In 2000, Anastacia released her debut recording, which exploded throughout Europe and placed her in the industry's elite. Her 2002 release only served to add to this growing phenomenon and over the course of the past 4 years she has amassed in excess of 10 million in worldwide sales and has won countless international awards. She connected to her audience and quickly earned a reputation as the little one with the big voice. She was loud, tough, brash and in your face, but she was in fact grounded, passionate and true.

In January of 2003, Anastacia confirmed to the world that she had breast cancer and for a brief moment it all stopped. But true to herself and to those around her, she showed that she would not be deterred from doing what she loved. Prior to her surgery, in February 2003, Anastacia appeared on a closed set in New York, for the filming of "Love Is A Crime" for the Chicago Soundtrack and plowed through the 2-day taping even though the strains of illness were showing themselves to all around her. For the months following, Anastacia cried, she laughed, she fought, she sang and&she wrote. She remained true to her words to her fans that "her resolve to fight was strong" and most of all Anastacia lived.

In September 2003, Anastacia entered the studio with Grammy-award winners Glen Ballard, Dallas Austin, and Dave Stewart began what the singer has referred to as a "difficult creative journey." But out of the music, "sprock music" as Anastacia has affectionately dubbed it (soul, pop, rock), has come her 3rd studio recording - a new chapter of sorts for the singer that has appropriately been titled, ANASTACIA.

While warned by her doctors that she would be physically drained from her treatment Anastacia stood prepared, as feisty as ever, to fight through whatever stood in her way. Reality check. "The experience was not pleasant," said Anastacia. "I usually look for the bright side of things, but so far nothing about making this record was positive for me. My doctor told me I'd be tired, not stupid," said Anastacia. "I could not focus on anything. I'd write a verse and then I couldn't write the chorus or I'd write the chorus but couldn't write the bridge. I couldn't talk, I couldn't think straight, I was totally out of it  the doctor's said I'd be tired - but of course I had insomnia. It was tough."

Yet, what has come from this nearly 6-month recording process perhaps is far more then anyone could've hoped. ANASTACIA is the reality of her life's experiences and the raw emotion that has accompanied them. A compilation of 12 songs that feature a decidedly fresh sound, a greatly matured songwriter and lyricist and the unforgettable vocal performances that have become Anastacia's signature. "I wanted to move more towards a rock sound for this record and it really has added so much to this recording," said the singer. "The feel of the music, the beat, of many of the songs really has offset some of the subject matter of the lyrics."

It is clear, when listening to ANASTACIA, that each track possesses evidence of the singer's transition. From a straight-ahead rocker like "Time" to the vocal passion and inventiveness of tracks such as "Left Outside Alone" and "Sick-n-Tired" to the stirring and poignant sincerity of "Heavy On My Heart", Anastacia's muse remained throughout the recording of this album and captured a snapshot of her essence.

"I was aware of what I was writing, of what was flowing from my heart and I was aware that people listening might be reading into the subject matter of the songs," said Anastacia. "I challenged myself both lyrically and melodically to stay true to those feelings and at the same time to use them in a positive way. You see, I need to see life through rose colored glasses and while that view might have been clouded at times while writing some of these songs, I'm hoping that people will see that and feel that in this album."

But while the process of creating this album might have proven to be Anastacia's greatest challenge, she has made every attempt to embrace it and to come out the better for the experience. "Art is in fact really wonderful when suffering is involved. There is just no getting around the fact that some of the greatest writers, poets and musicians have done their finest work under stress. I guess that at some point I might feel different, but right now, for me, I'd prefer not to make this a habit. "

In the end ANASTACIA has bared her soul. It is readily apparent. But she will wait. She will listen. And she will ultimately be most interested in the feedback from her fans. "I made this record for them. To share with them," said the singer, "and I hope that they embrace it. It's kind of like letting someone close to you in on a dark secret and hoping that they understand and love you anyway. It lets you know that everything is okay."

Anastacia may not realize this now, but what has become apparent to this writer is that true artistry is not always easy. That in order to achieve greatness one needs to take some chances and Anastacia has done just that. One would suspect that given some time that Anastacia will come to see ANASTACIA, regardless of the feedback from her fans, as one of her greatest accomplishments. Albums like these are in fact rare. They transcend explanation. The music is riveting, infectious or even groundbreaking, but the consistently heartfelt and moving sentiments that possess a window to an artist's soul is what sets it apart from all the others.

Anastacia has already kicked off 2003, with a song featured on the soundtrack of the year’s biggest smash-hit movie, the Oscar-nominated film Chicago. Anastacia’s soaring “Love is a Crime” can be found on Chicago: The Soundtrack on Epic Records. In addition, Anastacia is currently featured in a series of Dr. Pepper commercials with Cyndi Lauper.

With Anastacia’s rise to success, she has developed a fierce sense of individuality, which brings a whole new meaning to the term “Freak of Nature.” “I am a Freak of Nature,” says Anastacia. “I’ve always gotten looks of shock (or horror); depending on how you look at it, because I gather the way that I look doesn’t match the way I sound. So this album is basically about those types of people -- freaks. I guess you could say that I’m telling their story as well as mine.”

“It was a very liberating record to make,” she continues. “I’ve always liked the idea that some of the world’s greatest artists have been “freaks,” or non-conformists, and that gave me courage, a constant reminder in the studio to make the record the way that I wanted.”

Freak of Nature was recorded in two months at Sony Music Studios in New York City. It reunited Anastacia with Grammy Award winning producer Rick Wake (Jennifer Lopez, Diana Ross, Celine Dion and Natalie Cole), Sam Watters of Color Me Badd and Louis Biancaniello, all of whom worked with Anastacia on her debut album. Wake produced seven of the twelve tracks on this new album, including the title track “Freak of Nature,” “I Dreamed You,” “Paid My Dues,” “Over Due Goodbye,” “How Come The World Won’t Stop,” “Why’d You Lie To Me” and “Secrets” while Watters and Biancaniello produced “You’ll Never Be Alone,” “Don’t Stop” “One Day In Your Life” and “Dontcha Wanna.” Anastacia also worked with writer Billy Mann on two songs including the uplifting “Overdue Goodbye” and “How Come The World Won’t Stop.” She also collaborated with writers Damon Sharpe and Greg Lawson.

“We had two months to make the record,” explains Anastacia, “and that was good by me. We had no time to second guess or to get cute, so the writing and recording was spontaneous, raw and direct.”

And that’s okay with Anastacia. Her talents aside for a moment, this Chicago-born, New York raised talent has always been very spontaneous, raw and direct herself. She has allowed life’s lessons to guide her and continues to live by that motto. She credits this outlook to her ongoing battle with Crohn’s disease, which she was diagnosed with at 13.

“For those with Crohn’s, holding in our emotions or masking her unhappiness fuels the symptoms,” said Anastacia. “What is seen as a curse for some is a gift for me, because it has helped me to discover who I really am as a person. The disease has given me a clear window to my own emotions, which causes me to live each moment and to understand exactly how I’m behaving in a particular situation.”

This outlook also gave her the strength she needed when she was coming up in the music business or in other words, paying her dues. Following several jobs as a dancer on “Club MTV” and appearances in numerous hit videos, her dismissal as a receptionist in a Los Angeles hair salon found Anastacia on the unemployment line and completely disenchanted with a business that she had been around all of her life -- her father was a crooner and her mother, an actress who worked in musical theater and on Broadway.

“I was told that I needed to look a certain way, to sound a certain way, to move a certain way and all I wanted to do was just sing. I couldn’t understand why this was such an issue.”

But convinced to take one last shot by her manager, Anastacia got the break she had been waiting for when recognized by the right people following an appearance on MTV’s “The Cut.” Anastacia was courted by several producers and was finally signed to Epic Records. However, it was also on this show that Anastacia formed a key relationship with Michael Jackson who encouraged Anastacia to keep singing after he saw her performance on the show.

Five times platinum under her belt and International stardom to boot, Anastacia has clearly made the “the cut” of another kind. She has performed on several of the top award shows around the world as well as with some of the most popularly regarded artists of our time including Luciano Pavarotti and Elton John. In addition, her relationship with Michael Jackson recently came full circle when he invited her to sing “What More Can I Give” at his side along with Faith Evans, Mariah Carey, N’SYNC and other top performers at the historic United We Stand Sept. 11 benefit concert in Washington DC.

Anastacia also co-wrote all twelve songs on Freak of Nature, which give the listener a birds-eye view of just what makes this talent tick. From “Paid My Dues”, which tells of her tedious route to becoming a professional recording artist, to “Secrets,” written nearly seven years ago about the importance of encouraging kids to express their thoughts and emotions so that they don’t become problematic later in life—an obvious reference to Anastacia’s Crohn’s disease.

Freak of Nature follows Not That Kind only in the sense that it is part dance, part R&B and part rock. Anastacia credits her recent world travels, due to her rigorous International promotional and performance schedule, for exposing her to new musical influences and sounds that are clearly heard on Freak of Nature. For instance, the world music elements of African-laced drumbeats and fiddle heard on “Overdue Goodbye.” Holding nothing back in her tremendously powerful vocal range, Anastacia also mixes it up on her performance of the scorching power ballad “You’ll Never Be Alone.”

“It's not just one sound that carries you through Freak of Nature,” says Anastacia. “I find it to be a playful recording with attitude. It's strong and powerful to me, but in the end people should make up their own minds.”

Needless to say our minds are made up and why shouldn’t they be? Anastacia is an original – her talents are unique, her songwriting honest, her singing passionate, her personality sincere. Is she a freak of nature? Perhaps. But this is one freak of nature that’s got the goods.