Anastacia (Photo: Oleg Nikishin)
Anastacia, who broke through in 1999 with the song “I’m Outta Love,” has canceled her latest tour in Europe due to her second diagnosis with breast cancer.
In a statement posted to the singer’s Facebook page and her personal website, she spoke to her fans about how disappointed she was to let them down. "I feel so awful to be letting down all my amazing fans who were looking forward to 'It's A Man's World Tour'. It just breaks my heart to disappoint them," she said. The statement adds that all performances, tours and travel have been cancelled until further notice, and that all tickets can be refunded from the point of purchase. The tour was slated to have begun on April 6.
“Now more then ever, she is determined to live by her motto “Don't ever let cancer get the 'Best of You!'” the statement added, invoking the title of her cover version of the inspirational Foo Fighters track, from her latest album.
The statement continues on that the singer “will continue the writing and recording of her new album despite her diagnosis and hopes to schedule a new tour as soon as possible.”
Despite having successfully defeated breast cancer in 2003, Anastacia has had a long history of battling disease throughout her lifetime. The Daily Mail outlines her history of ailments, pointing out how her problems began in 1981 at age 13 when she was first diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. She later had a relapse of Crohn’s in 1987. In 2008, she was diagnosed with the heart condition supraventricular tachycardia, in which the heart can beat up to three times its normal pace. She currently still takes pills to regulate it.
Anastacia, who has sold over 20 million records worldwide, has always been more popular in Europe and other Commonwealth countries than in America. She even appeared as a guest judge on the U.K. version of the X Factor last year. Early in her career, she was heavily championed by the late Michael Jackson, the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Elton John. She performed on VH1’s Divas Live in 2002 alongside Celine Dion, Cher, Shakira, the Dixie Chicks and Stevie Nicks. She also sang the original song “Love is a Crime” for the soundtrack of the 2003 Best Picture Oscar winning film, Chicago. She has been married one time, to her bodyguard in 2007, but they divorced in 2010.
The singer’s latest album, “It’s a Man’s World,” is full of song covers originated by male singers. Anastacia, 44, takes on huge rock anthems that include “Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses, “One” by U2, “Back in Black” by AC/DC, “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon, and “Wonderwall” by Oasis. Other hit songs by Anastacia include 2001’s “One Day in Your Life” and 2004’s “Left Outside Alone.”