Sia Furler is not your typical pop star. For one, she begins our interview by offering me fruit and stating--"I hope you won't mind if I'm not super serious. I generally feel like I need to be taken less seriously as a human being lately." As someone who has experienced her fair share of ups and downs--the UPS being vocalist in Zero 7 and a surprise hit song thanks to the Six Feet Under soundtrack, the DOWNS being heartbreak and a career stall that resulted in being dropped from her label--Sia doesn't seem particularly stressed about the release of her stellar new album, Some People Have Real Problems. "Stress is the enemy," says the 32 year-old native Australian, "The best thing is to do what you love and not worry about it too much."
TCR: How are you enjoying New York?
Sia: I love it. I just moved here, you know? I moved here from LA and I guess I've been here for about 3 months now. I haven't actually been here all that much since I've been on tour and stuff. I've got this amazing apartment though...it's an old sweatshop or something like that. It's really big with loads of couches.
SG: How long had you been in LA?
Sia: I'd lived in LA for two years and before that I'd spent a year living in the English countryside with a boyfriend who was an Alpaca farmer. Before then I'd been in London for about seven years, which was such a bummer. I can't believe I lived there for so long and I didn't realize there was other life I could be having somewhere else...like New York! I had a record deal and I was singing with Zero 7 and I guess I just kind of got stuck there.
SG Then why leave LA?
Sia: It was a whim, really. I spend a lot of time in New York and it just seemed like a good idea to move here. It's nice to feel like you are literally right in the middle of everything, you know?
SG: I know you spend much of last year on tour with Zero 7. Did you start recording this record just as soon as the tour ended?
Sia: I'd already written it all already, so I just went right into the studio. To be honest, the whole thing--at least my part of it--happens rather quickly. I think we recorded vocals for each track around five times and I just sort of did everything live. Then I go away and the producer continues to work on things....and then it takes months and months for anything to happen. Plus, there was all the label stuff to sort out.
SG: You were between labels, right? So did you just have to pay for the recording yourself and hope that someone would put the record out?
Sia: My management paid for it, basically. They are so amazing and so supportive....and they've always helped me to, you know, keep me living in the lifestyle to which I've grown accustomed. (laughs) Eventually a deal was worked out that enabled me to start my own label and put the record out....it's all very complicated. So, I now have my own record label which is also a part of my management. Starbucks is also involved. To be honest, I don't know that much more about it. I hate the business side of things! Luckily I have good management that I happen to trust. Otherwise....
SG: Are you ready to start touring the record?
Sia: Yeah. I'm getting more comfortable with being the frontperson now. Before, with Zero 7, I just came on to do my part and then the focus was on someone else. I was fine as long as I was singing, but I had terrible stage banter...
SG: Really? I've seen you perform and I would have never had that impression. You seem so funny and comfortable.
Sia: I am now, but it used to be tough. It used to terrify me. Now I try to include everyone in the show. I pull people out of the audience, I ask the crowd to pass me notes and stuff. I designed this stage full of flowers made of neon. I also have the stage covered in hundred of stuffed animals and everything is pink. I had a huge backdrop with some of my drawings on it and this huge rainbow. (laughs) It's just cute, you know? We wear neon outfits and everything is blacklit, so we look like cartoon figures.
SG: That is rad. I feel like people are sort of starved for a real show. People are sick of going to see bands that don't even really try to put on a show or create some sort of spectacle.
Sia: It's boring! I mean, you could just stay home and press play on the CD player instead. You know, people are spending money--12 dollars, 20 dollars, whatever--to come and see you. That's a lot of money for most people to spend on a show--a couple of hours' work, depending on what kind of job you have. I just think it's totally rude. People forget that. I get mad when I see performers who forget that they are also required to be "entertainers" as well. I know what it takes to do this job, to get up on a stage and sing for people. It doesn't take something that special. You just get up there and do it. We're in such a lucky, priveledged situation to be able to do this for a living. When I see someone on stage get really angry or behave like a diva or throw a tantrum, it really makes me angry. I always want to just say, YOU ARE GETTING PAID TO ENTERTAIN US. Now, get out there and tap dance! Try going into an office every day and siting in a cubicle for 8 hours, then see how much you want to complain about your microphone, jerk!
SG: Is that why the record is called Some People Have Real Problems?
Sia: Yes, absolutely. It's a nice reminder for people--and for me--to enjoy life and stop complaining. I'm always so scared that I'm going to turn into this complete wanker and lose touch with reality somehow, it's like a note to self. So, the next time I want to complain about the fact that my latte is bitter or something ridiculous like that, I remind myself--some people have real problems. The world is full of people who have nothing, full of people with real struggles. The title is about remembering to appreciate what you have. Appreciate life.
SG: Having experienced some ups and downs in the industry, you must be appreciating things differently this time around.
Sia: Oh yeah. You know, my last album had kind of flopped and there was a point where things in Zero 7 had kind of become weird and I just wasn't sure if my career was even going to continue. I thought that my chance had come and gone and that I'd sort of blown it. Then they used one of my songs on the finale of Six Feet Under and suddenly people were interested in me again. Zero 7 made another record and we went on tour. I was thrilled. It went from a state of nothing happening to me suddenly getting to be a singer again. Plus, I've also had to really readjust my mental parameters for what it means to be a success. I used to beat myself up about things--you know, the record didn't sell as well as it could have, whatever. I really had to learn to just be proud of my acheivements rather than always bemoaning the fact that I wasn't somehow doing better. Having said that, I think this new record would really have to suck in order to not do well, just because of the crazy amount of marketing involved. If it doesn't do well.....well, then I'm prepared to take responsibility for that. But I hope I don't have to! Buy it, please!!! I'll do whatever it takes. I'll come to your house and sing for you, whatever!
SG: We'll take you up on that. Come over and sing. We'll order a pizza.
Sia: Excellent.
more on Sia HERE
Sia on Myspace
Sia's Some People Have Real Problems is out now on Monkey Puzzle Records.
TCR: How are you enjoying New York?
Sia: I love it. I just moved here, you know? I moved here from LA and I guess I've been here for about 3 months now. I haven't actually been here all that much since I've been on tour and stuff. I've got this amazing apartment though...it's an old sweatshop or something like that. It's really big with loads of couches.
SG: How long had you been in LA?
Sia: I'd lived in LA for two years and before that I'd spent a year living in the English countryside with a boyfriend who was an Alpaca farmer. Before then I'd been in London for about seven years, which was such a bummer. I can't believe I lived there for so long and I didn't realize there was other life I could be having somewhere else...like New York! I had a record deal and I was singing with Zero 7 and I guess I just kind of got stuck there.
SG Then why leave LA?
Sia: It was a whim, really. I spend a lot of time in New York and it just seemed like a good idea to move here. It's nice to feel like you are literally right in the middle of everything, you know?
SG: I know you spend much of last year on tour with Zero 7. Did you start recording this record just as soon as the tour ended?
Sia: I'd already written it all already, so I just went right into the studio. To be honest, the whole thing--at least my part of it--happens rather quickly. I think we recorded vocals for each track around five times and I just sort of did everything live. Then I go away and the producer continues to work on things....and then it takes months and months for anything to happen. Plus, there was all the label stuff to sort out.
SG: You were between labels, right? So did you just have to pay for the recording yourself and hope that someone would put the record out?
Sia: My management paid for it, basically. They are so amazing and so supportive....and they've always helped me to, you know, keep me living in the lifestyle to which I've grown accustomed. (laughs) Eventually a deal was worked out that enabled me to start my own label and put the record out....it's all very complicated. So, I now have my own record label which is also a part of my management. Starbucks is also involved. To be honest, I don't know that much more about it. I hate the business side of things! Luckily I have good management that I happen to trust. Otherwise....
SG: Are you ready to start touring the record?
Sia: Yeah. I'm getting more comfortable with being the frontperson now. Before, with Zero 7, I just came on to do my part and then the focus was on someone else. I was fine as long as I was singing, but I had terrible stage banter...
SG: Really? I've seen you perform and I would have never had that impression. You seem so funny and comfortable.
Sia: I am now, but it used to be tough. It used to terrify me. Now I try to include everyone in the show. I pull people out of the audience, I ask the crowd to pass me notes and stuff. I designed this stage full of flowers made of neon. I also have the stage covered in hundred of stuffed animals and everything is pink. I had a huge backdrop with some of my drawings on it and this huge rainbow. (laughs) It's just cute, you know? We wear neon outfits and everything is blacklit, so we look like cartoon figures.
SG: That is rad. I feel like people are sort of starved for a real show. People are sick of going to see bands that don't even really try to put on a show or create some sort of spectacle.
Sia: It's boring! I mean, you could just stay home and press play on the CD player instead. You know, people are spending money--12 dollars, 20 dollars, whatever--to come and see you. That's a lot of money for most people to spend on a show--a couple of hours' work, depending on what kind of job you have. I just think it's totally rude. People forget that. I get mad when I see performers who forget that they are also required to be "entertainers" as well. I know what it takes to do this job, to get up on a stage and sing for people. It doesn't take something that special. You just get up there and do it. We're in such a lucky, priveledged situation to be able to do this for a living. When I see someone on stage get really angry or behave like a diva or throw a tantrum, it really makes me angry. I always want to just say, YOU ARE GETTING PAID TO ENTERTAIN US. Now, get out there and tap dance! Try going into an office every day and siting in a cubicle for 8 hours, then see how much you want to complain about your microphone, jerk!
SG: Is that why the record is called Some People Have Real Problems?
Sia: Yes, absolutely. It's a nice reminder for people--and for me--to enjoy life and stop complaining. I'm always so scared that I'm going to turn into this complete wanker and lose touch with reality somehow, it's like a note to self. So, the next time I want to complain about the fact that my latte is bitter or something ridiculous like that, I remind myself--some people have real problems. The world is full of people who have nothing, full of people with real struggles. The title is about remembering to appreciate what you have. Appreciate life.
SG: Having experienced some ups and downs in the industry, you must be appreciating things differently this time around.
Sia: Oh yeah. You know, my last album had kind of flopped and there was a point where things in Zero 7 had kind of become weird and I just wasn't sure if my career was even going to continue. I thought that my chance had come and gone and that I'd sort of blown it. Then they used one of my songs on the finale of Six Feet Under and suddenly people were interested in me again. Zero 7 made another record and we went on tour. I was thrilled. It went from a state of nothing happening to me suddenly getting to be a singer again. Plus, I've also had to really readjust my mental parameters for what it means to be a success. I used to beat myself up about things--you know, the record didn't sell as well as it could have, whatever. I really had to learn to just be proud of my acheivements rather than always bemoaning the fact that I wasn't somehow doing better. Having said that, I think this new record would really have to suck in order to not do well, just because of the crazy amount of marketing involved. If it doesn't do well.....well, then I'm prepared to take responsibility for that. But I hope I don't have to! Buy it, please!!! I'll do whatever it takes. I'll come to your house and sing for you, whatever!
SG: We'll take you up on that. Come over and sing. We'll order a pizza.
Sia: Excellent.
more on Sia HERE
Sia on Myspace
Sia's Some People Have Real Problems is out now on Monkey Puzzle Records.
