Singer Sia has cemented herself as the ultimate Survivor superfan as she began the tradition of rewarding her favorite players with a generous donation.
The prize, which would later be dubbed the Sia Award by fans, began in 2016 during the Survivor: Kaôh Rōng finale. The Grammy winner was so impressed with finalist Tai Trang over his compassion for animals throughout the season that she felt compelled to reward him.
Over the years, Sia has given out more than $1 million to former Survivor players. The amount she gives to each contestant ranges from $14K to $100K. Sia has previously explained that she decided on $15K for most players because that was the most she could give them without them having to pay taxes on the gift.
While Sia hasn’t shared why she gives some players more money than others, longtime host Jeff Probst weighed in on why she enjoys spreading the wealth.
“Her thought is this, ‘I make a lot of money. I’ve been really lucky, and I want to share it with the people who entertain me and bring me joy.’ And one of those shows is Survivor,” Probst said during an August 2023 appearance on the Howard Stern Show. “Our last season, I wake up at 7:45 the day after the finale aired, and Sia is calling me for like the ninth time, and I finally wake up and pick it up, and she goes, ‘I’m ready to give away money, can we get them on the phone?’ That’s how fast it happens.”
Years after the tradition began, Probst opened up about how he has helped facilitate Sia’s generosity over the years.
“Back when we did the live reunion shows, she would either be sitting in the audience or in my dressing room,” Probst explained to Entertainment Weekly in December 2022. “She would watch the finale and then let me know who she wanted to receive the Sia Award. The players would find out immediately. It was very powerful to see it go down.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Survivor began doing its aftershow in Fiji after crowning the season’s winner. Now, Sia watches the finale from home and texts Probst himself to get the contact information of the players she wants to reach out to.
Keep scrolling to see which Survivor players have won the Sia Award over the years:
Tai Trang
Season: Kaôh Rōng
Amount: $50,000 and an additional $50,000 to the charity of his choice
Reason: Sia was impressed with the lengths Tai went to protect a chicken, whom he named Mark, from being eaten by his fellow tribemates.
Donathan Hurley
Season: Ghost Island
Amount: $14,000
Reason: Donathan was the underdog of the season for most fans, but what sold Sia was his heart-wrenching backstory. He grew up as an openly gay kid in Kentucky who was also the caretaker of his sick grandmother.
Davie Rickenbacker
Season: David vs. Goliath
Amount: $14,000
Reason: Following the finale, Sia reached out to Davie to tell him that she admired his dedication to his faith and that he was her winner pick for the season.
Joe Anglim
Season: Edge of Extinction
Amount: $15,000 for charity
Reason: During the reunion, Probst joked that Joe, a three-time player, that his signature long hair was bad luck. Sia subsequently tweeted that if Joe cut off his hair and donated it to a children’s cancer wig-making charity, she would reward him with a cash prize. Joe took her up on her offer and chopped off his hair backstage. Instead of taking the money for himself, he asked Sia if the donation could go to charity as well.
Aurora McCreary
Season: Edge of Extinction
Amount: $15,000
Reason: Sia was moved by Aurora’s backstory growing up as a kid in the foster care system.
Rick Devens
Season: Edge of Extinction
Amount: $100,000
Reason: Devens was a fan favorite on the season due to his charismatic personality and ability to win challenges. After getting his prize from Sia, he named his cat after her.
Jamal Shipman
Season: Island of the Idols
Amount: $15,000
Reason: Jamal stood out in the controversial season due to his strong character and how he handled the discussions of issues like race and sexual misconduct amongst his tribe.
Elaine Stott
Season: Island of the Idols
Amount: $100,000
Reason: Elaine was a charismatic player who was seen as a likable threat to win at the end.
Janet Carbin
Season: Island of the Idols
Amount: $100,000
Reason: Janet won the hearts of the fans and Sia for putting the game aside to do what she thought was right when tribemate Kellee Kim accused contestant Dan Spilo of inappropriate touching. She was ostracized from her tribe for taking Kellee’s side.
Drea Wheeler
Season: Survivor 42
Amount: $100,000
Reason: Drea became the first Sia Award winner in the new era of the reality series. Sia admired Drea’s gameplay and was impressed by how she handled a difficult tribal council after Drea noticed a pattern of multiple Black players being eliminated in a row.
Ryan Medrano
Season: Survivor 43
Amount: $50,000
Reason: Sia was touched by Ryan’s triumphant backstory of being born with cerebral palsy and unable to walk. He later learned how to walk and eventually became a personal trainer.
Owen Knight
Season: Survivor 43
Amount: $50,000
Reason: Owen was the self-proclaimed Charlie Brown of the season. Sia saw a little bit of herself as she was rooting for the underdog.
Jesse Lopez
Season: Survivor 43
Amount: $100,000
Reason: Jesse went from a previous gang member to a Ph.D. student and was the strategic mastermind of his season. Sia was impressed with his epic gameplay and told him she would personally petition for him to get a second chance at the game.
Lauren Harpe
Season: Survivor 44
Amount: $15,000
Reason: Lauren captured fans’ hearts as she opened up about being a single mother and teacher which struck a chord with Sia.
Carson Garrett
Season: Survivor 44
Amount: $15,000
Reason: Carson, who is a superfan of the singer, became Sia’s favorite player due to his intelligence and kind heart.
Carolyn Wiger
Season: Survivor 44
Amount: $100,000
Reason: Carolyn was a fan favorite on the season due to her authenticity and quirky demeanor. Sia told Carolyn that she was her favorite player of all time and related to her on multiple levels.
Katurah Topps
Season: Survivor 45
Amount: $100,000
Reason: Katurah won the sympathy of the audience for being open about her struggles as a child and how she overcame them to be a civil rights attorney.
Kaleb Gebrewold
Season: Survivor 45
Amount: $15,000
Reason: Kaleb was a charming player and the first member of the jury. He made history as he was the first contestant to successfully play his Shot in the Dark.
Jake O’Kane
Season: Survivor 45
Amount: $15,000
Reason: While Jake ultimately came in third place, he was the beloved underdog of the season. He won the hearts of the viewers for his joking nature and sharing his struggles with a binge eating disorder.
