Album: This is Acting
Artist: Sia
Label: Monkey Puzzle Records/ RCA Records
Release Date: Jan. 29
Grade: A-
“Shine bright like a diamond” has played in my car radio plenty of times. While Rihanna has made the song known, who was the creator behind such a catchy tune? The answer is Sia.
Sia also wrote the hit song “Flashlight” for “Pitch Perfect Two,” “Double Rainbow” for Katy Perry’s Prism album and many more.
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler released her seventh studio album on Jan. 29, 2016.
When she’s not writing for other pop stars, she’s making music for herself.
This is Acting comes two years after 1000 Forms of Fear, where her fanbase seemed to be taking off, especially when she included Dance Moms’ Maddie Ziegler in her music videos.
This album captures the essence of pop music. In her previous albums, she produced a contemporary sound that stemmed from her ability to connect with an audience.
However, these are songs that Sia had intended for other artists such as Shakira, Adele and Lana Del Rey. She is playing the character of these other artists in her songs.
The lyrics are masterpieces. Sia sounds like the artist she intended it to be for and captures the artist’s style beautifully.
“Move Your Body” has the familiar beat and grove of most Shakira songs. Sia even adds a little twang in her voice to imitate her.
You can hear the similarity of styles in “Cheap Thrills,” which is a song Rihanna rejected.
Sia sings about getting ready and going out to the club. It is similar to that of “Disturbia.” She is basically telling her listeners that the beat is more important than anything money can buy.
While some may say this is a reject album, it is so much more. On The Ellen Show, Sia explained why this project was unlike the rest, saying “You know when you have a lot of stuff in the fridge and it’s about to go off and then you’re such a good chef that you can whip up something totally delicious out of it.”
She does leave room for herself. Although she writes for other artists, some may forget that Sia is one too.
“One Million Bullets” has a steady beat that explodes into the chorus and proves to listeners that this song was meant to be a vulnerable piece of work.
This was also released as her third single from the album, which proves that she wanted to showcase her own work for herself, by herself.
The best part of this album is the fact that most of the songs are not from her point of view.
Sia takes her writing talents and uses them to help others as well as to benefit herself. Although artists turned down several of these songs, this is her again, This is Acting.
Francesca Harvey is an arts contributing writer. The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
