Sia: ‘TV Is My Parent’

From lending her vocals to Zero 7 to making Perez Hilton gush over solo single ‘Buttons’ on his world-famous blog (and subsequently gaining her legions of new fans) to recently penning tracks for Christina Aguilera, the US-based Ozzie is fleshing out quite a career for herself.

Yes, she writes a catchy ditty. And yes, her vocals are top-notch (though she inexplicably excuses her voice during this, her Hiro Ballroom show in NYC, by explaining that she’s been leaving the air-conditioning on). Sounding something like a cross between Pink and Nelly Furtado one minute, before flipping to the husky tones of Fiona Apple the next, Sia gives consistently strong renditions of both her solo and collaborative material.

Sadly, while tracks such as ‘The Girl You Lost’ make an impression, several of the other tracks fail to do so, despite the obvious commitment on display. In short, there’s a reason why ‘Breathe Me’ is the more famous of her songs, and it's not just thanks to Grey’s Anatomy.

What lifts Sia above most singer-songwriters, however, is her eccentric personality. Opening her intimate set with the terrific ‘Buttons’, she decks out her band and herself with neon masks and black suits, giving the overall look of a child’s drawing come to life. Dropping the insane get-ups for the remainder of the show, she proceeds to sing ‘Little Black Sandals’ with a young girl and, best of all, send up the whole tradition of encores by feigning leaving the stage. With talk of drugs and penises sprinkled over her chit-chat with the crowd, Sia’s like a precocious, foul-mouthed schoolgirl - and hugely endearing as a result.

Check out the bonus material of her meet-and-greets with fans, her giggles as her feet slide off a wall while sitting in an office chair and, most importantly, her hilariously cartoonish videos for further proof.



Extras: Behind-the-scenes footage, music videos.

Released on DVD on 18th May 2009 by Monkey Puzzle Records.

Written by Polis Loizou.