A group of concertgoers who attended Sia's show earlier this month are filing a class-action lawsuit against her for around $US 2 million. Photo / Getty Images
A group of concertgoers who attended Sia's show earlier this month are filing a class-action lawsuit against her for around $US 2 million. Photo / Getty Images
Aussie-born pop singer Sia is currently winding her way around the world on her first large-scale tour in six years.
But some fans aren't happy after a recent concert in Tel Aviv - and they're going so far as to sue the 40-year-old singer.
The Jerusalem Post reports that a group of concertgoers who attended Sia's show earlier this month - a 13-song set that included hits Chandelier, Cheap Thrills and Titanium - are filing a class-action lawsuit against her for around US$2 million (2.8 million).
Their complaints about the gig are numerous, stating that "even the live vocals felt impersonal, as the artist never once addressed the crowd, mentioned what it was like to be in Tel Aviv, or bantered in any way."
Yes, Sia's being sued for her lack of between-song banter.
Other complaints included the fact that the video screens at the concert played prerecorded footage of Sia's celeb friends like Kristen Wiig and Gabby Hoffman dancing, rather than relaying what was happening on stage.
One fan told the Times of Israel that people "felt cheated" because "the live show was an imitation of the recorded show and included actors and dancers who never set foot in Israel".
"She just stood there during the whole performance, toward the back of the stage and didn't say anything other than 'thank you' when the show was over."
Other complaints included the brief length of the show - 65 minutes - and that the trademark face-covering wigs Sia wore hampered any connection with the audience.
The singer seemed to address the controversy on Twitter today, acknowledging that her current tour is "abstract" but that every moment is "purely intentional".
I put everything I have into my show- it's abstract for sure, but I'm singing my heart out live and every moment is purely intentional.
Surprisingly, the producer of the concert, 3A Productions, is quoted in the Times of Israel as agreeing with the harsh fan assessment of Sia's performance.
"Managing an artist is a tough job, especially when it's a diva," said a company spokesman, who blamed promoter Ilan Elkayam and his company, Tandi Productions.
"Tandi is a young company and beginners can make this kind of mistakes but we were definitely surprised since Ilan Elkayam has a consistent experience in this industry."
In the unlikely event Sia does have to pay out on this lawsuit, it shouldn't hurt her hip pocket too much: this week she marks one month atop the US Billboard Hot 100 with her current single Cheap Thrills, already a multi-platinum hit in Australia and the UK.
