Sia learned about white privilege from her two adopted sons.
The ‘Chandelier’ hitmaker gave a home to the two 18-year-old boys, both of whom are black, earlier this year and she admits she has learned so much about race discrimination from them and their life experiences.
Sia admits she is "embarrassed" that she never understood the struggles of black people in society before.
Speaking on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music show, she said: "I mean, I’m going to cry. That’s what’s going to happen right now. I’m going to cry. I’m embarrassed. I’m embarrassed that it took me to adopt two black sons to really understand what they go through on a daily basis.
"When this reality is happening, and it’s what we should be addressing more than anything else, more than any dumb video I’m putting out, or any song I’m putting out, or any music I ever loved. There are things to do. We can actually act, and we can have an effect. We don’t have to just feel sad and guilt.
"I’m very scared, very scared for my children. I love them so much, you know? Guillaume Chapelle is my friend, but when he said shut up white woman, I was like, ‘I can’t. I’m sorry. I know I’ve never experienced, I’ve only ever experienced white privilege.’ I know that now, and I am fully aware of how much I’ve experienced white privilege, but now I have these two black sons who tell me how it really is. You know?"
Sia – who is now a grandmother due to one of her sons becoming a father to two babies – has spent the coronavirus lockdown with her "curated family" at her home.
The 44-year-old Australian singer feels blessed to have spent that time with people she is close to because she learnt in the past that "isolation is bad for the brain".
She said: "It’s proven science, that isolation is bad for the brain. It causes suicidal ideation, and that what’s most important for us is to be in meaningful relationships, healthy, meaningful relationships with people who give us exactly as much as we give them. Or, if they’re giving us a deficit, we know that when we need to take more from them, they’re going to take a deficit. So, I’m lucky because I ended up quarantining with most of my curated family, and we’ve been able to be together during this period.
"But even in the last two years since I hired security, I only just hired security. Even in just these last two years I’ve realised that having someone with me at all times has completely changed the way that my brain works, because I love them. They’re my security guards. I love them, and I’m able to co-regulate with them, and therefore if I’m having a funny, or uncomfortable, or experiencing any discomfort I’m able to just be honest with them, and they’ll come and sit and hold my hand if I need to have a cry. I’m blessed.
"Now, I have the resources for this, but most people don’t, so most people have to really take it upon themselves to pick up the phone, and call, and to know they’re not a burden, and to know that every time they pick up the phone and call someone else, they’re doing them a favour. You have to have community."