Sia has joined Eminem on his new single ‘Guts Over Fear’, which features on the new Denzel Washington film The Equalizer, but her decision to collaborate with the rapper is one that has confused fans.

The collaboration is a source of confusion due to the fact that Eminem angered the LGBT community last year when his track ‘Rap God’ featured the lyrics: ‘Break a motherfucker’s table over the back of a couple of faggots and crack it in half/you fags think it’s all a game till I walk a flock of flames off a plank’.

Fans are dismayed that Sia, who is openly bisexual, would involve herself in the work of someone who is seemingly homophobic, but the 38 year-old singer has defended the controversial rapper, saying, “I know personally that he is not homophobic, but a performance artist. I would never work with someone I believed to be homophobic”.

The songwriter, who has recently experienced commercial success with her album 1000 Forms of Fear,  explained, “He has a character called Slim Shady who represents the worst and darkest bile of America. I see how it can be unclear. But I assure you he is not homophobic himself. He does certainly respect the gay community he is close to in his personal life”

After Keo Nozari, a New York based DJ, called Sia out over her appearance on the 2012 record, she announced that she would donate the proceeds from her collaboration to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. “I guess my only hope at this point is ‘Beautiful Pain’ will do more good that ‘Rap God’ does harm”, she tweeted, adding “I feel powerless. I thought Slim Shady had been put to bed. Now what’s done is done on my end”.

After performing at the LGBT Gala last summer, Sia told, “I’m queer. I don’t really identify as a lesbian because I’ve dated predominantly men. But I’ve certainly dated women”. Earlier this month, the reclusive artist married her fiancé in a lavish ceremony at her home in Palm Springs – with the big day being shot by controversial fashion photographer Terry Richardson.

Eminem confirmed to Rolling Stone in an interview that Sia’s explanation was correct, “The real me sitting her right now talking to you has no issues with gay, straight, transgender, at all”.

Listen to ‘Guts Over Fear’, which is out now on iTunes, below.