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Sia - Sia's Homecoming Tour

Author: Nina Bertok
Monday, March 16, 2009

Australian expat chantuese Sia Furler chats to 3D’s Nina Bertok about Christina Aguilera (“she’s rad”) and Madonna ahead of her tour.

On the surface it seemed like the ultimate musical mismatch, but when ex-Australian pop sensation Sia and American Top 40 queen Christina Aguilera stepped into the recording studio together late last year, creative sparks were plain for all to see and hear.

But for someone so easily star-struck, just how does a former Adelaide songstress react to collaborating with pop’s biggest superstar- “Christina brought her baby into the studio,” says Sia, “and that was a wicked plan on her part because it made everything way easier and more relaxed for me. I was definitely nervous at first but she is so nice and normal that the anxiety totally defused within five seconds. I guess I just figured that, okay, it may not work out in the end or she might not like the stuff I’ve got to offer, but who cares, she’s rad anyway and it’s just exciting to have a chance to work with her either way.”

But co-writing with Aguilera on her upcoming album wasn’t the only thing that kept the quirky star-on-the-rise busy in 2008, what with her very own third full-length album, Some People Have Real Problems, hitting the shelves to rave reviews. Despite her success, Sia admits her upcoming Australian tour will be her first at home since becoming a solo artist – so why the wait-

“In a lot of ways I now feel like I have finally found myself,” Sia reveals. “Becoming a solo artist has put me in a place where I feel I can be completely comfortable on stage. For a long time when I was with my old band Zero 7, it afforded me the luxury of being lazy and not really making that effort. But now I’m actually doing all the work. It was really scary at the beginning because I’d hidden behind the band for ages and they always did all the photo shoots and the promo and that was amazing because I wasn’t responsible for anything. So I’m glad the solo thing happened, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Although it’s been 11 years since she last called Australia ‘home’, Sia claims she is extremely excited at the prospect of the upcoming tour and appearance at the MTV Australia Awards where she is up for the Best Independent Spirit Award. Not exactly a stranger to awards though, in 2006 Sia’s efforts on Zero 7’s The Garden earned the singer a Grammy nomination, which placed her up against Madonna, Goldfrapp and Pet Shop Boys in the Best Electronic/Dance Album category.

“It was so mind-boggling to be placed in the same category with all those artists – Madonna especially,” she enthuses. “I felt that we had no hope of winning but we also knew that it was just brilliant to be nominated in the same group as all those people. Actually, it was absolutely awesome being beaten by Madonna. Even better, after the awards she put a remix of my songs in her iTunes playlist which was unbelievable, it still blows me away to think about it.”

WHO: Sia
WHAT: Plays Metro Theatre / MTV Australia Awards, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre
WHEN: Thursday 26 March / Friday 27
MORE: siamusic.net / mtvawards.com.au

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