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Sia, the singer and songwriter has recently revealed that she is on the autism spectrum. The announcement came during an episode of the “Rob Has a Podcast,” where she discussed various topics with Carolyn Wiger, a former contestant on “Survivor” and a drug counselor.
“I’m on the spectrum, and I’m in recovery and whatever-there’s a lot of things,” Sia said while on the podcast.
At 47 years old, Sia indicated that she only recently became aware of her autism diagnosis. She described how, for most of her life, she felt the need to wear a metaphorical “human suit,” but in the past two years, she has embraced her true self more fully.
Sia’s admission sheds light on the fact that autism diagnoses can occur later in life. While many individuals receive their diagnosis during childhood, others may not fully understand or recognize their condition until later stages of life. This late diagnosis can bring its own set of unique experiences and challenges.
During the podcast, Sia expressed her admiration for Wiger and surprised her by announcing that she would be giving her $100,000 to assist her and her son. Wiger expressed her gratitude, commending Sia for her openness.
Sia emphasized the importance of being open about one’s struggles and finding acceptance. She spoke about her experiences with recovery and the significance of not living with secrets and shame. The singer had previously disclosed her journey through substance abuse treatment.
“Nobody can ever know and love you when you’re filled with secrets and … living in shame,” she added. “And when we finally sit in a room full of strangers and tell them our deepest, darkest, most shameful secrets, and everybody laughs along with us, and we don’t feel like pieces of trash for the first time in our lives, and we feel seen for the first time in our lives for who we actually are, and then we can start going out into the world and just operating as humans and human beings with hearts and not pretending to be anything.”
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This announcement comes after Sia faced criticism in 2021 for casting her frequent collaborator, Maddie Ziegler, who is neurotypical, as a character with autism in the film “Music.” Sia acknowledged the controversy at the time and explained that her decision was driven by a deep artistic connection with Ziegler.
Watch the full interview here:
