She has the distinctively soul voice of a black woman, but this chart topper singer has had a hard time convincing people that she is not African-American until they saw her in the flesh. When you hear her voice, it is hard to imagine that a blonde, petite, young, and Caucasian woman is the source of a powerful and soul shattering voice.

She is Anastacia Newkirk, a 27year old American pop star who first cut her teeth in facials in salons to becoming a wedding singer, and moving up the ladder by becoming a well known figure in Club MTV till her break came when a producer noticed her soul powered voice.

Anastacia was born and raised from a very artistic family; her father was a singer on the Catskills hotel and East Coast Nightclub circuits; mother who worked in numerous musical theaters including Broadway. Anastacia was born in New York on September 17, 1973 but raised in Chicago by her mother following her parents divorce. At 14 she was moved back to the Big Apple. Singing was not something that Anastacia saw her future as, but growing up and surrounded by art led her to dabble on it.

She graduated from Professional Children’s School in Manhattan where she jokes that she was the only student who was not working already. Dabbling on poetry and singing along Barbra Streisand and Elton John record; with her older sister became a regular pass time at the New York dance club 1018.

It was then what she proclaims her first introduction to house music and “freestyle”.

“At the time I didn’t even know what it was,” Anastacia admits, “but emotionally I felt very attached to this very rhythmic music. The way I sing today is the way I dance: very freestyle, just going wherever the music is taking me.” From there she became a familiar figure on “Club MTV” and danced in several hit videos including names like Salt-N-Pepa. Then one night a producer approached her in a club and asked her if she was a singer, and it was there she went on a trading circuits of producers trying to find her big break.

In 1998, Anastacia entered MTV’s version of Star Search called The Cut, this was her first big exposure and big break that she worked so hard and long for.

“The reaction was incredible – they were just so fascinated by me as a person and as an artist” she said, “I mean, Michael Jackson called me at home – I can keep that call in my head and speak about it forever, whether I meet him or work with him, it’s my path that I am proud of – and over for the next few months I met the president of every major record label.”

The colored glasses and the Egyptian tattoo on her lower back may seem as to an outsider as part of her image as a singer, but there were long there before this late-bloomer was discovered. Her colored glasses, she proclaims to be the influence of Elton John.

Her chart topper “I’m Outta Love” brought here to the top of Australian charts in here first debut album Not That Kind of Love__ which has been making waves on Australian billboard is No. 3. The singer proudly admits that she was actively involved in writing nine of its tracks.

Now, Anastacia says she is content where she is, but does not feel as though why it took her so long to be found. With her Brooklyn background and formidable, it is little wonder that this blonde bombshell is enjoying her fast track to fame and success.

Sarah Summers