It was 2017. The world was still humming "Cheap Thrills" on a loop, and Hasbro was making a massive gamble by bringing the "Mane Six" to the big screen with a theatrical budget. Then, the announcement dropped: Sia in My Little Pony. Honestly, it felt like a weird fever dream at first. You had this edgy, mysterious pop icon known for hiding her face behind giant bicoloured wigs suddenly joining a universe of pastel horses and friendship magic. But if you look at the track record of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic franchise, they’ve always had a knack for landing big-name talent.
Sia didn't just provide a quick voiceover for a background character. She became Songbird Serenade, a literal pegasus pop star who served as the emotional heartbeat of the My Little Pony: The Movie soundtrack. It worked. People weren't just watching a toy commercial anymore; they were listening to a legitimate power ballad that climbed the charts.
Who Exactly Was Songbird Serenade?
Songbird Serenade is basically the Equestria version of Sia’s stage persona. The designers didn't even try to be subtle about it. She has the signature oversized black-and-white mane that completely obscures her eyes, topped with a massive yellow bow. In the film, she is the headliner for the Friendship Festival in Canterlot.
She's huge. Like, "stadium-tour-sold-out-in-seconds" huge.
When the Storm King invades Canterlot and everything goes south, Songbird Serenade isn't a warrior. She’s a civilian caught in the chaos. This creates a grounded perspective that the movie actually needed. While Twilight Sparkle and her friends are off on an epic quest to find the Hippogriffs, we see the stakes back home through the eyes of the ponies who were left behind. Songbird Serenade represents the culture and the spirit of Equestria that the Storm King is trying to crush.
What’s interesting is that Sia’s involvement wasn’t just a marketing gimmick. She actually contributed an original song, "Rainbow," which became the film's lead single. Most celebrity cameos in kids' movies feel phoned in. You can hear the boredom in the voice acting. But Songbird Serenade felt like a genuine extension of Sia’s artistic brand—vulnerable, soaring, and a little bit detached from reality.
The Impact of "Rainbow" on the Soundtrack
If you grew up on the show, you know Daniel Ingram is the musical genius behind the series' songs. He’s great. However, bringing in Sia for "Rainbow" shifted the energy. The song was produced by Jesse Shatkin, the same guy behind "Chandelier." It has that mid-tempo, anthemic pulse that makes you want to stare out a rainy window and then suddenly conquer the world.
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The lyrics of "Rainbow" are classic Sia. They deal with moving past pain and finding the light after a storm—themes that fit perfectly with the movie's plot involving the Storm King’s literal and metaphorical clouds.
- The song peaked at number 8 on the Kid Digital Song Sales chart.
- The music video features Maddie Ziegler (Sia’s longtime dance collaborator) doing her iconic interpretive dance, but this time, she's surrounded by elements from Equestria.
- It currently has hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, far outperforming almost any other song from the G4 era of the franchise.
Honestly, the song is better than it has any right to be. It’s a legitimate pop track that could have easily sat on one of her studio albums. It doesn't talk down to the audience. It treats the "friendship" theme with a level of maturity that resonated with the older "Brony" demographic and parents alike.
Why the Collaboration Worked (When It Could Have Failed)
Pop star cameos in animation can be a disaster. Remember the weird era of 90s movies where they’d just shove a boy band into a scene for thirty seconds? This was different. Sia’s "Songbird Serenade" fit the lore. Equestria already had a history of musical icons, from Countess Coloratura (a Lady Gaga-esque figure voiced by Lena Hall) to Sapphire Shores.
Sia’s brand has always been about "the voice" over "the face." In a world where ponies are defined by their "Cutie Marks"—symbols on their flanks that represent their inner soul—the idea of a pony who hides her face but reveals her heart through music is actually quite poetic.
The animators did a fantastic job of translating Sia’s movements into the pegasus model. The way Songbird Serenade carries herself—the slight tilt of the head, the way the mane shimmies during the high notes—it's unmistakably Sia. It’s a masterclass in character design that respects the source material while honoring the guest star’s existing IP.
Addressing the Critics: Was it Too Much?
Not everyone was a fan. Some purists felt that bringing in a massive A-list celebrity broke the immersion of the show. Up until the movie, the Friendship is Magic voice cast was primarily composed of legendary Canadian voice talent like Tara Strong, Ashleigh Ball, and Andrea Libman.
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When you suddenly drop Sia, Emily Blunt, and Liev Schreiber into the mix, it can feel a bit "Hollywood."
There was also the fact that Songbird Serenade’s screen time was actually pretty limited. If you went into the theater expecting a co-protagonist, you were probably disappointed. She’s a secondary character. She’s the goal—the symbol of what the Mane Six are fighting to save. She isn't the one throwing the punches (or the magic beams).
But honestly? That’s okay. The movie was a celebration. It was a victory lap for a show that defied all odds to become a cultural phenomenon. Having Sia in My Little Pony was a "we made it" moment for the creators.
The Legacy of Songbird Serenade in G4 Lore
Even after the movie ended and the show moved back to television for its final seasons, the shadow of Songbird Serenade remained. While she didn't become a series regular, her presence solidified the idea that Equestria was a global society with its own celebrities and industry.
She also paved the way for more high-profile collaborations. It showed Hasbro that they could aim high. The My Little Pony brand became a "cool" thing for artists to be associated with.
If you look at the merchandise, the Songbird Serenade toys are still highly sought after by collectors. There was a specific Glitter Celebration version and a "Festival Foes" set that included her. Because she was a one-off movie character, her merch has a certain rarity that the standard Twilight Sparkle or Pinkie Pie figures don't have.
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Key Takeaways for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking back at this era of MLP history, there are a few things you should keep in mind about why this mattered:
- Crossover Appeal: Sia brought in people who wouldn't normally watch a show about colorful horses. Her "Rainbow" video was a gateway drug for the "Friendship is Magic" fandom.
- Visual Storytelling: The use of the wig as a mane was a stroke of genius. It’s one of the few times a celebrity’s physical brand was perfectly adapted into the pony aesthetic without looking forced.
- Musical Quality: The soundtrack for the 2017 movie remains one of the best-produced albums in the franchise's history, largely thanks to the polish brought by Sia and the professional pop production team.
What You Should Do Next
If you haven't revisited the 2017 film in a while, it’s worth a re-watch just to see how well the animation holds up. The theatrical budget allowed for a level of lighting and detail that the TV show couldn't touch.
Go find the official music video for "Rainbow." It's a fascinating artifact of 2010s pop culture. Watch how Maddie Ziegler’s choreography mimics the flight patterns and the "magic" of the ponies. It's a rare example of a corporate tie-in that actually feels like art.
Finally, check out the "Art of My Little Pony: The Movie" book if you can find a copy. It contains the original concept sketches for Songbird Serenade, showing how they experimented with different ways to integrate Sia’s wig into the pegasus anatomy before landing on the final look. It's a cool glimpse into the character design process that usually stays behind closed doors.
Sia in My Little Pony wasn't just a cameo. It was a collision of two massive fanbases that, despite their differences, both value the same thing: the courage to be yourself, even if you have to hide behind a giant wig to do it.