There's no denying that Sia Furler is a masterful songwriter. After penning wonderfully crafted pop songs such as Rihanna's "Diamonds," Flo Rida's "Wild Ones" and (the sort of polarizing) Britney Spears' song "Perfume," she's back with a song of her own. And this time, she's swinging from the "Chandelier."
Just like how it's well known that Sia has properly strong songwriting skills, she's also known for her killer pipes, so there should never have been any doubt that she would absolutely slaughter the vocals on "Chandelier," and of course she does. The fittingly swinging, singsong chorus reaches such high points that it's rather hypnotizing. It feels like she's actually soaring from the ceiling, which is quite the great effect on a listener.
The choruses take things down a notch, as the driving, modern pop beat takes things on hold. The pre-chorus of the popular drinking chant "1, 2, 3 drink" is a solid build up and the post-chorus expertly brings things back down to Earth.
Speaking of the pre-chorus drinking chant, one of the most interesting things about this song is how it manages to seem like 2014's big party anthem on the surface but it lyrically focuses on the dark, empty life of the signature "party girl."
One look at the lyrics, readily available on Sia's YouTube page makes this crystal clear from the very first line. "Party girls don't get hurt / Can't feel anything, when will I learn / I push it down, push it down," she croons.
"Chandelier" really experiences the very temporary highs and the very temporary feeling of being loved that a troubled drinker experiences in the partying lifestyle, a very bold and daring move for, of course, a modern party-focused pop fan.
Much like the thematically similar "Swimming Pools (Drank)" by Kendrick Lamar, though, this song seems like its doomed to the world of the lost message, aiming to become the next big party anthem of 2014.
Message-wise, that's a real bummer. But, damn, this is a killer song. So, cheers, I suppose.
Listen to Sia Furler's "Chandelier" below:
