Walmart shopper paid everyone's bills claiming she won the lottery — not many knew she was a popstar

In 2019, a day before Thanksgiving, shoppers at a Walmart store in California were treated to a big surprise. A woman who introduced herself as Cici announced that she had won the lottery and would cover everyone's shopping bills. Cici however wasn't a random stranger; rather, it was popstar Sia. The 'Cheap Thrills' singer, who is known to don huge wigs initially went unrecognized, but still managed to get celebrity treatment as thankful customers hugged and gifted her flowers for her random act of kindness.

Sia went register to register, swiped her card, and asked the customers, "Who is next?" Touched, a woman gave her flowers. Eventually, a fan at the store recognized her and requested a photo. The cat was out of the box, and Sia's gesture went viral on social media. On X (formerly Twitter), a shopper shared, "So Sia paid for my groceries today. Thank you so much! [Sic] The heart and beautiful soul you have for paying for everyone!! I’m sorry for telling everyone once I realized who you were. But this kindness must be acknowledged!" In a similar vein, another posted, "Sia paid for my mom’s groceries at Walmart and bought my sister gift cards."

The singer received a massive outpour of love and support. A fan gushed, "I love this! Sia, thank you for being so wonderful and putting a smile on so many faces. I know it felt awesome to do it, but you really made a difference." In agreement, another penned, "Not everyone has the funds to do this...but everyone can do something nice for someone else...and those that do this know how good it feels to help someone. Sia clearly knows the feeling. It's people like her that make this world a fit place to live." Chiming in, another remarked, "Why can't ALL celebrities be like this? ...Bless Sia💓!!" Interestingly, Walmart wasn't the only store. Sia also pulled the same stunt at TJ Maxx.

Sia’s kind gestures may have been rooted in her own journey to stardom. Born in Adelaide, Australia, she grew up in a fractured home—her dad, musician Phil B. Colson, was often away, and her mom, Loene Furler, was an art lecturer. At 17, while working as a waitress in 1993, she unexpectedly became the lead singer of a local acid-jazz band, Crisp, which opened a path for something bigger.

Over time, Sia made it to bigger venues and built a name for herself as a powerhouse songwriter, writing songs for superstars like Beyoncé and Rihanna, as reported by Page Six. In 2014, she finally got her big break. Her song 'Chandelier' took the internet by storm and turned her into a global sensation.