This Is Acting, can’t help but feel like the big-budget sequel to 1000 Forms of Fear’s sleeper hit. Almost every song on the album was written by Sia but rejected by another artiste, from Adele to Rihanna to Beyoncé. Most songwriters would perhaps choose not to draw attention to the fact that they have had an album’s worth of material passed over by some of pop’s biggest names, but to Sia’s immense credit, This Is Acting doesn’t necessarily sound like a slapdash collection of demos or B-sides. It is a complete piece of work, and one that serves as a commentary on the intersectionality of art and fame by someone who has recently acquired a new level of notoriety.
