Sia was seen beaming beside her cast as she got in the director’s chair for her film Music, which stars Kate Hudson, Maddie Ziegler and Leslie Odom Jr.
The singer, 45, looked delighted as she wrapped her arms around the dancer, 18, during a break from filming in exclusive snaps shared with MailOnline.
In the movie, which is set for release on February 15, Kate plays a drug-addicted free-spirit named Kazoo who becomes sole guardian of her autistic half sister named Music, played by Maddie.
Sia’s Music EXCLUSIVE: The singer beamed as she posed with her muse Maddie Ziegler in behind-the-scenes snaps shared with MailOnline
Portraying her character Music, Maddie was seen with a hart painted onto her face to match her outfit, while she also sported oversized ear mufflers.
Sia appeared to be in great spirits as she posed for photos alongside the young star, who she has worked with since their collaboration in her music video for Chandelier in 2014.
In another photo, Kate wore a stern expression in the role of Kazoo, and she showed off her slender figure in a blue sports bra and matching trousers.
Leslie, who plays Ebo in the film, was also seen behind-the-scenes, and the Hamilton star smiled as he and Sia posed for a photo together.
Getting into character: In another photo, Kate wore a stern expression as drug-addicted free-spirit Kazoo, and she showed off her slender figure in a blue sports bra and matching trousers
Star power: Leslie, who plays Ebo in the film, was also seen behind-the-scenes, and the Hamilton star smiled as he and Sia took a break from set to pose for a photo
Sia has received backlash over her controversial casting of the non-autistic Dance Moms star playing opposite Kate, but she has said that Maddie is her ‘muse’ so she wrote the character with her in mind to play them.
She explained: ‘Having worked with her since she was a little girl she is like family to me, and having directed her in my music videos I knew that together we could create the character of Music.
‘It was very important to both of us that we make Music a sensitive representation of a child on the autism spectrum.’
Sia went on: [Her] character is based on a young boy on the autism spectrum who I met in an AA meeting.
Inspiration: Sia has received backlash over her controversial casting of the non-autistic Dance Moms star, but she said Maddie is her ‘muse’ so she wrote the character with her in mind
‘His mother was the sign language interpreter for the meeting and she couldn’t afford babysitting so she brought him with her every Sunday morning and I developed a connection with him.
‘One day she said, ‘Who will love him when I’m gone?” and that was the genesis of the story that became Music.’
Discussing how she worked on every aspect of the film, the singer added that she didn’t realise directors don’t always also get involved in areas like costume design and songwriting.
She said: ‘I had directed music videos so I naively thought it would just be like making a very long music video.
Candid: Sia explained: ‘It was very important to both of us that we make Music a sensitive representation of a child on the autism spectrum’
Different experience: Of making the film, Sia went on: ‘I had directed music videos so I naively thought it would just be like making a very long music video’
‘And, I didn’t even consider the fact that most directors just direct, they don’t also help design the costumes and write the songs. But, you know what, I loved it.
‘Even when we had problems it was like a puzzle. I did make it a bit difficult on my producer and my editor because the way that we shot was really unconventional.’
Explaining how that was the case, she continued: ‘Normally, you block something out and you stick to that for every take you do with each character. I didn’t know about that.
‘Our very experienced DP Sebastian Winterø did, but he was willing to go on this journey with me and in the end we had everything we needed.
Her way: Sia added, ‘Even when we had problems it was like a puzzle. I did make it a bit difficult on my producer and my editor because the way that we shot was really unconventional’
Honest: ‘Also, when I expanded the story into a screenplay I did not originally think about making it a musical but everyone was like “you’re f*****g stupid,”‘ Sia said of the film
‘Also, when I expanded the story into a screenplay I did not originally think about making it a musical but everyone was like “you’re f*****g stupid.”
‘I finally listened and I wrote songs that would move the story into different places. When I was writing the script with my co-writer Dallas Clayton I worked out the dialogue in my head.
‘Then I would act things out to see how it felt. It is the same way I create music, I sing the melody as I write the lyrics.’
Music follows Kate’s Kazoo after her grandmother passes away and leaves her with no money in the will, and she is gifted sole-guardianship of Music who she has to learn to care for.
Amid a struggle towards sobriety and a few close encounters that land her on probation, Kate’s character finds purpose in her newfound responsibility as she sets out on a path to better herself for the sake of her sister.
After news surfaced that Sia had chosen her longtime dance Ziegler to play an autistic character, many were outraged.
The autistic community spoke out that she should have cast an actor on the spectrum instead, and additionally she paired with Autism Speaks who has been slammed for being exploitative in the past.
Plot: Music follows Kate’s Kazoo after her grandmother passes away and leaves her with no money in the will, and she is gifted sole-guardianship of her sister Music
Sweet: Kate’s character finds purpose in her newfound responsibility as she sets out on a path to better herself for the sake of her sister
In a since deleted Tweet in November Sia responded, ‘Grrrrrrrrrr. F**kity f**k why don’t you watch my film before you judge it? FURY.’
In a December interview with the Sunday Project, Sia continued to defend her decision to use Maddie, as she called it ‘nepotism,’ with an emphasis on art.
‘I mean, it is ableism I guess as well, but it’s actually nepotism because I can’t do a project without her. I don’t want to. I wouldn’t make art if it didn’t include her.’
Music will be released through Signature Entertainment UK on February 15.
Dance muse: Sia chose to use her longtime dancer as the film’s star despite, a decision that received backlash from many, including the autistic community
For arts sake: ‘I wouldn’t make art if it didn’t include her,’ Sia said in defence of her choice to cast the dancer as a character on the spectrum despite being able