We Are Born debuted at number 2 on the Australian Albums Chart, being Sia's first top 10 release in her home country. The album won Best Pop Release and Best Independent Release at the 2010 ARIA Music Awards and received Gold accreditation in the Australian ARIA charts in 2011. At the J Awards of 2010, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year.
Composition
We Are Born is a pop,[4][5]dance-pop,[6]new wave,[7]synth-pop[7] and R&B album[7] that marks a significant stylistic shift from Sia's earlier, downtempo[8] and anti-folk work.[6] The album combines upbeat, club-ready tracks like "Clap Your Hands" and "You've Changed" with emotionally expressive moments such as her cover of Madonna's "Oh Father",[9][5] showcasing Sia's versatile vocal delivery across a range of moods and genres.[4][8] Its production, led by Greg Kurstin, emphasises polished, danceable arrangements with playful touches including funk-inspired rhythms, disco elements, and synth-driven textures,[8][10] resulting in a bright, energetic, and accessible sound that retains traces of her earlier, introspective style.[5][6]
Singles
The first single, "You've Changed" was released in December 2009. "Clap Your Hands" was released in April 2010, as the second single from the album.[11] "Bring Night" was released as the third and last single on 10 September 2010.[12]
We Are Born was received with generally favorable reviews with a score of 68 at Metacritic based on 14 reviews.[13]
AllMusic described We Are Born as a bright and energetic departure from Sia's earlier, downtempo material, calling it a "massive pop leap" characterised by upbeat dance tracks and light funk influences. The review praised Greg Kurstin's polished production and Sia's versatile vocals, noting the album's overall cheerful and optimistic tone.[8]BBC Music described the album as a shift from the anti-folk sensibilities of Sia's earlier work towards a more polished, dance-pop direction, comparing it to artists such as Kesha, Little Boots and Lady Gaga.[6]The Boston Globe praised We Are Born for showcasing Sia's ability to combine emotional authenticity with infectious, dance-oriented pop. It concluded that while the album aligns with mainstream pop trends, Sia distinguishes herself through songwriting that carries lived emotion rather than disposability.[9]Entertainment Weekly described the album as an energetic collection that sees Sia exploring "more caffeinated avenues", including funk, soul, and disco styles, characterising the album as "party music with a heart".[10]
Paste offered a more critical view, describing the record as mild in tone despite its brief ventures into disco and pop rock.[15]Slant Magazine praised Sia's leap into pop, noting its "disco- and funk-infused" production and drawing attention to the albu/ warmth and humanity.[4] Finally, Pitchfork regarded We Are Born as a fast-paced, upbeat pop record with elements of beat-led pop and guitar-driven pop rock, supported by Kurstin's bright production and Nick Valensi's electric guitar work.[5]
The album was nominated for a J Award on 26 July 2010.[18] At the 2010 ARIA Music Awards, We Are Born was nominated for Album of the Year, Best Pop Release and Best Independent Release.[citation needed] "Clap Your Hands" was nominated for Single of the Year.[19] Kris Moyes won best video for Sia's video for "Clap Your Hands".[20] Sia and Samuel Dixon were nominated for Song of the Year at the 2011 APRA Music Awards for the single "Clap Your Hands".[21][22]
Commercial performance
We Are Born was noticeably more successful than Sia's previous work and charted in countries where no Sia album had charted before. It debuted at number 2 on the Australian Albums Chart behind Eminem's Recovery,[23] at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart,[24] at number 9 on the Greek international albums chart,[25] number 13 on the Dutch Albums Chart,[26] number 38 in Switzerland,[27] number 80 in Belgium,[28] number 14 in Denmark,[29] number 24 in Finland,[30] number 73 in Germany[31] and number 60 in Canada.[32] The album also debuted at number 74 on the UK Albums Chart in the week ending 3 October 2010, making it her first album to reach the top 100 there.[33]We Are Born received Gold accreditation for shipments of 35,000 copies in the Australian ARIA charts in 2011.[34]
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