Although we generally absorb music and movies as something made by one person or entity, the reality is a lot more complicated.
As just one example, plenty of people probably have a favorite movie that they watch a lot and talk about all the time.
In many cases, it’s a movie that was helmed by a famous director or one written by a great writer, and when they talk about it they only talk about that person’s creative vision. The reality of making a movie, however, is that it’s a true collaboration between hundreds of people on different teams, many of whom we never get to see.
But as it turns out, the same is often true of music.
While it’s easier to attribute the things we like about a song to the artist whose name is on it, that’s not always the case.
It’s a pretty widely-known secret that pop music producers use background vocalists and songwriters for other artists to boost their talent and delivery.
Even though it’s an open secret, it’s not one that we think about all that often—and as a result, there are plenty of talented people who end up going unnoticed. In many cases, the people writing songs and singing background vocals for other artists remain in the background.
In other cases, they become stars in their own right—and the artist we’re talking about today is one of those people.
By now, most people who listen to the radio or pop music have probably heard of Sia.
For those who haven’t, Sia is an Australian singer-songwriter who cut her teeth as a songwriter and background singer for other artists.
Though she had a solo career for a while as well, she disappeared into the background for a while as she was uncomfortable with the idea of being famous. She started doing guest slots on songs like “Titanium” with David Guetta and “Diamonds” by Rihanna.
Still, her solo work shows just how incredible an artist she really is.
To appreciate how good Sia is, it’s important to hear her sing live.
The clip we’re talking about today came from The Graham Norton Show, a British talk show which isn’t all that different from any of our own late-night shows.
Aside from the talking portions, there’s a live music section—and Sia performs her song “Alive” on this one. While talk shows aren’t typically known for having good live performances, Sia blows this misconception away from the very beginning.
While she starts off quietly, her voice builds and builds as it goes until it reaches incredible heights.
Although her voice is incredibly precise and powerful, it’s also quite unique in its delivery.
All the components are there, but it would be so hard for another singer to imitate the shakiness that she brings to her performances. Since the clip was loaded online, it has been viewed nearly seven million times—and for good reason.
As the clip shows, Sia has amazing vocal range and a ton of stage presence. There are plenty of people in the music industry that still go unnoticed. Still, it’s lucky for all of us that Sia has emerged as a star in her own right.
Congratulations to Sia on this truly incredible performance! Watch the whole thing in the link below:
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