Sia drops new music video ‘The Greatest’ honouring Orlando shooting victims

Sia released a new track called “The Greatest” on Monday, and its music video has a message about the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, in June. The four-minute screenplay features young dancer Maddie Ziegler, who rose to fame after appearing in a number of Sia’s videos, including “Elastic Heart,” “Cheap Thrills” and “Chandelier.” The Aussie singer also collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on the single, although his verse is not featured in the video.

The imagery of the music video prompted various critics to label it as a tribute to the horrible mass shooting in an Orlando nightclub earlier this year where 49 lives were lost.

Directed by Sia and Daniel Askill and choreographed by Ryan Heffington, the video opens to a black screen with the hashtag #WeAreYourChildren printed in white font. A crying Maddie can then be seen wiping rainbow paint under her eyes. A group of kids lies motionless on the ground below her, and she starts screaming, urging the kids to get up.

The kids begin to move in unison once the music starts, with Maddie leading the charge. They eventually come together as one group as they dance through an old house. They jump up and down before collapsing to the ground, exposing the bullet-pierced wall behind them.

People reports that the 49 kids involved in the video represent the 49 lives lost in the deadliest mass shooting in America’s history.

Matt Moseley, one of the dancers, posted a screengrab of the video to Instagram with the caption “49 beautiful lives lost. This is for you.”

Dedicating a video for the victims of the horrific attack is not new for Sia. Following the tragic shooting, the Aussie singer dedicated one of her performances of the song “Titanium” to the LGBTQ community. She was overcome with emotion as she sang the lyrics like, “You shoot me down, but I won’t fall, I am titanium.”

Sia’s team has yet to reveal or confirm the meaning behind “The Greatest” video.

Watch “The Greatest” music video below: