Continuing the hype leading up to Sia’s new album, This Is Acting, that Australian pop powerhouse has dropped the next tidbit for her slavering fans. Having already released two singles off the new record, this week Sia unveiled the official video for her resounding new track Alive.
The track itself has been pretty well covered as the roaring return of the enigmatic singer. A larger than life anthem, showcasing Sia’s heart wrenching vocal as it cracks and storms through the massive chorus. With fans calling for a collaboration between Sia and UK songstress Adele, Alive is pretty much that. With Sia taking the track for her own after it didn’t make Adele’s comeback release 25, her prowess as a songwriter is also common knowledge with her name behind any number of pop hits.
With Sia’s distinctive spin on Alive, the video echoes her creative and often unexpected style. Directed by Sia herself and Daniel Askill (the same creative team behind the videos for Chandelier, Elastic Heart and Big Girls Cry), the clip features 9 year old child actress/dancer Mahiro Takano. Shot in Chiba, Japan, the simple concept of the atmospheric room and Takano’s defiant karate sequence has left some fans unmoved. Dressed in muted colours and with Sia’s trademark two tone bob, Takano is the personification of the reminiscent lyrics: I was born in a thunderstorm / I grew up overnight / I played alone / I’m playing on my own / I survived
True, this video does concentrate more on the visual aesthetic than any narrative, filled with light and shadow and arty shots of Takano’s choreography. It’s beautifully shot, and there is a slightly thrilling quality to this young girl’s precise, fighter-like moves. But even if you’ve seen enough by the time you’re only halfway through, most viewers on YouTube seem willing to forgive on the grounds of just how damn cute Takano is.
Check out the video below, or pre-order Sia’s The Is Acting here and receive both Alive and her latest track, Bird Set Free, instantly. You can also catch Sia performing both songs on Saturday Night Live on November 7.
This Is Acting is released on January 29.