The real reason Sia wears a wig

Pop star and human camouflage Sia revealed in her new Interview cover story why she started using colossal wigs to conceal her identity in public appearances — and we’ve got Amy Winehouse to thank.

Sitting down with funny woman Kristin Wiig — who volunteered to serve as her body-stocking-clad proxy at this year’s Grammys — the “Chandelier” singer tells the magazine:

I had the idea that, well, if Amy Winehouse had been the bouffant, maybe I was the blond bob. I wasn’t saturating the market; I was an indie-pop singer. And not that many people knew who I was anyway. I thought, “Well, I have one thing—I used to have a blond bob, and maybe I’ll make myself just a blond bob.

Readily admitting the hirsute disguise is a “gimmick,” the Aussie performer explains she was trying to steer the media attention away from harsh critique concerning her physicality or appearance, and toward the music itself. The wigs were her attempt to take control of her image.

So when people say, “Show your face, you’re not ugly.” I want to say, “I know. I’m not doing it because I think I’m ugly; I’m trying to have some control over my image. And I’m allowed to maintain some modicum of privacy. But also I would like not to be picked apart or for people to observe when I put on ten pounds or take off ten pounds or I have a hair extension out of place or my fake tan is botched.”

While it’s difficult to imagine the ultra-serious Sia donning a spray tan, her take on celebrity culture and media’s unrelenting scrutiny is understandable.

Of course, the idea was considered a marketing disaster by her record company, but she found that RCA was was willing to meet her creative demands — which included no promo, no tours, and no appearances in music videos for her hit album, 1000 Forms of Fear. Regularly inserting stand-ins like Wiig, actor Shia LeBouf, and child dance prodigy Maddie Ziegler into her videos, Sia is able to achieve some form of anonymity and still top the charts.

For Interview, Sia and her platinum nest of tresses are very present, the blonde frizz completely obscuring her face on the cover, save for her puckered lips. Inside, she’s seen hiding behind a blunt blonde bowl cut and clouds of curls, and donning plenty of Fall 2015 looks fresh off the avant garde runways of Viktor & Rolf, Alexander Wang, and Simone Rocha.

Still no peek of her mug, but we at least get to discover a bit more about this human mystery from down under.

Check out more images — and the whole interview — here.

Images by Gregory Harris for Interview.

Marjon Carlos is a style and culture writer for Fusion who boasts a strong turtleneck game and opinions on the subjects of fashion, gender, race, pop culture, and men’s footwear.