b. Sia Kate Isobelle Furler, 18 December 1975, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Sia's voice has been heard by millions of listeners throughout the world owing to her vocals appearing on a number of popular chillout tracks, yet she remains a relatively anonymous presence. The singer enjoyed a colourful upbringing in Adelaide on a street inhabited by circus performers and people who were involved in bands, including her parents. They were members of a rockabilly band called the Soda Jerks, and her father was briefly a member of her uncle Colin Hay's band, Men At Work, who enjoyed worldwide success with the early 80s pop hit "Down Under".
Sia's first experience of being in a band was forming the group Crisp at the age of 17, although after three years they disbanded. After the split Sia bought a round-the-world ticket and set off to experience some new environments. It was at this time that a life-changing event happened. Sia had arranged to meet her boyfriend in London, but tragically a week before she arrived he was knocked over and killed. In 2000, the singer released her R&B-tinged debut album Healing Is Difficult in which the lyrics dealt with the aftermath of her boyfriend's death. Out of tragedy came a massive career breakthrough for the singer, with the track "Taken For Granted" earning regular plays on UK radio and entering the country's Top 10.
Sia then contributed vocals to two tracks on Zero 7's Simple Things, which became the down-tempo album of 2002. She continued working with the group on their subsequent releases, When It Falls (2004) and The Garden (2006). The singer's work with Zero 7 cast a major influence over the sound of her second album, 2004's Colour The Small One, which also featured a collaboration with Beck on "The Bully". The album was given a new lease of life when the track "Breathe Me" was featured in the HBO television series Six Feet Under, leading to a US distribution deal with Astralwerks Records.
