Wikipedia

Alive (Sia song)

"Alive"is thelead singlefrom Australian singer and songwriterSia's seventh studio albumThis Is Acting(2016). It was co-written by Sia,Adele,andTobias Jesso Jr.[4]The song was produced byJesse Shatkin."Alive" was released on 25 September 2015. The song was originally intended for Adele's third studio album,25,along with "Bird Set Free".However, since Adele decided not to use the songs, she let Sia use them for her seventh studio album. Musically, it is a midtempopopandsynth-popsong.

"Alive"
SinglebySia
from the albumThis Is Acting
Released25 September 2015(2015-09-25)
Recorded2015
Genre
Length4:23
Label
  • Inertia
  • Monkey Puzzle
  • RCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jesse Shatkin[3]
Siasingles chronology
"Fire Meet Gasoline"
(2015) 		"Alive"
(2015) 		"Bang My Head"
(2015)
Music video
"Alive"onYouTube

On 22 September 2015, Sia posted a tweet onTwitterwhich hinted that the single would be released on 25 September. The next day she released a 15-second preview of the music video on herVevoaccount. The song achieved moderate commercial success, reaching the top 40 in over 15 countries, including Spain, Belgium and France. In the UK, the song 30 on theUK Singles Chart.The song reached number 56 on the USBillboardHot 100,failing to reach the upper half of the chart. The music video for the song was released on 5 November 2015. It has received over 200 million views.

The song received generally positive reviews, with critics praising Sia's powerful, electrifying vocals. Sia has performed the song multiple times on camera, includingThe Ellen DeGeneres Show,Saturday Night Live,andThe X Factor.

Background

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In September 2015, Sia confirmed thatThis Is Acting'slead single "Alive" would be released later that month and was originally written forAdele.She described that the song "was about Adele's life" and "written in Adele's perspective." She further explained to Ryan Seacrest that the song was written in a writing session with Adele for her third album25,but was rejected at the last minute.[5][6]Rihannaalso rejected the tune.[7]

Release

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On 22 September 2015, Sia posted a tweet on Twitter which hinted that the single would be released on 25 September.[8]A 15-second preview was uploaded to Sia's Vevo channel on 23 September and the release date was made 1 day earlier to 24 September. Sia further updated on her Twitter that it would be released on the morning of 24 September. The single was premiered on Snapchat at about 7 a.m. and released to other services soon after.[citation needed]

Composition

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"Alive" is written in the key ofF♯minorwith atempoof 100 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of F♯m–C♯m–D–F♯m–C♯m–D–Bsus2,and Sia's vocals span from F♯3to E5.[9]"Alive" is a midtempopopandsynth-poppower ballad.[1][2][10]Dan Weiss ofBillboardfound the song similar toDemi Lovato's "Skyscraper"(2011).[10]

Music video

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The music video for the song directed by Sia andDaniel Askillwas released on 5 November 2015. It was shot by cinematographer Mathieu Plainfosse. It stars child karate starMahiro Takanosporting Sia’s black and blonde wig performing herkarate movesin an abandoned room. The music video was filmed in Japan.[11]

A lyric video was uploaded on 20 October 2015 on Sia'sVevochannel. Shot in de-saturated colours, the video features female figures without their faces shown. They wear two-toned black and blonde wigs, and the lyrics of the song are written on walls.

The Japanese official music video was released on 7 March 2016. It stars Japanese actressTao Tsuchiya,who studiesBuyōatJapan Women's College of Physical Education,dancing uniquely.[12]Due to a big attention to this video from Japan, "Alive" peaked No. 1 on BillboardJapan Hot 100on 21 March 2016.[13]

Reception

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Rolling Stonecritic Jon Blistein described Furler's vocals as "devastating, electrifying," and wrote, "while the dramatic build of" Alive "sounds straight out of Adele's wheelhouse, the outsized pop production — courtesy of Jesse Shatkin — and the ragged, throat-cracking, enrapturing vocal run Sia embarks on at the end are quintessentially her."[14]Dan Weiss ofBillboardsaid that the song has a "chandelier-shattering chorus that proves a power ballad can still be, well, powerful in the age of EDM. "[10]"Alive" also came in at #56 on the annualTriple J Hottest 100 for 2015.[15]

Commercial performance

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In the United States, the song debuted at number 56 on the USBillboardHot 100,selling 54,000 copies in its first week.[16]In Australia, the song debuted at number 10 and has been certified platinum by theAustralian Recording Industry Association.

Live performances

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Sia first performed the song during the forty-first season ofSaturday Night Live,withDonald Trumphosting, on 7 November 2015 with Mina Nishimura dancing.[17]Later, throughout December the song was performed onThe Ellen DeGeneres Showas well asThe Voiceon 1 December, followed by anX Factor UKperformance on 6 December. Sia appeared on French TV showC à vouson 9 December and two days later, 11 December onC'Cauet.The same day she gave a performance onThe Graham Norton Showand then performed the single on New Year's Eve onTFI Friday.When performing the song live, Sia usually sings in the key ofE minor,one tone below the recorded version.[18]

Track listing

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Digital download

  1. "Alive" – 4:23

CD single

  1. "Alive" – 4:23
  2. "Alive" (instrumental) – 4:23

Digital download - Remixes EP

  1. "Alive" (Plastic Plates Remix) – 4:58
  2. "Alive" (Maya Jane Coles Remix) – 5:07
  3. "Alive" (AFSHeeN Remix) – 3:16
  4. "Alive" (Boehm Remix) – 3:50
  5. "Alive" (Cahill Remix) – 4:18

Charts

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Covers

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In 2019, American rock bandDaughtryreleased a cover of the song after frontmanChris Daughtryperformed it onThe Masked Singeras the "Rottweiler".

Certifications

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Certifications and sales for "Alive"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[49] Platinum 70,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[50] Platinum 80,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[51] Gold 45,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[52] Platinum 50,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[53] Platinum 60,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[54] 2× Platinum 40,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[55] Gold 30,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[56] Gold 20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[57] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[58] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  2. ^abR. Holz, Adam."Alive Track Review (2015)".Plugged In (publication).Archivedfrom the original on 16 September 2016.Retrieved7 September2016.
  3. ^"This Is Acting".TIDAL.Archivedfrom the original on 11 July 2021.Retrieved11 July2021.
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  5. ^Chau, Thomas (7 September 2015)."Sia Reveals That She Originally Wrote Her Next Single for Adele".Popcrush.Archivedfrom the original on 16 August 2016.Retrieved7 September2015.
  6. ^"Sia za MMC:" Vsi mislijo, da bodo s slavo postali kul, ljubljeni in posebni ""(in Slovenian).Radiotelevizija Slovenija.Archivedfrom the original on 25 September 2015.Retrieved7 September2015.
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  12. ^"Thổ phòng quá phượng," phúc mặt "Ca sĩ シーアMVで áp quyển ダンス! Chấn phó sư tuyệt tán “Điểu cơ lập つ” ".Archivedfrom the original on 29 January 2017.Retrieved3 November2016.
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  51. ^"Danish single certifications – Sia – Alive".IFPI Danmark.Retrieved2 November2021.
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  53. ^"Certificaciones"(in Spanish).Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas.Retrieved30 July2020.TypeSiain the box under theARTISTAcolumn heading andAlivein the box under theTÍTULOcolumn heading.
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