Anastacia on the cover of the collector's edition of her second album Freak of Nature See Anastasia for other people by this alternate spelling of Anastacia. Anastacia (born Anastacia Newkirk, born September 17, 1973) is an American pop singer who has sold ten million records since the release of her first album Not That Kind in 2000. Contents 1 "Not That Kind" - The Beginning 2 "Freak Of Nature" 3 "Anastacia" & "Pieces Of A Dream" 4 Discography 4.1 Albums 4.2 Singles 5 See also 6 External links 6.1 Lyrics "Not That Kind" - The Beginning Anastacia was born in Chicago, Illinois into a showbiz family: her father was a singer and her mother an actress in Broadway musical theatre. Her family relocated to New York City when she was a teenager and she enrolled at the Professional Children's School in Manhattan. Anastacia soon became interested in dance despite being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. She first gained prominence stealing the show from D.L. Hughley while he was hosting BET's Comic View, singing Oleta Adams' Get Here in 1992. During the early 1990s, she appeared regularly on Club MTV and in a couple of videos for rappers Salt-N-Pepa. In 1999, she attracted the interest of record labels after making the finals of MTV talent show The Cut. Anastacia signed a contract with Daylight Records, a custom label of Sony Music's Epic Records in March 1999. "The Cut" was hosted by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC. A then-unknown Anastacia finished in third place, but impressed Lopes and the show's three judges so much that she scored herself a record deal anyway. "Freak Of Nature" Her debut album Not That Kind was released in 2000 and was a huge success reaching the top ten in eight countries in Europe, Asia, and Oceania. It went triple platinum in Australia spurred by the success of her debut smash "I'm Outta Love" which was the most popular single of the year in that country for 2000. While "I'm Outta Love" was a top ten song on the US dance charts, Not That Kind only reached the lower parts of the Billboard 200, since the single never managed to cross over to the American pop charts. Her second album, 2002's Freak Of Nature achieved respectable sales although not matching the level of international success of Not That Kind. However, her sophomore effort did beat its predecessor in her home country. Its debut single, "One Day In Your Life", though not a smash hit, just barely made the top 40 and was also a hit on the club charts and at rhythmic radio. When Freak Of Nature was finally released in the United States in May of 2002, she dedicated the album to Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (of R&B supergroup TLC), who had died in a car wreck the month before. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was partly responsible for Anastacia's success, since Lisa hosted MTV's "The Cut" where Anastacia got her first break. Anastacia performed the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Milwaukee. However, her performance was the subject of relentless derision, as she flubbed the lyrics "and the rockets' red glare" into "and the rockets gave glare". Anastacia also joined Shakira, Cher and Mary J. Blige for VH1's Divas Live in 2002. Anastacia also contributed a song "Love Is A Crime" to the Chicago soundtrack. "Anastacia" & "Pieces Of A Dream" In January 2003, Anastacia discovered she had breast cancer while preparing for breast reduction surgery due to orthopedic reasons. She immediately successfully completed a course of treatment. Anastacia subsequently established a fund through the Breast Cancer Research Fund to promote awareness of breast cancer amongst younger women. Anastacia entered record studios in September 2003 to begin recording her next album - the eponymously-titled Anastacia - working with Glen Ballard, Dallas Austin, and Dave Stewart for release in 2004. The first single, released in March, was "Left Outside Alone", which saw a change in direction for Anastacia, embracing a rock element (she describes her sound as "sprock" - a combination of soul, pop and rock). On the album, Anastacia also collaborated with Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. on the socially-conscious track "I Do." Anastacia proved to be a smash hit reaching the top of the album charts in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Australia, Greece, Germany, and Italy and number 2 in Spain. "Left Outside Alone" proved to be equally successfully reaching number 1 in Australia, Italy, Austria and Switzerland; number 2 in The Netherlands and the UK, and reaching the top 5 on the composite European chart. Strong airplay throughout Europe gave the song a Top 40 Charts world airplay ranking as one of the top five songs played on top 40 radio stations throughout the world in April 2004. Unlike her first two albums, which were released in her homeland of America, Anastacia was not, despite being scheduled for release on three occassions. "Left Outside Alone" was released twice, but failed to pick up heavy airplay, resulting in the album being postponed and eventually cancelled. Anastacia released three further internationally successful singles; "Sick And Tired" (which gave her another UK top 5 single), "Welcome To My Truth," and the ballad, "Heavy On My Heart," proceeds from the sale of which went towards her 'Anastacia Fund' (Charitable organisation providing research funding for breast cancer). In late 2005, she released her first greatest hits collection, entitled "Pieces Of A Dream," named after a track of the same name, which she had written with former Evanescence star, Ben Moody. The album features all of the singles from her albums, including "Everything Burns," which she recorded with Moody for the Fantastic Four film soundtrack, and two other new tracks, "In Your Eyes," and a duet with Eros Ramazzotti, "I Belong To You (Il Ritmo Della Passione)." A club megamix of some of the best remixes of her singles was also included, and the album was also released as a special limited edition, featuring deluxe packaging (it is presented in a hardback A5 book), and a second CD, containing remixes of her singles. The album entered the UK top ten album charts at #6, and is selling strongly in other territories. She is scheduled to release her first live DVD, "Anastacia: Live At Last" in April 2006. Discography Albums Year Album UK albums US albums Australia Worldwide sales 2000 Not That Kind 2 168 1 7 million 2001 Freak Of Nature 4 27 1 10 million 2004 Anastacia 1 - 1 9 million 2005 Pieces Of A Dream (Greatest Hits) 6 TBD TBD TBD Total sales UK: 3 million US: 725,000 Worldwide: 26 million Singles Year Song UK singles US Hot 100 US Dance Australia Album 2000 "I'm Outta Love" 6 92 2 1 Not That Kind 2001 "Not That Kind" 11 - 9 21 Not That Kind 2001 "Cowboys And Kisses" 28 - - - Not That Kind 2001 "Made For Lovin' You" 27 - - - Not That Kind 2001 "Paid My Dues" 14 - - 39 Freak Of Nature 2002 "One Day In Your Life" 11 39 1 6 Freak Of Nature 2002 "Why'd You Lie To Me" 25 - - - Freak Of Nature 2002 "You'll Never Be Alone" 31 - - - Freak Of Nature 2002 "Boom" - - - 23 FIFA World Cup 2002 Soundtrack 2002 "Love Is a Crime" - - 1 - Chicago Soundtrack 2004 "Left Outside Alone" 3 - 5 1 Anastacia 2004 "Sick And Tired" 4 - - 8 Anastacia 2004 "Welcome To My Truth" 25 - - 41 Anastacia 2005 "Heavy On My Heart" 21 - - - Anastacia 2005 "Everything Burns" (Ben Moody featuring Anastacia) - - - - Fantastic Four Soundtrack 2005 "Pieces Of A Dream" 48 TBD TBD TBD Pieces Of A Dream See also List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States) List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart External links Anastacia web site Anastacia at the Internet Movie Database Anastacia The Voice (Fansite) Anastacia-Uncensored (Fansite) All Music Guide Anastacia page Anastacia VH1 page BBC Top of the Pops Anastacia page TMP Music Anastacia page with charted singles and french bio Anastacia-Direct (English/French FanBlog) Lyrics "Anastacia" Lyrics Get "Anastacia" Lyricsde:Anastacia Search Term: "Anastacia_%28singer%29" Categories: 1973 births | American pop singers | Female singers | Chicagoans | Dance Top 40 acts in United States