The lady with one of the most distinctive voices in pop music is back with a brand new album, Heavy Rotation, as well as a fresh look and sound.

With a body of songs that are not just hits, but empowering anthems, as well as a direction that has progressed and evolved without abandoning her signature sound, Heavy Rotation is set to be Anastacia’s most powerful and successful release to date.

GaydarRadio's Neil and Debbie caught up with Anastacia to find out more.

It’s a treat to meet you. How are you?
I can’t complain. Let’s just keep it real. I’m in the diva moment of my life.

Really? Why’s that?
I think I’ve had the opportunity to go in and change a lot of things in my life that I never thought would be possible, such as new management and a new record label. I got hitched last year, which is the American southern way of saying I got married. Obviously, if you’ve seen any picture of me, I’m completely unrecognisable now. It’s a fabulous thing – I can walk down the street and nobody knows who I am. Life is great!

What do you mean, no one knows who you are?
I think they’re just so used to the way that I looked before with the glasses and the seven pounds of hair.

Why did you decide to change the look, then?
It just seemed like the perfect moment. I was ready. Plus, changing record labels allows you to start clean and fresh. You can’t take any pictures or anything from the record label that you were at because you have to start from scratch. When I realised that, it almost made the change more necessary. It was almost necessary to make it really different, so there was a definable moment of the transfer.

Anastacia, I have to say, I loved it when you took the glasses off. I had been pausing videos to look underneath those shades, because I thought if the eyes were as hot as the body, get ‘em off!
I really have to tell you, it took quite a long time. When I got the eye surgery, I thought it was just going to be the best thing in the world and I loved being able to see without glasses, but the fact is, seeing myself when I got up in the morning was not quite the tall order I was expecting! It wasn’t as pretty as I thought it would be [laughs].

"I’m completely unrecognisable now. It’s a fabulous thing – I can walk down the street and nobody knows who I am...I think they’re just so used to the way that I looked before with the glasses and the seven pounds of hair."

Elton would tell you off for saying that, he’d slap your wrists!
I had to get used to the face, you know? I never saw the eyes before, honey, I didn’t even know I had two of them.

So were the glasses a bit of a mask to hide behind?
Well, unfortunately they really weren’t, because I had been wearing glasses since I was seven years old, so I was a nerd since I can remember. I never knew how to do anything without coordinating my glasses with my outfit – I’d done it since I was young.

Talking of being young – do we need to call Childline over here, because I’m slightly worried about your mother. She called you a freak of nature as a child. Was she a bit Cruella deVille?
My mother was completely coo-coo for cocoa puffs, honey, and I’m very glad about that. She beat to her own drum. My aunts were named John and my uncles were named, you know, Sara, so I grew up in a very open, wild household but, at the same time, we were completely conservative. Don’t drink, don’t do drugs and we didn’t even put on makeup.

But my mother was just really realistic about me being different, that I sounded different, that I wore glasses, that I had a scar on my stomach and that it was okay, I didn’t have to fit in. It was all these things I had to adjust to when I was growing up. You know, glasses are nerdy, a scar at 13 doesn’t necessarily make you think that you’re fabulous when it’s right across your stomach and you feel that no guy would ever want to even glance at you. I know, total therapy session!

Were you teased quite a bit, then?
No, I wasn’t. I think I was more of that kind of spirit who didn’t have a problem because my mother always made me feel that glasses were awesome and my scar was great, so I grew up thinking all these things. I didn’t even know that people didn’t wear glasses, I didn’t know that everyone didn’t sing the minute they were born. I wasn’t quite that hooked into the truth of life during my younger years.

I wanted to talk about Elton, because you seem to be kindred spirits with him. How did that come about?
I really get a kick out of Elton. He beats to his own drum, and maybe that’s why we really connect a lot. He’s such a great guy. He just seems to take all us wounded birds and wrap his little wings around us to make us feel better. I love that about him. He loves music to its core, so immediately when an artist comes out, if he really feels that they’re wonderful, he starts to let them know. My god, to get accolades from Elton John at the beginning of your career, you’re like, “Okay, I’m done, thanks”.

So how did you meet? In a toilet somewhere?
Well, no. Actually, we met because he was given my album to review for Interview magazine, I believe. My album passed his desk and he fell in love with it. He gave me a smashing review. It was at the beginning of my career, probably not even a few months into it, and he was in L.A. doing something at some club. My manager brought me down and I just couldn’t believe I was sitting with him.

He had his whole posse at the table – it was so intimidating. He stood up and introduced me to the whole table, and everyone sitting there had heard my entire album, which he had been obsessive compulsive about playing. They all knew who I was! It was quite an amazing way to meet him. It was not just that he had reviewed my album, but that he needed to make copies for everyone. It was just lovely and we’ve continued the friendship as the years have gone on.

I understand you’ve stayed in his princess room, is that right?
I did, I thought that was very perfect. I was pinching myself when that happened.

"This business is full of smoke and mirrors, so I believe I have to stay grounded as much as I can and, musically, I can’t help but keep myself grounded because everything I sing about is what I am and what I’ve been."

You’re very interesting with your love life, Anastacia. You obviously know you have a big lesbian following.
Yes, I do!

But you’re very clever, because I tried to find out about your love life, but you keep it out of the press quite successfully.
Yeah, I did until I got married. That was a little difficult to keep out of the press.

It was your bodyguard, wasn’t it?
Yeah, it was a little hard to make him blend in. When he was working with me for two years non-stop right next to me, it was one of those things where we had no idea how to make it private.

So what did you do? Did you jump him?
Well, no.

Sorry for being so forward, it’s just that I can’t imagine you being held back.
I have to keep it real. He was my bodyguard. It was work. Even though he’s crazy hot, beautiful and wonderful, I didn’t look at him that way and he didn’t look at me that way – we worked together. It really was like that for such a long time. When the feelings came, we were both surprised.

Your first album sold very well in Australia. Have you been to Australia very much or been involved in the gay scene, such as Mardi Gras?
I really have to say that I have been so depressed because I seem to be in the total wrong place during the gay parades in every territory. I’m either missing it by a day or two, or I’m missing it by a season and every time they want me I’m in some other place. It’s been awful. I am going to Australia and promoting the album in November, but I have not been to Mardi Gras. I have never been on a float with drag queens surrounding me singing all my songs. But I’m going to do G-A-Y in London soon.

Is there going to be a tour?
Yes, I’ll definitely have a tour on this album, but it won’t happen until probably mid next year because I like to promote my album and then really start to plan the tour. I don’t really like to have them overlap. Talking for 12 hours and then singing for another two hours just completely does not go together for me.

Tell us about the new album, Heavy Rotation.
Do you like the name?

I do, but it’s a radio term. Why did you call it that? Is it because you want it to be heavily rotated?
Of course! There’s a song called ‘Heavy Rotation’ on the album and it can go any way you want it to go. The beauty about songs is that they relate to the way you feel they mean. For me, ‘Heavy Rotation’ means giving back to the DJs, spinning the records and just having a good time. But spiritually for me, it actually means that life is heavy and it can go around in circles. It can get lighter and then, all of a sudden, there can be another heavy moment, because that’s what my life can be like all the time.

Your song ‘Left Alone Outside’ helped my girlfriend get over a break-up, so she says thank you.
I’ve helped myself get through relationships, so god only knows, I’m sure it might have helped a couple of other people.

That’s one of the reasons why people love you so much, because they can relate to these songs. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?
It’s a keep it real part of a business that’s not keep it real. This business is full of smoke and mirrors, so I believe I have to try to stay grounded as much as I can and, musically, I can’t help but keep myself grounded because everything I sing about is what I am and what I’ve been.

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Heavy Rotation, by Anastacia
Label: Mercury Records
Released: 27 October 2008
ASIN: B001G93Z60

Buy Heavy Rotation by Anastacia online now. You'll save some money to put towards Pieces of a Dream: The Best of Anastacia. Plus, check out the video to the new single 'I Can Feel You' below!