Her life-affirming pop masterpiece

Going into her seventh album, Sia Furler wanted to try “an experiment”. She would record self-written tracks already pitched to—but overlooked by—A-listers. “I feel like they’re hits, but nobody wanted them,” she said. She was right. This Is Acting dives head first into pop’s waters, but its bold and beguiling songs retain their author’s earthy edge. Sia’s cathartic voice is, as usual, the star—“Alive” and “House on Fire” pulverise all before them, the big-night-out anthem “Cheap Thrills” is a tonne of fun and “Reaper” (a Kanye West co-write) is the sort of mid-tempo empowerment jam only she can nail so triumphantly.