Sia

When Sia Furler informed her record label that she wanted to put the fun back into her music and focus on an up-tempo pop album they dropped her like a hot potato.

Five years on her pop dream looks set to become a reality in the shape of her fifth solo album, ’We are Born’ and loathed as I am to admit it, I think they may have been right.

The Australian born songstress, best known for her lead vocals on Zero 7 tracks such as ’Destiny’, first entered the UK music scene as a backing singer for Jamiroquai.

Sia (as she is now known) released her first single 'Taken for Granted’ in 2000 which catapulted her into the top ten and led to collaborative work with the likes of; Massive Attack, William Orbit and of course Zero 7.

Still intent on carving her own success, the singer-songwriter went on to release a further four albums drawing upon the soulful, atmospheric sounds we’d come to know and love in her previous works, and with it gained her own dedicated fan base.

Followers of the US drama, Six Feet Under will be familiar with the tear inducing, 'Breathe Me’ (from Colour the Small One) while 'Buttons’ (from Some People Have Real Problems) continues to be huge hit on YouTube, sparking a craze of remakes from devoted fans.

And it’s the rare uplifting gems like ’Buttons’ and 'The Girl You Lost to Cocaine’ that are likely to fill listeners with optimism at the premise of a new up-tempo collection, but sadly 'We are Born’ fails to live up to, let alone overshadow any of the albums that to date make up an impressive discography.

At the very least, loyal listeners can look forward to more colourful, zany music videos to accompany We are Born, in the guise of 'Clap Your Hands’, the infectious upbeat track which eclipses the first on the album, 'Fight’, an erratic as oppose to eccentric opener.

Those looking for emotive soul-searching classics reminiscent of 'The Bully’ 'Day Too Soon’ or 'Lentil’ might want to instead acquire; 'All I Need', 'I Am' and 'You Lost Me' from Christina Aguilera’s new album, Bionic.

All three were co-produced by Sia and have her unmistakable influence throughout them.

With hindsight maybe she’d have been better safeguarding these for her own forthcoming collection, but as an artist who epitomises individuality and laughs in the face of those who crave acceptance, I guess this was always unlikely.