Born in New York, raised in Chicago and caught in something of a musical time warp, Anastacia Newkirk is a soul singer with an incredible voice and a debut album that would be as happy in the mid-1980s as it is at the turn of the century. Working with producers whose credits include CeCe Penniston, Mariah Carey, Montell Jordan, Taylor Dane and Color Me Bad, Not That Kind is a collection of songs that relies on tried and tested pop tactics: big choruses, anthemic tunes and swaying ballads, rather than fashion conscious production tricks. Luckily, she's so stirring--especially with her Chaka Khan-esque vocals on the soul/funk title track, "I'm Outta Love", and on the Tina Turner-ish blues & soul stomper "I Was Made For Loving You"--that the shiny guitars, synth-basslines and pre-reinvention Whitney Houston overtones of power ballad "I Ask Of You" (which could have come straight off The Bodyguard soundtrack) pale into insignificance. Times have moved on and R&B has become more sophisticated, but infectious tunes are still any album¹s essential ingredient--and Not That Kind has plenty of them. --Dan Gennoe
Freak of Nature, the second album from former wedding singer Anastacia Newkirk, continues the late-1980s funk pop revival that her debut Not That Kind started. And in true 1980s style, everything's big. From the striding groove of the title track to the flag-waving chorus on "Paid My Dues" and the aerobic workouts of "One Day in Your Life" and "Don't Stop (Doin' It)", her larger-than-life vocals are matched at every turn by feisty attitudes and pounding tunes. As before, sincerity-challenged power ballads are the only sticking point; although this time they're kept to a minimum, and while it may be hard to tell her apart from Mariah and company on "I Dreamed of You", it provides ample opportunity to secure fragile crockery before her ferocious wail revs up again. Sticking to the anthemic Chaka Khan formula makes Freak of Nature a dependable follow-up album, but when it charts the middle ground between ballad and bombast--as with "Overdue Goodbye" and "Secrets"--it betters its predecessor. With lingering melodies and tender funk struts, Anastacia prooves she doesn't have to positively belt out a tune in order to soar. --Mark Daniels
Anastacia, the self-titled third album from the former wedding singer picks up where Freak of Nature left off, completing her transformation from disco-pop diva to full-on rock goddess. "Seasons Change" opens the album with a nu-metal guitar riff and pretty much sets the tone for the other 11 songs. Lead single "Left Outside Alone" demonstrates the diversity of Anastacia's voice: she starts off very pronounced in an Evanessence style before going back to her old self. Sadly, the vocals are more restrained than usual, with only a few songs showing off her range. The ballad "Heavy on my Heart" builds to some dynamic choruses, reminiscent of Joe Cocker's screaming rendition of "With a Little Help from My Friends" but the only time Anastacia really lets loose is on "Sexy Single", where her distinctive nasal vibrato loosens up and puts a real feel into the music. It's a shame there are none of the funk or disco numbers that made her debut so explosive but with such a unique voice, Anastacia could sing anything and it would sound great. --David Trueman
She has conquered charts all over the world. Her international album sales are in excess of 20 million, with 3 million of those in the UK alone, plus 12 hit singles and 3 Top Ten smash hits. Her 2004 album Anastacia was certified quadruple-platinum, hitting the #1 spot on two separate occasions, becoming the 6th biggest selling album of the year. Besides a wealth of commercial and critical success, Anastacia has also overcome personal health issues to maintain her status as one of pop's most respected performers.
Anastacia returns with her fifth studio album 'Heavy Rotation'. Sounding as bold and soulful as ever, the follow up to 2005's 'Pieces Of A Dream' shows that Anastacia remains one of the finest voices in modern day pop. First single 'I Can Feel You' contains the kind of power and emotion fans are used to while 'The Way' is a nod to 1960s Motown.
Source: amazon.co.uk