In addition to being one of Australia’s biggest breakout stars in the international pop scene, Sia has now made American music history by being the first female performer over 40 to hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
Sia recently nabbed her first ever Number 1 single Stateside with the dancehall-inspired number ‘Cheap Thrills’. That is, her first Number 1 under her own name. She previously had a chart-topper as the writer of Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’.
But the 40-year-old singer and songsmith to the stars finally has a Number 1 whilst taking centre stage, with her 2014 smash hit ‘Chandelier’, which made her a household name, previously peaking at Number 8 on the US chart.
As News Corp reports, Sia is now the first female performer over 40 to reach the top of the Billboard chart since Madonna did it back in 2000. Madonna was 42 when she gave ageism one right across the chops with ‘Music’.
That single led the chart for four weeks and came a year after Cher, then 52, sent ‘Believe’ to the top of the Billboard charts for four weeks. However, the chart has been dominated by youngsters ever since.
Meanwhile, ‘Cheap Thrills’ has had a long way to the top, finally reaching Number 1 in its 23rd week on the chart. It’s the longest climb up the Billboard singles chart since John Legend’s ‘All of Me’ took 30 weeks to top the countdown.
