She's a native New Yorker, but Anastacia has so far enjoyed greater success in Europe than in her own country. She hopes that will change with her next album, which features production by heavy-hitters Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics and Glenn Ballard (Alanis Morisette, Dave Matthews). "For the first time, I'm doing more of a rock album," she says.

Anastacia debuted one new song, "Heavy on My Heart," which she describes as "having a classic rock edge," at last week's Women Rock benefit for breast cancer research. The event was the perfect showcase for the track, which Anastacia wrote about her own recent battles with the disease. "I wrote it right after my surgery," she says. "It's about my cancer being heavy on my heart and feeling like I didn't know what to do."

The Women Rock show was just her second live performance since dealing with the cancer (the first being at the Oscars with Elton John). "During radiation and during all the stress of it all I felt too weak to sing," she says. "But now my voice is back and on track."

Anastacia expects the still-untitled album to come out in Europe this winter, followed by a U.S. release.

STEVE BALTIN
(October 8, 2003)