Anastacia

Anastacia's mum was right when she used to playfully call her young daughter a "freak of nature" (hence the subsequent album title), because few other women in the music business pack such a rich and mighty vocal punch. It surprised few when she rose from the ranks of MTV bit players to fully fledged divadom on the back of her debut smash, "I'm Outta Love", in the year 2000. Anastacia's big voice only gets bigger in Next Steps.

Anastacia had been through the ringer (breast cancer diagnosis and treatment) by the time she set about recording her third (self-titled) album, and the experience not only shaped her approach to recording, but it also produced a new genre she likes to call "sprock" — a heady commingling of soul, pop, and rock. "I Do" added P.O.D.'s Sonny Sandoval to her intoxicating new formula.

With or without her trademark tinted shades, Anastacia has become an instantly recognisable presence in the palace of A-list divadom, thanks to her rare double whammy of striking looks and a voice that can move mountains. She possesses what the pros call a "dramatic soprano", which means she can nail high notes without sacrificing any of her delightfully seductive raspy richness: It's like she's got an entire troupe of backing singers built into her tonsils. Whether she's funking it up, rocking it out, or souping-up the soul (sometimes she does all three at once), the lady is a veritable force — not just a freak — of nature.