face.
Her music is characterized by her unique, cracking vocal sound and her ability to write choruses that are larger than life. Sia’s songs often deal with survival, pain, and inner strength, delivered with a vocal intensity that is rarely matched.
10. The Greatest (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
A motivational pop anthem with a dark edge. The video and atmosphere are a tribute to the victims of the Orlando shooting. It is hopeful and sad at the same time. The beat is tropical and driving. “Don’t give up, no no.” Sia sings with an urgency that inspires. A battle song for the LGBTQ+ community and anyone who is fighting.
9. Alive
Originally written for Adele, and you can hear it. It is a bombastic ballad about survival. The belts in the chorus (“I’m aliiiiive”) are almost inhumanly high and raw. You can hear her voice break, which strengthens the emotion. It is the sound of someone who has gone through hell and is still standing. Pure vocal violence.
8. Cheap Thrills (feat. Sean Paul)
Her first number 1 hit in the US. Originally written for Rihanna, but Sia kept it for herself. A cheerful, danceable track with a dancehall beat. It is about having fun without needing money (“I don’t need dollar bills”). It is light, summery, and incredibly catchy. Proof that she can also create simple, joyful hits.
7. She Wolf (Falling to Pieces) (with David Guetta)
This collaboration followed “Titanium.” It is an emotional EDM track. The melody is melancholic, the drop is euphoric. Sia sings about feeling like a wounded animal. Her voice cuts through the heavy synths. It gives electronic music a soul and a story.
6. Big Girls Cry
An honest ballad about allowing emotions. “Tough girl in the fast lane.” It slowly builds toward a powerful chorus. The song is theatrical and personal. The production is somewhat sparser than her big radio hits, allowing her unique vocal sound (and the famous “voice cracks”) to stand out clearly.
5. Unstoppable
An anthem for self-confidence that found a second life years after its release through commercials and sports. It is a kind of musical armor. “I put my armor on, show you how strong I am.” The drums are march-like and powerful. It is the ultimate power song to pump yourself up for a challenge.
4. Elastic Heart
Known from The Hunger Games and the video with Shia LaBeouf. A complex pop song with a heavy beat and emotional lyrics about resilience. Sia’s voice is at its best here: dynamic and full of pain. “You did not break me.” It is an impressive track that balances between alternative pop and mainstream success.
3. Breathe Me
The song from her indie period that put her on the map (thanks to the finale of the series Six Feet Under). A small, fragile piano ballad that explodes in a chaotic ending. It is depressing and comforting at the same time. “Be my friend, hold me.” For long-time fans, this remains her most authentic and moving work.
2. Titanium (with David Guetta)
The song that defined the EDM craze. It was actually a demo that Guetta didn’t want to replace because Sia’s voice was so good. The combination of the hard beat and soulful vocals is gold. “I am titanium.” Everyone has shouted along to this. It turned Sia, the mysterious songwriter, into the voice of the world’s biggest club hits overnight.
1. Chandelier
The undisputed masterpiece. A dark song about alcoholism and the fear of the morning, wrapped in a massive pop hit. The music video featuring Maddie Ziegler is iconic. The chorus is a vocal tour de force. She hurls her voice into the heights with a desperation rarely heard on the radio. “I’m gonna swing from the chandelier.” It is art, it is pop, it is tragedy. Sia’s magnum opus.
