You’ve probably heard it in a car commercial, a gym playlist, or that one TikTok video where someone finally achieves their fitness goals. Lyrics Unstoppable by Sia have basically become the universal soundtrack for "getting things done." But if you actually sit down and listen—really listen—to what she’s saying, the song is a lot darker than your average motivational anthem. Honestly, it’s kinda ironic.
Released way back in 2016 as part of her This Is Acting album, "Unstoppable" didn't even start as a massive global hit. It was just a "promotional single." Sia wrote it with Christopher Braide and had Jesse Shatkin produce it. For years, it just lived in the middle of an album full of songs Sia originally wrote for other people like Adele or Rihanna. Then, around 2022, the world collectively decided it was the most inspiring song ever made.
But is it actually inspiring? Or is it a cry for help?
The "Armor" Theory: What the Lyrics Really Mean
The chorus is what everyone remembers. It’s huge. It’s loud. Sia sings about being a "Porsche with no brakes" and winning "every single game." It sounds like peak confidence. But look at the verses. She literally says, "I'll tell you what you want to hear / Keep my sunglasses on while I shed a tear."
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That’s not confidence. That’s a mask.
Why we relate to the "False Front"
We live in a world where you're expected to be "on" all the time. Social media is just a highlight reel of us being "unstoppable," right? Sia captures that pressure perfectly. She talks about putting her "armor on" to show how strong she is. Most people hear the word "unstoppable" and think of a superhero. Sia is actually describing a person who is so terrified of being vulnerable that they’ve locked themselves inside a metal suit.
- The Porsche Metaphor: A Porsche with no brakes is actually a terrifying thing to be in. It’s fast, sure, but it’s out of control. It’s going to crash eventually.
- The Battery Line: "I don't need batteries to play." This is a classic Sia line. It suggests she’s a machine, not a human. Humans get tired. Machines just keep going until they break.
- The Friendship Dilemma: She admits that letting feelings show is the only way to make friendships grow, but then says, "I'm too afraid now."
It’s a song about the loneliness of being "strong."
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From "Rejected" Track to Billion-Stream Giant
The story of how this song became a hit is pretty wild. This Is Acting was an album of "rejects"—songs Sia wrote for other pop stars that they turned down. "Unstoppable" was rumored to be written with someone like Demi Lovato in mind, given the high-power vocal style.
For a long time, it was just a solid album track. Then came the ads. Lancôme used it for a fragrance ad starring Zendaya. Samsung put it in a Galaxy S22 Ultra commercial. Suddenly, everyone was Googling "song that goes I'm a Porsche with no brakes." By late 2023, the song officially hit one billion streams on Spotify.
It’s one of those rare "slow burns" in the music industry. It took six years to reach its peak. That doesn't really happen anymore in the era of viral TikTok hits that die in three weeks.
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Is the Message Actually Toxic?
There’s a bit of a debate online about whether the lyrics Unstoppable by Sia are actually healthy. On one hand, it’s a great pump-up song. If you’re about to run a marathon or walk into a scary job interview, you want to feel like a Porsche with no brakes. You need that armor.
On the other hand, some critics (and a lot of people on Reddit) argue it promotes a "toxic" level of self-reliance. If you never take the armor off, you never actually heal. Sia has been very open about her own struggles with addiction and mental health, and you can hear that tension in the track. The song isn't necessarily saying "be like this." It's saying "this is how I survive."
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Listen
Next time this track comes on your shuffle, try listening for the "break."
- Focus on the second verse: That's where the real story is. The "I break down, only alone I will cry out loud" part.
- Notice the production: Notice how the music gets heavier and more "mechanical" as it goes. It’s meant to feel like a machine powering up.
- Use it, don't live it: Use the song for the boost you need, but remember the lyrics are a warning about the cost of never showing your "tears."
Music is weird. We can turn a song about hiding your pain into a global anthem for success. Maybe that's because, deep down, we're all just putting our armor on and hoping nobody notices the brakes are missing.
To get the full experience, listen to the live version from Sia's 2016 Coachella set. You can really hear the strain and power in her voice that the polished studio version sometimes hides.