Anastacia

Anastacia is well known singer around the world

Here is one of her songs Stupid little things

Anastacia Lyn Newkirk (born September 17, 1968), better known mononymously as Anastacia, is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful around the world outside the United States.

Anastacia started her career in 1983 as a dancer for hire and made regular appearances from 1985 until 1992 on MTV's Club MTV. In 1990, she started her musical career as a backing vocalist. Her debut album, Not That Kind, released in 2000 was an international commercial success, most notably in Europe, becoming 4x platinum as well as Australia where the lead single I'm Outta Love became the biggest selling song of the year. Critically acclaimed by both Elton John and Michael Jackson, the singer was awarded the 'World's best-selling New Female Pop Artist' in 2001.

Her commercial success continued with 2001's Freak of Nature which included the international chart topper "Paid My Dues", 2004's Anastacia which produced the critically acclaimed Left Outside Alone that remained at No. 1 on the European Billboards for 15 weeks. as well as 2005's compilation project Pieces of a Dream which spawned the chart topping duet with Eros Ramazzotti, "I Belong to You (Il Ritmo della Passione)". The singer would go on to become one of the top selling international female pop-singers of the 2000s and has been recognized for worldwide sales of over 20 million albums.She has also topped the U.S. dance chart on two separate occasions.

In 2014, Anastacia made a commercial and critical comeback with her sixth studio album Resurrection which peaked in the top ten in multiple European music charts including Italy, Germany and the UK.

Known for her powerful mezzo voice and her small stature of 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm) the singer has been dubbed 'the little lady with the big voice'. Anastacia is also known for her trademark glasses (often darkly tinted). Although she underwent laser surgery in August 2005 she frequently still wears them.

Over the course of her life Anastacia has battled numerous health problems including Crohn's disease which was diagnosed at age 13, breast cancer at age 34 and the heart condition supraventricular tachycardia which the singer discovered she had at age 39. In February 2013 it was announced that Anastacia was battling a more intense form of breast cancer. On July 20 the singer announced via Twitter that she was again cancer free. While on the 1st of October 2013 to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Anastacia informed the media that she had undergone a double mastectomy .

In recognition of her decade long charitable efforts in breast cancer awareness, Anastacia became the second only woman to be presented with Humanitarian Award at the GQ Men Of The Year awards in 2013.

Early life and career beginnings

Anastacia was born in Chicago, Illinois; her late father Robert Newkirk (of German descent) was a club-singer and her mother Diane Hurley (of Irish descent) an actress on Broadway. After her father (a sufferer of bipolar disorder) left the Newkirk family, they moved to New York City when she was a teenager. Then she enrolled at the Professional Children's School in Manhattan. Anastacia was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when she was thirteen. The incurable bowel disease led to an operation where surgeons cut directly through her stomach muscles removing a foot of the singer's intestines, causing Anastacia to be wheelchair bound and needing to learn how to walk again.Despite her illness she soon became interested in dance. However she was frequently critiqued for being 'too large to make it in the music business'. At age 19, a diet triggered a Crohn's relapse.

Despite her ongoing health problems Anastacia continued to pursue her ambitions for the next decade. Anastacia started her career in 1983 as a dancer for hire. Her first claim to fame was as a professional dancer (dancer for hire), making regular appearances in mid 80s and early 90s on MTV's Club MTV. She appeared in a two videos for American hip hop trio Salt-n-Pepa (Get Up Everybody (Get Up) in 1988 and Twist and Shout in 1989). In 1990, she started her musical career as a backing vocalist. She sang back-up vocals on pop star Tiffany's New Inside album in 1990. In 1991, she featured in music video My Fallen Angel of Dominican singer/actor Coro (singer). In 1992 she gained her first break as a solo singer on BET's ComicView, singing Oleta Adams' "Get Here".

In 1993 she moved to Los Angeles to record the song One More Chance for the producer OG Pierce, it resulted however in no record deal. That same year the singer recorded a collaboration with David Morales called "Forever Luv", again however Anastacia failed to get a record deal. Throughout the mid-90s although producers claimed to be intrigued by her voice's unusual tone, Anastacia would be continuously told that 'her sound just didn’t quite fit into any category'. In 1994, she sang back-up vocals on Jamie Foxx debut album peep this. In 1995 Anastacia sang back-up vocals on Paula Abdul's third studio album Head Over Heels. By 1997, Anastacia had become the member of a band called The Kraze which she remained a part of until 1999.

In 1997 she also was a member of Kurt Carr's gospel vocal ensemble called The Kurt Carr Singers. She had two duet songs with Cuban composer Omar Sosa in 1998 performing Mi Negra, Tu Bombón and in 1999 Tienes Un Solo. Eventually in 1998, before turning 30, Anastacia attracted the interest of record labels after making the finals of the short lived MTV talent show The Cut. Anastacia signed a contract with Daylight Records, a custom label of Sony Music Entertainment's Epic Records in March 1999.

Personal life

Anastacia married her bodyguard Wayne Newton in Huatulco, Mexico on April 21, 2007. In April 2010, it was confirmed that the two had filed a petition for divorce. Anastacia has several tattoos on her back, and one below her neck saying "Forever" in an unusual font, In 2008 she added wings to this tattoo. She also has an Ankh on her lower back, which appeared on her first album. Since it represents eternal life, to her fans it has come to symbolize her. Her third tattoo is at the base of her neck just above 'Forever' and is her only colour tattoo, it says A&W to symbolise her marriage to Wayne Newton. Although the pair are now divorced Anastacia has said she does not regret the tattoo.

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