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Chandelier (song)

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"Chandelier"
Song

"Chandelier" is a song by Australian recording artist Sia from her sixth studio album, 1000 Forms of Fear (2014). Written by Sia and Jesse Shatkin and produced by Shatkin and Greg Kurstin, the song was released on 17 March 2014 as the lead single from the album. It is an electropop song, featuring electronica and reggae influences. Lyrically, the song has a melancholic theme, detailing the demoralization and rationalization of alcoholism through the typical thought process of a "party girl".

Upon its release, "Chandelier" received mainly favorable reviews from music critics, who praised Sia's songwriting and her vocals. Commercially, the single charted within the top five of record charts in countries including Australia, Norway, Scotland, Poland, and New Zealand and number 1 in France and Israel. On the US Billboard Hot 100, the song peaked at number 13, becoming Sia's first top 40 hit as a solo artist to appear on the chart. The track was certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and platinum by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ).

A music video for the song was directed by Sia and Daniel Askill, while it was choreographed by Ryan Heffington. It features eleven-year-old dancer Maddie Ziegler. Sia, alongside Ziegler, performed "Chandelier" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Background

In 2010, Sia released her fifth studio album We Are Born, which peaked at number two on the Australian Albums Chart.[1] Following the release, Sia took a musical hiatus and co-wrote songs for multiple artists, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Flo Rida and David Guetta.[2] In 2013, Sia recorded the track "Elastic Heart" for The Hunger Games soundtrack.[3]

In May 2014, Sia announced her sixth studio album 1000 Forms of Fear and released "Chandelier" as its lead single.[4] Sia revealed that she initially wrote the track for Rihanna or Beyoncé, but scrapped it and kept the song as her own record.[5][6] The melody was formed after Sia played the piano, while Greg Kurstin and Jesse Shatkin played the marimba in the studio.[7] "Chandelier" was released for digital download onto iTunes Stores on 17 March 2014 through Monkey Puzzle, with distribution by RCA Records.[8] In the United Kingdom, "Chandelier" was released digitally on 29 June 2014.[9] A day later, it was sent by RCA Records to US hot adult contemporary radio on 30 June 2014.[10]

Composition

"Chandelier"
A 21-second sample of "Chandelier"
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Chandelier" was written by Sia, Jesse Shatkin and was produced by Greg Kurstin and Shatkin. It was described as an electropop ballad,[11] featuring "soaring" synthesizer,[12] "militant" drums,[13] and hip hop beats with electronica,[14] R&B,[15] and reggae influences.[16] The song features Sia's "jaw-dropping" vocal performance.[17] Lyrically, "Chandelier" has a sad theme talking about "the glitter and fatigue of a party girl's life".[5] John Walker from MTV Buzzworthy opined that the song has a dark theme, "toeing the line between celebration and self-destruction as it becomes increasingly more blurred".[18] At the song's opening, Sia sings "Party girls don't get hurt, can't feel anything... I push it down" over a reggae-influenced background.[16] During the chorus, she chants, "I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier/ I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist, like it doesn't exist".[18] A few critics compared the song's musical style to works done by Rihanna, including Jeremy Gordon from Pitchfork Media,[17] and Melinda Newman of HitFix.[19]

Reception

"Chandelier" received mainly positive reviews from music critics. Andrew Trendall from Gigwise wrote that the song "springboards Sia from a behind-the-scenes genius into a superstar in her own right".[20] Gordon from Pitchfork Media praised Sia's vocal performance on the track and commented that the track "is enough to make you want to swing from a chandelier".[17] Bradley Stern from the website MuuMuse labelled "Chandelier" the best pop single of 2014, complimenting Sia's songwriting credits and her voice on the song.[14] In a VH1 article, Emily Exton shared that thought, deeming it the best song Sia had ever written.[21] In a less enthusiastic review, Melinda Newman from HitFix thought that "she [Sia] can do a lot better than this".[19] In July 2014, Billboard listed "Chandelier" as one of the "10 Best Songs of 2014 (so far)" saying that "after penning track for mainstream personalities like Rihanna and Katy Perry, Sia kept an anthem for herself".[22]

In the United States, "Chandelier" debuted at number 75 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on the chart issue dated 31 May 2014.[23] It peaked at number 13 on the chart, becoming the first single by Sia to appear on the chart as a lead artist.[24] The song also reached number 22 on the Canadian Hot 100.[25] In June 2014, the single was certified platinum by Music Canada.[26]

"Chandelier" was successful in Oceania and Europe, peaking within the top five of national record charts including: France[27] (number one), Australia[28] and Norway[29] (number two), New Zealand[30] (number three), Norway and Scotland (number five).[29][31] The single was certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA),[32] and platinum by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ).[33] In the United Kingdom, "Chandelier" charted at number six on the UK Singles Chart.[34]

Music video

A shot of the music video, featuring Maddie Ziegler.

The music video for "Chandelier" was released on 6 May 2014. It features Maddie Ziegler, an eleven year old dancer.[35] Ziegler was personally asked by Sia to appear in the video via Twitter.[36] The video was directed by Sia and Daniel Askill,[37] and was choreographed by Ryan Heffington.[38] Ziegler shared her thoughts about the dance moves to New York magazine:[36]

I like the whole dance. It was really different and weird for me, because I usually don’t, you know, be a crazy person every time. It was so fun to do and it was really out of the box and it expanded me a lot, because I’m used to competition dances where you’re like, Point your legs! But this time it was like, you just need to let go and feel it.

In the video, Ziegler wears a blonde Sia wig. Throughout the clip, Ziegler dances in a deserted room "while spinning, kicking, leaping, crawling, falling, twirling and hiding herself behind window drapes".[37] An alternative one-take version of the clip was released in June 2014.[39] The choreography was praised by media outlets; an editor from The Guardian wrote that Ziegler "dances with such impressive flexibility".[39] Nolan Feenay from Time magazine commented that the dance moves in the "Chandelier" music video could be the best dance routine of 2014.[40] "Chandelier" received nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards for Video of the Year and Best Choreography.[41]

Live performance

Sia performed "Chandelier" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on 19 May 2014,[23] with Ziegler recreating the choreography in the music video.[42] During and after the performance, Sia refused to face the camera.[43] Sia also performed the song on Late Night with Seth Meyers on 9 June 2014, with Girls star Lena Dunham performing the choreography.[44] On 4 July 2014, Sia performed the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[45]

Cover versions

Track listing

Digital download[8]
  1. "Chandelier" – 3:36
Digital remixes EP[48]
  1. "Chandelier" (Four Tet Remix) – 4:31
  2. "Chandelier" (Plastic Plates Remix) – 4:27
  3. "Chandelier" (Cutmore Club Remix) – 5:08
  4. "Chandelier" (Hector Fonseca Remix) – 6:27
  5. "Chandelier" (Liam Keegan Remix) – 5:16
  6. "Chandelier" (Dev Hynes Remix) – 3:44

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Sia – We Are Born". Australian-charts.com (Hung Medien). Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  2. ^ Knopper, Steve (21 April 2014). "How a Song Written by Sia Furler Becomes a Hit". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  3. ^ "Sia's 'Elastic Heart' Single For 'Hunger Games: Catching Fire' Drops With The Weeknd And Diplo". The Huffington Post. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  4. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (14 May 2014). "Sia's '1000 Forms of Fear' Gets Release Date & Track List". Billboard. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  5. ^ a b Ehrlich, Brenna (17 March 2014). "Sia's New YOLO Song 'Chandelier' Could Have Been Rihanna's Next Hit". MTV News. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Sia says her new song 'Chandelier' could have gone to Beyoncé or Rihanna". NME. 18 March 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  7. ^ "Inside the Recording Studio: An Interview with Jesse Shatkin". MuuMuse. March 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Chandelier – Single". United States: iTunes Store (Apple Inc). Archived from the original on 1 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Chandelier – Single". United Kingdom: iTunes Store (Apple Inc). Archived from the original on 10 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on June 15, 2014.
  11. ^ Wood, Mikael (2 June 2014). "Listen: Sia smiles through the pain in new song 'Eye of the Needle'". Los Angeles Times.
  12. ^ Young, Alex (17 March 2014). "Listen: Sia's new single 'Chandelier'". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  13. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (17 March 2014). "Sia Shines on 'Chandelier' Single: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  14. ^ a b Stern, Bradley (March 2014). "'Chandelier': Sia Swings In With The Best Pop Single Of 2014 So Far". MuuMuse. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  15. ^ ""Chandelier" : Sia destinait sa nouvelle chanson à Rihanna, Katy Perry ou Beyoncé" (in French). Charts in France.
  16. ^ a b Cragg, Michael (17 March 2014). "Sia – Chandelier: New music". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  17. ^ a b c Gordon, Jeremy (8 May 2014). "Sia: 'Chandelier'". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  18. ^ a b Walker, John (17 March 2014). "Sia's New Song, 'Chandelier', May Be The Saddest DGAF Anthem Ever". MTV Buzzworthy. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  19. ^ a b Newman, Melinda (17 March 2014). "Sia channels Rihanna in new single 'Chandelier'". HitFix. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  20. ^ Trendall, Andrew (14 March 2013). "Sia unveils teaser of brand new single 'Chandelier'". Gigwise. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  21. ^ Exton, Emily (20 March 2014). "5 Songs Sia Sings Better Than The Artists She Wrote Them For". VH1. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
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  34. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  35. ^ "Sia's 'Chandelier' Music Video Is Hauntingly Beautiful". The Huffington Post. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
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  37. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (6 May 2014). "Sia's 'Chandelier' Video: 'Dance Moms' Star Maddie Ziegler Delivers Dazzling Performance". Billboard. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
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  39. ^ a b "Watch an exclusive one-take version of Sia's Chandelier Video". The Guardian. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
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  41. ^ Gallo, Phil (July 17, 2014). "Beyoncé Leads MTV VMAs With 8 Nominations". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
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  43. ^ "Sia performs Chandelier for Ellen but refuses to show her face". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
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