Bird Set Free

"Bird Set Free" is a song recorded by Sia for her seventh studio album This Is Acting (2016).[2] It was released as the first promotional single from the album on 4 November 2015.

"Bird Set Free"
Promotional single by Sia
from the album This Is Acting
Released4 November 2015
GenrePower pop[1]
Length4:15
LabelInertia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Greg Kurstin
Audio video
Bird Set Free on YouTube

Background

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Sia said that the song was written for Pitch Perfect 2 soundtrack, but they rejected it in favour of "Flashlight". Afterwards she pitched it to Rihanna, who rejected it, then to Adele, who initially recorded it for her album 25, but later decided to let Sia keep it.[3][4]

Composition

"Bird Set Free" is a piano-based power ballad[5][6] written in the key of F minor.[7]

Critical reception

Rolling Stone said the song is "liberating".[8] In a review of the song's parent album This Is Acting, Kathy Iandolf of Idolator wrote "This album is dark, indicated by the lead single 'Alive,' but also by the opener 'Bird Set Free,' where Sia takes a solemn vow to emotional liberation amidst strong piano keys."[9] Alex McCown of The A.V. Club called it the "best female empowerment sing-along Katy Perry never wrote."[10] Calling the song a "ginormo self-empowerment anthem", Hugh Montgomory of The Independent wrote "Sia produces something more complex, battle-cries from a volatile soul."[11]

Promotion

Sia performed "Bird Set Free" and "Alive" on the 7 November 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live.[12][13]

Usage in media

"Bird Set Free" was featured over the end credits of the horror film The Shallows.[14] It was also featured in the opening credits of the 2017 film Unforgettable.

Charts
Chart (2015–16) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[15] 36
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 98
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[17] 69
France (SNEP)[18] 49
New Zealand Heatseekers (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 9
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[20] 65
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 13
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 69
UK Singles (OCC)[23] 92

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[24] Gold 25,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[25] Gold 25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[26] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[27] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Rolling Stone Staff (28 June 2023). "The 50 Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 September 2023. A power-pop battle cry from Sia's 2015 LP, This Is Acting, "Bird Set Free" features themes that often resonate with the queer community...
  2. Gordon, Jeremy (3 November 2015). "Sia Shares "Bird Set Free"". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  3. Spanos, Brittany (3 December 2015). "Sia on Reclaiming Adele, Rihanna's Unwanted Hits". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  4. Polanco, Luis (3 November 2015). "Sia Releases Powerful Ballad 'Bird Set Free,' Originally Intended for Adele: Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  5. Tan, Monica (4 November 2011). "Sia shares new song and release date for upcoming album This is Acting". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  6. Somarriba, Mary Rose (1 September 2016). "4 Chart-Topping Songs with Messages About Real Female Empowerment". Verily. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  7. "Product MN0159570 "Bird Set Free"". Music Notes. EMI Music Publishing. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  8. Spanos, Brittany (3 November 2015). "Hear Sia's Liberating New Song 'Bird Set Free'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  9. Iandoli, Kathy (29 January 2016). "Sia's 'This Is Acting': Album Review". Idolator. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  10. McCown, Alex (29 January 2016). "Sia's charisma holds together an assembly line of modern pop hits". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  11. Montgomery, Hugh. "Sia, This is Acting review: a thrillingly intimate album that's so much more than just off-cuts". The Independent. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  12. Claymore, Gabriela Tully (13 October 2015). "Sia Playing SNL with Host Donald Trump". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  13. Russell, Erica (7 November 2015). "Donald Trump Hosts 'SNL', Sia Performs". PopCrush. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  14. Truffaut-Wong, Olivia (23 June 2016). "'The Shallows' End-Credits Song Is A Pitch-Perfect Choice". Bustle. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  15. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. 16 November 2015. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  16. "Sia Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  17. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201549 into search. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  18. "Sia – Bird Set Free" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  19. "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 16 November 2015. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  20. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201549 into search. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  21. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 46, 2015" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  22. "Sia – Bird Set Free". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  24. "Italian single certifications – Sia – Bird Set Free" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  25. "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2022 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  26. "British single certifications – Sia – Bird Set Free". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  27. "American single certifications – Sia – Bird Set Free". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
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