From Rihanna’s “Diamonds” to Beyoncé's "Pretty Hurts," here’s our favorite Sia-written songs.
Jump onto the nearest chandelier: today (January 29), Sia’s long-anticipated seventh album hits the stores! The new record is called This Is Acting and sees Sia belting out the songs she originally wrote with other artists in mind but ended keeping for different reasons. And while we’re excited to hear Sia pretending to be Adele (on “Alive”), Kanye West (on “Reaper”) and Rihanna (on “Bird Set Free”), it’s even more exciting to hear other artists channeling the Australian powerhouse songstress. Narrowing down Sia’s best songs for other acts to just 8 songs was a hard job but at least now we can say we’ve got elastic hearts, too.
Rihanna —“Diamonds”
2012
Best Line: “I choose to be happy”
Sia’s version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4z6RMMIGeI
Do we really have to explain the greatness of this electropop megaballad? It was a hit of such monstrous proportions and quality that afterwards the Caribbean beauty basically decided to stop releasing music whatsoever and rightfully so (we’re kidding, RiRi. Thanks for finally releasing ANTI!). Rihanna did sound like she was singing a Sia song in the karaoke, which is hardly a bad thing: Sia’s signature vowel-twisting gave this cosmic love song even more charm and matched Rihanna’s sensual vocals. Oh and by the way Sia wrote the whole song in 14 minutes. Who’s the diamond now?!
David Guetta—“Titanium”
2011
Best Line: “Cut me down, but it’s you who’ll have further to fall”
In 2011 Sia brought the improvement right to the center of every EDM festival in the world with her bombastic collaboration with the French superproducer. It was intended for a ‘bigger’ act—Katy Perry, Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige were all considered at some point—but Guetta eventually decided to turn Sia’s demo into the proper version of the track. Apparently, without even asking Sia, as she was about to retire from the pop game to concentrate on songwriting.
Oh Land—“Green Card”
2013
Best Line: “Stay in my heart, I am your green card”
As with many Sia-penned tunes, Danish singer Oh Land’s track off her third album Wish Bone could easily pass as the Australian artist’s own track. Just listen to the way Oh Land sings, “I’m your ah-pour-too-nee-teeee.” Perhaps the song turned out so well because both foreign stars know too well what a drag it can be to deal with all the visas, work permits and green cards.
Brooke Candy—“Opulence”
2014
Best Line: “Make you copy, cut, paste and click on me”
An ex-stripper and full-time pop-force Brooke Candy gathered quite a company for her debut single back in 2014: Diplo was crafting the beats, Sia wrote the swagtastic lyrics and Nicola Formichetti with Steven Klein made sure all of the Candy's crazy fashion ideas came to life. Sia found Brooke on Instagram and decided to take a rising star under her wing and guide her through the deep woods of music industry.
Kylie Minogue—“Sexercize”
2014
Best Line: “Tomorrow you'll be sore”
Apparently it takes just two Australian ladies to set the room on fire as proven by that heat-rising faux-dubstep single from Kylie’s twelfth album Kiss Me Once. Without wasting any time on the kissing, Sia wrote a straight-up sex song for her fellow country mate and came up with the term “sexercizing,” which to us sounds way more appealing than anything we’ve done at the gym recently.
Beyoncé—“Pretty Hurts”
2013
Best Line: “It's the soul that needs the surgery”
Sia’s version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOGafqSDrzs
Sia has been toying around with the ideas of hiding your face while staying in the spotlight for a few years now. But before she decided to put on a wig and literally turn her back on the TV cameras, she wrote this powerful ballad for one of the fiercest ladies in the music industry. Although it was quite a battle for Beyoncé to get this one—Katy Perry and Rihanna were all offered the ballad before her—“Pretty Hurts” sent out a string of feministic bursts and was complemented by its striking metaphor-heavy music video. By the way Sia wrote it the same day as “Titanium.” Someone has to ask her what made her feel so empowered that day.
Maroon 5 ft. Gwen Stefani—“My Heart Is Open”
2014
Best Line: “I can't spend another minute getting over loving you”
The Voice mentors are known to have chemistry both on set and in the recording studio: Adam Levine-fronted band has already teamed up with Christina Aguilera, so it was only a matter of time before No Doubt’s resident bad girl would fall for Levine’s charms. All they needed was a decent ballad and that’s when you give Sia Furler a call. Talking about The Voice, Sia also wrote several songs for Christina Aguilera. Will there come a day when Sia will take her own chair at the singing competition’s judge panel? Only if she’ll be allowed to not turn around, we’re sure.
Celine Dion—“Loved Me Back To Life”
2013
Best Line: “Warm me up, one touch, I'm on fire”
Sia’s version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz4hlxd7Dd0
The Canadian power ballad goddess and Australian superstar songwriter was a match made in pop heaven. To put her back on the pop map, Sia taught Celine her trademark ah-ah-ay’s, the proper way to spit out “Night after night, night after night” Sia-style and how to turn ”life” into grandiose “lah-ah-ah-fe.” Job well done, Celine!