If you missed last night’s Saturday Night Live, you missed one of the most beautiful live musical acts I’ve seen in a very long time.
It sounds silly: Sia, standing still behind her microphone with a black veil covering her eyes, and a sad mime next to her acting out her words in sign language.
However, the piano and orchestral arrangement is such a stark contrast to the original (below) which is a heavy dance-pop rendition. Her voice in the live performance is startling.
The Austrian singer is a energetic, even child-like, individual, but you’d never guess it by watching this haunting performance.
Chandelier, a song about an alcoholic party girl barely hanging onto life, has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. The Song of the Year contender is also in the running for Best Music Video.
The original video has made a minor star of Maddie Ziegler, the interpretive dancer featured in this and Sia’s Elastic Heart music videos. The 12 year old also performed last night on SNL when Sia sang the latter song.
Sia’s biggest hit ever has been Chandelier. (Photo credit: Kris Krug at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kk – http://www.flickr.com/photos/kk/2350132325/)