The Music Bechdel: Sia, This is Acting
This is Acting by Sia is her seventh studio album, released in January 2016. The second single, “Cheap Thrills” was Sia’s first number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Track 1: Bird Set Free
Written by: Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 2: Alive
Written by: Sia Furler, Adele Adkins, Tobias Jesso Jr.
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 3: One Million Bullets
Written by: Sia Furler, Jesse Shatkin
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 4: Move Your Body
Written by: Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 5: Unstoppable
Written by: Sia Furler, Chris Braide
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 6: Cheap Thrills
Written by: Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 7: Reaper
Written by: Sia Furler, Kanye West, Dom $olo, Noah Goldstein, Charles Misodi Njapa
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 8: House on Fire
Written by: Sia Furler, Jack Antonoff
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 9: Footprints
Written by: Sia Furler, Tyler Williams, Josh Valle, Nikhil Seetharam
Is it about something other than a man? No? Yes? It depends on your beliefs about God.
Track 10: Sweet Design
Written by: Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin, Mark Andrews, Desmond Child, Robi Rosa, Tim Kelley, Bob Robinson, Marquis Collins, Joseph Longo
Is it about something other than a man? No
Track 11: Broken Glass
Written by: Sia Furler, Jesse Shatkin, Jasper Leak
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
Track 12: Space Between
Written by: Sia Furler, Chris Braide
Is it about something other than a man? Yes
What is the percentage of songs that are written by a woman AND about something other than a man?
11/12 Tracks or 92% of the Album
Does This is Acting by Sia pass the Music Bechdel?
Yes! But I learned something really interesting while doing this test. When answering the question, “is it about something other than a man,” the answer isn’t always simple. Sia said in a 2009 interview that she has “dated boys and girls and anything in between. I don’t care what gender you are, it’s about people. … I’ve always been… well, flexible is the word I would use.” When a song is about a relationship it clearly isn’t as simple as, “it is about something other than a man,” if no pronouns are used in the song. Assuming that relationship songs by a woman are about a man is queerphobic and from here on out, I’m changing the question to, “does it mention a man.” For this test, if it was about a relationship and didn’t use pronouns, I didn’t assume that it was about a man. I’d love any feedback about this change if anyone has another suggestion!
I have artists and specific albums for this series planned through the end of the year, but I would love to keep it going longer than that. Artists will be measured on an album-by-album basis. If at least 50% of the songs on an album meet the criteria, that album passes The Music Bechdel. Use my contact form, email me, or message me on social media to make album requests for me to test.
Order it on Amazon or listen to it wherever you stream music.