“You’re not alone in all this. You’re not alone, I promise. Standing together, we can do anything.”
On Sep. 24, Australian singer-songwriter Sia released her new single, Courage to Change, as an addition to the soundtrack for her self-directed movie, Music. The uplifting ballad reflects upon the fears that come when facing change and how to cope with the underlying stress that comes along with it. The overall song focuses on spreading the message to people around the world to be brave and work towards a better future while also considering the problems that cannot be solved alone.
Essentially, while the song highlights the importance of facing the future head-on, Sia takes a further step to stress the fact that people need to stick together to fight for change in world issues.
To begin, the song is based on one question: what does it take for an individual to change their life? Within the echoing chorus lyrics, the key verses of the song are “Sowing the seeds of love and hope/ we don’t have to stay here, stuck in the weeds/ have I the courage to change?” In these lines, Sia analyzes that fear for the future is not the sole reason people fear change. Recalling her personal experiences, Sia explains that there is also the factor of anxiety in finding a specific purpose in life, relating to her conflicting emotions towards her past fame by showing her fans her “real self.”
Looking back into the artist’s career, Sia has been adamant about her desire for privacy, represented by a time within her career where she wore large wigs and bows to hide her face. In Sia’s interview with Billboard, she explains, “I do not want to be famous, or recognizable,” referring to the fact that wearing wigs helps defend herself against “the dark side of fame” or the criticism from the general media. Within her years in the industry, she emphasizes that her insecurities have grown to the point where she was scared of showing her real self.
Furthermore, Sia has touched upon her mental health status by sharing her experiences with depression and bipolar disorder. One instance is when she revealed her suicidal thoughts throughout her career, even that attempting suicide in 2010. Undoubtedly, she has created this song to showcase her growth as the first line of Courage to Change states, “World, I want to leave you better,” portraying that, although she believes she has no specific place in the world, she still desires to make the world a better place, stating that it is never too late to find a purpose. The importance of standing together concludes the moral of the song to the concept that when society cooperates, they achieve anything.
Especially during times of social-distancing, as many become desensitized to the severity of the issue at hand, people have little hope and motivation to work towards positive changes in society. Sia explains within the song that standing together is a possible solution to give people the motivation to change.
Despite Sia already influencing many with her songs, she does not intend to stop there. Sia’s new release marks the second single, along with Together, to be released in her upcoming movie. Music centers around the story of an autistic teenager who is cared for by her drug-dealing sister. With the songs sticking to a particular theme for the movie, the movie will undoubtedly revolve around the two siblings sticking together facing new challenges that lead them to an unexpected future, shown in many of the lyrics of Courage to Change.
Overall, the song marks Sia’s call for listeners to fight for change against social injustices. By stressing the importance of the concept, Sia encourages people to rally together when facing adversities.
Essentially, everyone has the potential to make the world a better place, and with that potential, it is necessary for people to fight for change.
