Representative Albums: "Xodo Do Brasil," "50 Anos de Forro"
Biography
Brazilian Anastácia began singing in her native Recife, known as the Brazilian Venice, until Conheceu Venancio joined her in 1960 after the promising singer moved to Sao Paulo. Named duo Venacio e Corumbá, their debut record featured the hit single "Uai Uai."
Over time, Anastácia (aka Forrozeira do Brazil) composed for talented local artists and focused on Afro-Brazilian music, especially the jazz-inflected bossa nova. On her different records, listeners can find the most popular local rhythms from Brazilian folk to carnival-oriented tunes. ~ Drago Bonacich, All Music Guide
Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Enhanced CD-ROM
Genre: Rock
Review
Following two majorly successful albums as a dance queen all over the world, the alto pop diva extraordinaire Anastacia released her third album, a self-titled one, to huge reception practically all over the globe. Interestingly enough, the only location where the album was never released was in the United States, where the American singer's flame never burst into wildfire. It's a real shame, though; Anastacia was a transition album for a multi-dimensional artist as she shifted from disco flavor into passionate power pop, and this haunting presentation would've been her ticket for gold in the States. Written, recorded, and produced while Anastacia was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer only helped the dazzling singer to create a more personal, painful piece of work that suits her unique voice perfectly. Packed with pop numbers that overlay into rock and soul, Anastacia envelops the listener into a painstaking reality that horrified the singer -- that this might be the end of her career, and her life, and she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Stronger tracks on the album include "Left Outside Alone," a global smash that was the number one single of 2004 in many European countries, on which Anastacia berates the listener with cries of frustration in pop/rock at its finest, and "Heavy on My Heart," a shimmering ballad flushed by pain, love, and bombastic sounds that collide like tidal waves in what can only be described as a magical four minutes. The hits don't stop there, as Anastacia is packed with not only personal musical anecdotes (every track on the album was either written or co-written by Anastacia), but radio-friendly, grit-influenced dark pop hits like "I Do," "Seasons Change," and "Time." Plus, she seams R&B into her mix of melodies on tracks like "Pretty Little Dum Dum" and "Sick & Tired." Overall, Anastacia is truly an artist's record, where listeners get a bird's eye view into the minds of a covertly dark Anastacia whose musical imagination is finally allowed to blossomed due to the catalytic effect of a terrible tragedy that overcame her. Luckily for us, she is 100 percent cured of her disease; now it's time to take this new hauntingly gorgeous Anastacia and give her some credit like she truly deserves. ~ Matthew Chisling, All Music Guide
Siedah Garrett (Vocals (Background)), Siedah Garrett (Vocal Arrangement), Audrey Wheeler (Vocals (Background)), Tom Sweeney (Assistant Engineer), Mark Russell (Bass), Jeff Anderson (Bass), Jack Andrews (Assistant Engineer), Kenny Aronoff (Drums), Dallas Austin (Guitar), Dallas Austin (Keyboards), Dallas Austin (Producer), Dallas Austin (MIDI Drums), Glen Ballard (Guitar), Glen Ballard (Keyboards), Glen Ballard (Producer), Paul Bushnell (Bass), Gary "Mudbone" Cooper (Vocals (Background)), Josh Freese (Drums), Teese Gohl (String Arrangements), Ted Jensen (Mastering), Randy Kerber (Keyboards), Eric Kupper (Guitar), Eric Kupper (Drums), Eric Kupper (Keyboards), Michael Landau (Guitar), Patrick Leonard (Keyboards), Patrick Leonard (Programming), Patrick Leonard (Producer), Dan Levitt (Guitar), Chris Lord (Mixing), Bill Malina (Engineer), Lance Morrison (Bass), Jamie Muhoberac (Keyboards), Tim Pierce (Guitar), Brian Scheuble (Engineer), Rick Sheppard (Engineer), Rick Sheppard (Sound Design), Rick Sheppard (MIDI Design), Dave Stewart (Guitar), Dave Stewart (Producer), Rick Wake (Producer), Colin Wolfe (Bass), Sean Hurley (Bass), Kara DioGuardi (Vocals (Background)), Mike Fennel (Engineer), Dan Hetzel (Mixing), Matt Laug (Drums), Dan Leffler (Assistant Engineer), Billy Mann (Vocals (Background)), Billy Mann (Producer), Isabel Snyder (Photography), Tony Reyes (Bass), Tony Reyes (Guitar), Andrew Dawson (Keyboards), John Shanks (Guitar), John Shanks (Keyboards), John Shanks (Producer), Shari Sutcliffe (Contractor), Julian Peploe (Art Direction), Julian Peploe (Design), David Channing (Digital Editing), Femio Hernández (Mixing), Michael Perfitt (Engineer), Michael Perfitt (Digital Editing), Dave Scheuer (Engineer), Thomas R. Yezzi (Engineer), Jeff Burns (Assistant Engineer), Francesca Tolot (Make-Up), Richie Jones (Drums), Richie Jones (Producer), Richie Jones (Mixing), Anthony Kilhoffer (Assistant Engineer), Lisa Vaughn (Vocals (Background)), Ned Douglas (Programming), Ned Douglas (Engineer), Ned Douglas (Drum Programming), Ned Douglas (Synthesizer Programming), J.D. Andrew (Assistant Engineer), Jim Annunziato (Mixing Assistant), Paul Lequerica (Vocals (Background)), David Massey (A&R), Anastacia (Vocals (Background)), Anastacia (Executive Producer), Mark Valentine (Engineer), Keith Armstrong (Mixing Assistant), Pablo Arraya (Assistant Engineer), Ligia Morris (Stylist), Jeff Rothschild (Engineer), Ed Sherman (Conductor), Cesar Guevara (Assistant Engineer), Lisa Braudé (Executive Producer), William Malina (Engineer), Robert Vetiga (Hair Stylist)
Anastacia is the eponymous third studio album by American pop singer-songwriter Anastacia, released in Europe and Australia on March 29, 2004 and in Japan on June 9, 2004. The album peaked at the top of the albums charts in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, and Australia, eventually selling five million copies worldwide.
The album was never released in Anastacia's native United States, despite plans for an August 30, 2005 release with a different track listing from that of the European version, which would replace "Sexy Single" with the B-side "Underground Army". The plans were canceled for unknown reasons, most likely due to the apparent poor reception of the lead single "Left Outside Alone" at radio outlets.
In January 2003, Anastacia had discovered that she had breast cancer when she was preparing for breast reduction surgery due to orthopedic reasons. Anastacia subsequently established the Anastacia Fund through The Breast Cancer Research Foundation to promote awareness of breast cancer amongst younger women.
After this traumatic experience, Anastacia entered recording studios in September 2003 to record the Anastacia album with Glen Ballard, Dallas Austin, and David A. Stewart for release in 2004. Anastacia was after more of a rock feel on the album, as noted in tracks such as "Seasons Change", "Time", and "I Do" (which features Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D.).
Anastacia says on her website that her illness made it more difficult to record the album:
... the experience was not pleasant. 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. 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 doctors said I'd be tired - but of course I had insomnia. It was tough...
She struggled through the process to finish the album for release in March 2004.
Commercial performance
Anastacia proved to be a huge smash hit reaching the top of the albums charts in ten countries including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Australia, and number two in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland. The album's lead single "Left Outside Alone" proved to be equally successful, reaching number one in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Australia; the top five on the pan-European singles chart, in Australia, and in the UK. The album also spawned another three European hit singles: "Sick and Tired", "Welcome to My Truth", and "Heavy on My Heart". "Sick and Tired" was the biggest hit from the three, scoring top five single status across numerous European nations, almost matching the success of "Left Outside Alone". "Welcome to My Truth" scored Anastacia her best-selling single ever in Spain and gained moderate European airplay and sales success, while "Heavy on My Heart" fared slightly worse but proceeds from the single were donated to the Anastacia Fund.
"Where Do I Belong" (Anastacia, DioGuardi, Patrick Leonard) – 3:26
"Maybe Today" (Anastacia, Stewart) – 5:15
Limited edition
A small batch of this album was released with a bonus DVD, Anastacia poster and slip case. The DVD includes "Making of Anastacia", "2002 Europe Promo Tour", and a photo gallery.
B-sides
"Get Ready" — "Left Outside Alone" single
"Twisted Girl" — "Sick and Tired" single
"Saddest Part" — "Welcome to My Truth" single
"Underground Army" — "Heavy on My Heart" single
"Trop Lourd Dans Mon Coeur" — a French version of "Heavy on My Heart", which appeared on the latter's single
Preceded by Patience by George Michael Once by Nightwish Live in Hyde Park by Red Hot Chili Peppers Medúlla by Björk
European Top 100 Albumsnumber-one album
April 17, 2004 – May 29, 2004
July 31, 2004 – August 7, 2004
August 28, 2004 – September 11, 2004
September 25, 2004 – October 2, 2004
