Jeff Probst on the Return of the Sia Prize for ‘Survivor 50’: The Twist ‘Was Her Idea’
Categoria: Musica
The host also explained in a new interview why he thinks musicians are so drawn to the show.
Por Billboard | 20/05/2026
There are Survivor fans, and then there’s Sia — a Grammy-nominated pop star who has given away more than $1 million of her own money to numerous contestants across eight seasons. And, after a brief pause, she’s bringing back her tradition for the season 50 finale with a fan-centric twist. Related Musicians Who Love ‘Survivor,’ From Billie Eilish to Sia ‘Survivor’ Superfan Billie Eilish Describes How Season 50 ‘Boomerang Idol’ Came to Be, Doubts Her Ability to Compete: ‘So Bad With the Math Part’ Zac Brown Takes Over ‘Survivor 50’ to Swim With Sharks & Show Off His Intense Spearfishing Skills The Sia Prize began in 2016 as an unofficial cash reward for players whose personal stories resonated with the “Chandelier” singer. After she surpassed the $1 million mark, host Jeff Probst put his foot down. “I’m stopping this because you’ll just keep giving money and you have a family,” he told Rolling Stone in an interview published Tuesday (May 19). Now, 10 years after the inception of the Sia Prize, the reward will return, with the Australian singer-songwriter asking fans to vote for “the kind of player she always recognizes.” In keeping with this season’s “In the Hands of the Fans” theme, this year’s Sia Prize winner will be announced during the season finale on Wednesday, May 20, and walk away with $100,000. At press time, representatives for Sia have not responded to Billboard’s request for comment. “When we decided that Survivor 50 was going to be ‘In the Hands of the Fans,’ I reached out to Sia to let her know what we were doing and to see if she had any interest in being part of it again,” Probst explained to RS . “She loved the idea of fans having a real voice in shaping the game and was very enthusiastic about participating. And the twist on the Sia Prize was actually her idea. She said, ‘If this season is truly about the fans having a say, then the fans should choose the winner of the Sia Prize too.’” Sia last handed out her prize in 2023 for the show’s 45th season, with Katurah Topps winning $100,000 and Jake O’Kane and Kaleb Gebrewold each earning $15,000. “‘I’ve been really fortunate [and] music has been good to me,'” Probst recalled Sia telling him. “‘I make a lot of money, and Survivor brings me a lot of joy, so I want to share my money with people who brought me a lot of joy.'” Season 50 of Survivor has a strong musical bent — and it doesn’t stop with Sia. Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and his son, Jakob, recorded a cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes” for this season’s promos, and Probst’s original song, “Survivor 50 Come and Get It,” was recorded in the same studio as Joni Mitchell’s Blue and Carole King’s Tapestry . Country star Za