Sia is such a woman of mystery, you’d never know that she was actually a trained dancer — and just barely four feet tall.
Well, okay, no: Actually, that’s the very talented Maddie Ziegler from Dance Moms in the video for the earth-shatteringly devastating “Chandelier” — and no, HBIC Abby Lee Miller sadly does not make a cameo to correct her posture and bark out commands.
The video — co-directed by Sia and Daniel Askill — is shot like a one-take, following the flexible mini-diva as she flails, falls and twirls all around several rooms in a rather bleak looking apartment.
If you’d like to dig a bit deeper and really interpret the routine, one might say Maddie’s dance symbolizes the inner turmoil Sia’s singing about: The chaos, confusion and crazed-looking attempts to appear “normal” as she regularly breaks form to creepily wave and curtsy, her eyes looking slightly deranged. Maddie’s also got colorful marker drawings all over her hands — a nod to the cover of Sia’s Some People Have Real Problems? (Also, it’s all about that Sia wig.)
You might have expected a more literal interpretation of the song’s sorrow-drowning drunken theme, but then, Sia’s not exactly one to do things as you’d expect, is she?
The whole mesmerizing routine will keep you holding on for dear life (REFERENCE). Brava, Maddie!
“Chandelier” was released on March 17. (iTunes)