Maddie Ziegler, the girl who danced to 'Chandelier' with Sia, has changed a lot

The Australian singer Sia met young dancing talent Maddie Ziegler when she was eight years old. As she later told YouTube's Zach Sang Show, she felt "an extreme desire to protect her."

Not only did she protect Maddie but she also made her a global star. The young dancer appeared in seven music videos of the Australian superstar. The most popular was 'Chandelier,' which they filmed when Maddie was 12. She also danced to hits like 'The Greatest' and 'Elastic Heart'.

What not everyone may have known is that Maddie Ziegler already had a successful career before Sia. It spanned from film to TV and reality talent shows.

Madison Nicole Ziegler was born on September 30, 2002, in Pittsburgh. She was interested in music and dance from a young age, and at just two years old, she began taking classes at Reign Dance Productions in her hometown. By the age of five, she was part of the Abby Lee Dance Company.

Her innate talent for dancing led her to participate in the CBS show 'Live to Dance'. It was in 2011 and Maddie Ziegler was just nine years old.

At the end of 'Live to Dance,' the young girl continued her career in reality TV as part of 'Dance Moms,' the Lifetime reality TV show that followed the daily lives of the dancers of the Abby Lee Dance Company during the elite team competition.

For six seasons (2011-2016), Maddie Ziegler, her sister Mackenzie, and her mother, Melissa Gisoni, participated in this reality TV show. They were often among the most remarkable students and favorites of the public.

Alongside 'Dance Moms', Maddie Ziegler got some other professional opportunities. In 2012, she made her acting debut in 'Drop Dead Diva', the Lifetime comedy, in which she gave life to the young Deb. Curiously, it is about a lawyer who remembers her childhood in a dance school, and the child is played by Maddie Ziegler.

In 2014, when Sia chose Maddie Ziegler as her dancer in the spectacular video for 'Chandelier', the young girl became known worldwide. She was 12 years old and already a star. Here we see her in 2016 with Apple's Tim Cook, wearing the typical hairstyle of Sia's performances.

In addition to her seven videos with Sia, the young dancer has also appeared in videos for many singers and groups such as 'Freaks Like Me' by Todrick Hall, 'It's a Party Girl' by Mack Z, and 'Speechless' by Eddie Benjamin.

Under Sia's guidance, young Maddie Ziegler not only appeared in her music videos but also accompanied her to presentations, interviews, and promotions, giving her the exposure the singer felt Maddie Ziegler deserved.

In 2020, Sia produced and directed the movie 'Music' in which Maddie was the star actress. It wasn't well received, but the film was a good learning experience for the young woman.

Image: Vertical

Moreover, as Sia revealed on the Zach Sang podcast, she tried to protect young Maddie from certain excesses of the industry. "I thought a good way I can keep her safe is just keep making projects for her and therefore most of the time we're working together," the Australian singer said.

An example was the day she stopped Maddie Ziegler from boarding a plane with Harvey Weinstein. "I kept her off a plane that Harvey Weinstein tried to get her on. When he invited her, I told Maddie's mom Melissa, I just said, 'Please don't, do not do that, do not do that, do not do that'."

Alongside her work and her personal relationship with Sia, which they still maintain, young Maddie Ziegler was a familiar face on the television scene. At just 13 years old, she was chosen as a judge on the show 'So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation'.

Movies, TV, music videos? What was missing from Maddie Ziegler's professional life before she even turned 18? Working as a supermodel. She's worked with brands like Ralph Lauren, Purple Pixies, Capezio, Target, and Cicci Dancewear.

Her passion for fashion is such that she even has her own clothing line: Maddie Style, which is currently at a standstill. She also launched, in collaboration with the makeup brand Morphe, her first makeup collection: 'Morphe X Maddie Ziegler'.

Want more? No problem. In 2017, Maddie Ziegler published her biography: 'The Maddie Diaries'. A book that collects her memoirs and her reflections on the hard work that led her to her current success. The book was a Sunday Times bestseller for 18 weeks.

Acting has come more to the foreground in Maddie's career with projects like 'West Side Story', 'Music', and 'The Fallout' in 2021.

Maddie Ziegler has quite the following on Instagram and YouTube. As for Instagram, she surpassed the number of 13 million followers, so her profile is gaining traction for all sorts of brands and businesses.

On the video platform, the dancer/actress promotes the Fabletics sportswear line, and you can also find some older videos of her and her sister Mackenzie (image). In 2023, the sisters promoted the brand American Eagle Outfitters together.

Meanwhile, she also keeps making films. Recent projects include the Canadian coming-of-age drama 'Fitting In', where she was the lead actress, and 'My Old A..' with Aubrey Plaza, in which she played a supporting role.

Maddie Ziegler's presence all around caused Forbes to include her in the 2023 'Forbes 30 Under 30 list' for the category 'Hollywood & Entertainment.' We can expect much more from this young star!

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