Sia's new CD is given life after years of delay

NEW YORK – "We Are Born," the latest record from Australian artist Sia, is the album she's always wanted to make. In fact, she made most of it years ago.

But according to Sia, Universal, her one-time record company, thought the tracks were worlds away from her previous recordings and shelved the project.

Now "We Are Born" is finally getting its moment in the spotlight. It comes as Sia is enjoying perhaps the greatest success in her career. Her last record, 2008's "Some People Have Real Problems," was critically lauded, she wrote songs for Christina Aguilera's new album "Bionic" and recently teamed up with David Byrne and Fatboy Slim for their tribute album to Imelda Marcos, "Here Lies Love."

Sia, who also lent her signature vocals to the downtempo duo Zero 7, spoke about "We Are Born's" long odyssey.

The Associated Press: You just sound angry on (the new album.) Why?

Sia: This is the album I've been wanting to make for ages. I made "Color the Small One" and Universal (Records) released that. And then before "Breathe Me" was on "Six Feet Under," I had written a whole album of stuff with Greg Kurstin, who produced this record, "We Are Born." I delivered it to (Universal) and it was really uptempo pop kind of stuff. They were like, "What are you thinking? We can't do anything with this. You're a downtempo artist. This will confuse the fans." I was like "What fans? I've sold like eight records!"

AP: Your record company rejected the album?

Sia: I was so stubborn and so self-confidant. I was like "Well, this is what I'm delivering." And they were like, "Well, you're dropped." ... Then two weeks later, "Breathe Me" was in the finale of "Six Feet Under." The great thing is that (Universal) returned the record to me.

AP: Has your writing style changed over the last five years or are you coming from the same place emotionally?

Sia: I'm more jaded, definitely. ... I think it's really weird and cheesy when artists make out like (writing) is some kind of mystical experience, like they have a special gift and that it's like a really mystical or emotional experience to write. I can write a song in twenty minutes. That's my gift. Maybe it's a good one, maybe it's not a good one, but the good news is I write a lot of songs because I can write fast and then we can pick the good ones out them.

AP: "Breathe Me" was sort of your coming out song in terms of radio play. How does it feel to be famous?

Sia: You can't feel fame. You don't know how famous you are, especially if you don't read reviews or interviews or don't have Google Alert on your name, which I don't. I don't do any of that, so I have no idea. It's relative to the "looks." It's these few looks that you get (from strangers) and that just usually happens for that six-week promo period for each record in each territory, you know, when you have to, like, sell your (expletive) soul.

AP: You wrote four songs for Christina Aguilera's album, "Bionic." How it writing for other artists different than writing for yourself?

Sia: I love it. ... Sometimes you're more involved and they're less involved. Sometimes they're more controlling or dominant. She doesn't have control issues. Christina is really, really awesome. She's really open to letting you do your thing and then when she knows she can improve on it, she does.