“I’m getting a bit famous now,” Sia Furler told Australian magazine The Age back in 2011. “And I’m very anxious.” Things would get worse for the Australian singer/songwriter before they got better on that front, as she continued to write and sing on hits for the likes of Rihanna, Flo Rida and David Guetta, eventually even rebooting her own dormant solo career. By 2013, she was writing anti-fame manifestos for Billboard, appearing on the mag’s cover with a paper bag on her head. And yet, her fame level continues to rise, with recent single “Chandelier” becoming her first ever solo top 40 hit and new album 1000 Forms of Fear sure to give her further exposure still.
What is Sia doing wrong? What critical lessons is she failing to heed from her musical predecessors? We put together a list of the 21 most effective ways to successfully torpedo one’s celebrity as a pop star. By following these examples, even too-famous artists like Sia can be rollerblading topless through Starbucks without earning even a passing mention on TMZ.
