RIP IT UP: SIA

We dive into the Rip It Up archives and chat with former contributor Paul ‘PK’ Kitching about Sia’s rise to fame.

PAUL ‘PK’ KITCHING | CONTRIBUTOR, WRITER AND ADVERTISING – RIP IT UP 1989–2011

When did you first hear Sia?

I reckon it was early June 1994 when Sia was the lead singer of local jazz funk band, CRISP. The band had only been around for a month and popped up at a gig at Tapas Bar on Rundle Street supporting this cool new acid jazz outfit from the UK called Mother Earth. CRISP was tight and you knew they were onto something – especially with this powerhouse female vocalist in Sia Furler who totally owned the stage. She entertained everyone in her path, delivering every song perfectly with an incredibly powerful and beautiful soul-filled voice. 

Did you immediately think she had something special?

Absolutely... Sia was this 17/18-year-old with the voice of a soul singer well beyond her years. She was mesmerising. She had the ability to pull you in and you were transfixed. She had the backing of some great grooves, too. And then the gigs started to flow – from Tapas to the front bar of the Oxford to upstairs at the Stag to that tiny stage at the Cargo Club. And Sia was starting to get noticed by those in the industry – both here and overseas – with the likes of the Acid Jazz label, Jamiroquai and more wanting her stellar voice. 

When did you know she was going to make it?

When she wrote ‘Diamonds’. I always knew Sia had the ability to absolutely smash it globally – but the issue was, people just had to hear her. Sure, she was releasing and performing her own excellent tunes, but she was also writing some huge hits for others that she should have instead sung and released. Sia wrote so many songs for global stars. Songs like ‘Breathe’ for Jessie J and ‘Radioactive’ for Rita Ora. Others for Beyoncé, Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera. But it was when she wrote ‘Diamonds’ for Rihanna and it became a massive hit that I knew she just had to sing those songs herself, own them as hers. Soon enough the world heard her with the crazy- popular ‘Chandelier’ and the rest is history. Have a listen to Rihanna sing ‘Diamonds’ again and you can just imagine Sia singing it – it’s her all over. That was the moment. 

Any short anecdotes you can recall?

I wrote so many articles about Sia for the magazine and in the All Funked Up column. I still remember calling Sia at home one day and her Mum (the legendary Loene Furler) answering the phone, literally singing out to Sia to come and chat with me... Then there was the time Sia was performing at one of the Vibes On A Summers Day festivals (at Semaphore, I think) and I remember her leaving the stage and coming to dance and engage with everyone in the crowd. And the time she performed at The Gov with what turned out to be a baby-doll stuffed up her T-shirt to then ‘give birth’ with the release of a new song... She was always a scintillating entertainer, always a brilliant writer and will always be an amazing performer.