Sia reveals autism diagnosis: ‘I have become fully, fully myself’
'For 45 years, I was like, "I’ve got to go put my human suit on,"' the singer explained.
By Nick Reilly
Sia has revealed that she was recently diagnosed with autism, just two years after she apologised for her depiction of the condition in a film she directed.
Speaking to Rob Cesternino and Carolyn Wiger on a recent episode of Rob Has A Podcast, the singer-songwriter explained that she is “on the spectrum, and I’m in recovery and whatever. There’s a lot of things.”
She added: ” “For 45 years, I was like, ‘I’ve got to go put my human suit on,’ and only in the last two years have I become fully, fully myself.”
The singer, best known for hits such as ‘Cheap Thrills’ and ‘Titanium’, faced backlash in 2021 when she directed Music – a drama about a woman who becomes a carer for her autistic teenage sister.
The film was met with widespread criticism as a result of casting Maddie Ziegler, a neuro-typical actress who had appeared in some of Sia’s music videos, in the lead role.
It also faced backlash for a scene in which Ziegler’s character was placed in a controversial restraint.
Apologising at the time, Sia explained that a disclaimer would feature before future screenings of the film.
“I promise, have been listening,” she wrote, also adding that her research “was clearly not thorough enough, not wide enough”.
Last year, she also revealed that the backlash to the film led her to become suicidal.
“I was suicidal and relapsed and went to rehab,” Sia said.
The singer has spoken previously about her drug and alcohol addiction. In 2018 she celebrated being eight years sober [via Self].