Why Sia Did Not Sing Diamonds
The song Diamonds is primarily associated with Rihanna, not Sia. Sia co-wrote the track, but she did not record or release it as a lead single or album cut under her name Forbes. Public data shows the track appeared on Rihanna's 2012 album Unapologetic, with Sia credited as a songwriter rather than a performer.
Industry reports indicate that Sia's role was limited to composition, while Rihanna's label, Def Jam Recordings, handled the recording, production, and release Rihanna Official Site. Sia has publicly acknowledged writing songs for other artists, and Diamonds is one of her most commercially successful writing credits, but she did not sing it.
Rights, Ownership, and Label Decisions
Songwriting Credits and Publishing Splits
BMI and ASCAP data list Sia, along with Benjamin Levin and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, as co-writers of Diamonds BMI. The songwriting split means Sia earns publishing royalties when the track is performed or streamed, but she does not hold master recording rights.
Master Recording Ownership
The master recording of Diamonds is owned by Def Jam Recordings and its parent company Universal Music Group SEC Filing. As a result, Sia had no authority to re-release, re-record, or perform the song under her own brand without label approval.
Public Data on Diamonds Performance and Streaming
Spotify and Apple Music data show Diamonds credited to Rihanna, with billions of streams attributed to her artist profile Forbes. Sia's own discography does not include Diamonds, and search results for her official releases do not list the track.
Chart rankings from Billboard confirm Diamonds peaked at number one on the Hot 100 under Rihanna's name Billboard. Sia has not performed the song live as a solo artist, and no official live recording or studio version of her singing Diamonds has been released publicly.