Sia - Big Girls Cry (Starring Maddie Ziegler)

It’s been an eye-opening journey for Australian vocalist and songwriter Sia. Since her days in Zero 7, she has waxed and wained through the music world, impressing all with her undeniable vocal talents and sincerely unusual image and visuals.

It’s in recent times that Sia has really risen to true fame; with nods across the board acknowledging her talent and creative vision. Having described fame as “abusive,” Sia has chosen to remove her face from anything she is involved in musically, and this has directly correlated with a spike in her musical blood sugar. Enlisting Maddie Ziegler as the face of her campaign, Sia has formulated something truly unique — a personified pseudonym.

Following on from the release of “Chandelier” and “Elastic Heart,” Sia has today released the video for “Big Girls Cry” — another directed by Daniel Askill. The clip is simple, yet effective, and a direct comment on all that Sia believes in: women should not be objectified for their respective arts. As a strongly-lit Ziegler mimes a make-up routine and pulls and tugs at the now iconic blonde whig against a black background, we are reminded that this is pure genius. Sia and Ziegler are one person; a creative force that chooses to allow us to focus on Art, and only Art.

Maddie, acting somewhat possessed in all three videos, brings us a little closer to the possible angle of Sia’s mind. A woman who is clearly in turmoil regarding the music industry; wanting to share her passion and her creation, but not wanting to use her image to do so. The adult hands, which appear from the darkness to strangle and grab at Ziegler in “Big Girl’s Cry” perfectly illustrate this.

Sia is creating intelligent music, in an intelligent campaign.

Words by Joss Meek