ANASTACIA: Michael Jackson Tried To Sign Me After Seeing Me On TV

0:00But that song is about your dad, right? I don't talk about that. Do you not? Mm-mm. Can I ask why? Because it's my own personal choice. Hello, I'm Anastacia and I am in great company and so is Brody. Give it up! Music icon Anastacia! She's sold over 50 million records. Is it true that Michael Jackson tried to sign you? Yeah. What other mentors do you think you had? Pavarotti was one. So anyway, I sort of just said, am I singing correctly? And he said... And I'm assuming we're talking about Celine Dion. We are. Who's the nicest superstar that you ever met? Who's the worst? Who's the worst? You know?

0:47You said that you were the most unsignable artist because of the way you looked and sounded. That's true. But explain that to me. Okay, so think about when I found out I had early cancer, but I didn't know if it was early or not. I kind of prepared myself for the worst answer, and I just started crying. But then my job now is to talk about it, because I don't want to know that there's a woman out there that I couldn't have helped. And I wonder if you know how real it feels. Sing it, girl. Have a left outside alone. There you go. Have a left outside alone. Are you kidding me? I'm so psyched right now.

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3:05Easy. Create your own AI agent today on Monday.com. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to Great Company. Today, we have Anastasia on the show, the huge pop star. this episode is wild wild get ready for it but before we start um just one quick favor if you can click the subscribe button that would be incredible and amazing and join our wonderful community already so if you do that one thing thank you so much okay here we go enjoy this wild episode of great company with anastasia what's the wildest party you ever been to A wildest party. Wrong, wrong artist. Wrong artist. I'm the milk and cookies tour.

3:49You won't get anything exciting. I've never been to one. You've never been to one? No, I've never really been. I don't think they invited me knowing I was too good. You know, I think I never got invited. I don't know the cool people. Okay, who was the nicest celebrity? Who was the nicest superstar that you ever met? The nicest? Yeah, who were you just like, when you met them, you were like, this person I love, I adore. They are great. Oh my God, there's a lot of them. But for sure, Celine, she was funny. Is she? Yeah, she's funny. So you just connected on that? She's like funny. Like she is good funny.

4:21Like we totally get each other. And then, you know, we end up singing together years later. And she aired guitars. And I'm like, oh my God, I want to be you. I want to be your guitar. Like I just love her. Like she's great. She was amazing. Who's the worst? Who's the worst? You know, I wouldn't say. Oh God, okay. But I do have a couple of people that I'm like, not my favorite. But I don't, you know, I mean, they don't have to be my favorite. Give me a clue. It's just, I'm not that kind of girl. You're going to make me do something I don't do. Yeah, I just think if you don't have something nice to say.

4:59Don't say it. Kind of my go-to. I love that. When you perform on stage, right? When you come out and when you sing a song, which one of your tracks do people go? I mean I'm out of love for sure left outside alone for sure paid my dues one day in your life and sick and tired they also like very much left outside alone how does that go again all my life I've been waiting and I'm singing the right key because I can't lower it or left broken empty in despair wanna breathe can't find air you were sent from up above But you and me never had love So much more I have to say Help me find a way And then it goes And I wonder if you know How real it feels Sing it, girl Have I left outside alone There you go Have I left outside alone Yeah, go ahead.

6:01Go, girl. Yeah, this is the way. Are you kidding me? I'm so psyched right now. I gotta do that with you. But that song is about your dad, right? Yeah. I actually didn't mean to write a song about my dad. But when I was writing the song, I realized that during the time that I was writing this album, I was going through radiation. This was the third album, wasn't it? Yes. This is the Anastasia album. And they told me that radiation would make me tired. So I literally took that literal and I was like, I'm going to fall asleep. This is when you're going through, you had your cancer treatment, right?

6:37Yeah. So I'm going through radiation and I'm expecting to feel tired. But what ended up happening was my brain was sleepier. So sometimes the lyrics would come and sometimes they wouldn't. The power that I sing with wasn't there. So when I sang that song, I sang it in my falsetto. therefore I think I felt a little vulnerable therefore all of a sudden this song as I started to sing and started to make words I was like I feel like I could write this song about my dad because at first you know you kind of like is this about love what is it about you know what am I really finding this about because Dallas Austin came in with left outside alone left that's alone he has like a hook in his head and i was like okay okay and then the melodies come and the words come but can you explain that because that's i i was speaking to a friend of mine who's an author and when she writes her books she kind of knows where it's going she kind of knows what she wants to write about but then as she starts writing it kind of flows she doesn't know what the ending's going to be and it feels like with your the way that you write and create as well you kind of are feeling it you don't well no i i don't i go in the room not knowing yes almost every time but dallas came in with an idea so we as i do with people that i work with and producers i work with we bounce ideas off and oh i like that oh no and i like to uh start with the melody so the melody goes into the words so you know you know so i would have like oh that's cool you know and all of a sudden you'll sort of be like I have no idea what I'm going to say here, but I feel like this is where we're going.

8:28And this is something. Right. And this is sounding good. So let's keep going. Let's do it. I don't know what I'm saying. And then it goes on and then it goes father. So, yeah. So just it sort of just happens in that strange little vortex. Those lyrics, Left Outside Alone, they can it could be perceived quite sad, right? I think for anyone, when you're telling them how it feels for them to be on the other side of being shut out, yeah. I think that that's not the place you want to be dedicated. I don't think I want that dedicated to me. So I do feel like it's one of those songs that I know I needed to say in my life, in my, I guess I needed to because I ended up writing it.

9:12Yeah. But knowing that that's what I thought it was to me and other people feel like they've needed to sing it to someone, which says that a lot of people feel, you know, that they need to take their own back. You know, they need to own their power. And I think that that's sort of what the song is saying. What was your relationship like with your dad? I don't talk about that. Do you not? The reason I ask is I kind of want to know what your childhood was like. right? Where you grew up, because you grew up in Manhattan. Grew up in Chicago. And then, and then, and then it was, my dad was in New York.

9:50My mom was in Chicago. So my, most of my relationship is mom based. So that's really what I speak about because she was the majority parent, the primary parent of all things. She was mom and dad. So that is why there doesn't need to be a discussion about the parent that really wasn't there. So I don't want to give that oxygen, you know what I'm saying? She deserves all the oxygen because she was working overtime. Tell me about your mom. She's freaking hilarious. And she was a strong mother on the sense of she had very hard rules that I still believe that that's why I am the way I am today is she was very matter of fact, like don't lie and be good and don't judge people on what they look like, judge them and how they treat you.

10:48Like she was very much like that. And she was in theater. So it was like, everyone's welcome. You know, everyone was always welcome to our house. So to us, we grew up with not the isolation, but my mom did grow up in that time when she watched all the isolation with different groups of people being isolated because of who they loved, what the color of their skin was. So she was just, I don't want to do that. And she didn't bring any religion to us either. Really? So she was Catholic. Catholic school, the whole like, you know, hit you with the ruler type of thing. And she's like, you guys are on a public school and, you know, very Chicago.

11:34go, you know, you're going to public school and, you know, and when I say, when I call you, you come, you know? So she was like, you have to be in calling distance, which meant when her mouth said, get over here, we had to not be that far. We had to hear her, but she was loud like me. So technically we could be halfway down the bar. She was a mom of three by 26. And then she had a friend that was a mom of four and they were both in their twenties. And so they were like, let's find a church so that we can put our kids in the, like in the nursery and we can sing to Jesus for three hours. And so my mom often found solace in going to Baptist churches and be like, Jesus.

12:22And so there, hence my mom's story of me in the back seat of the, you know, back, what do you call that? Like kid seat. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know. Singing. Hey, you like slow vibrato, like the church girls, like, yeah, for me, you know, and obviously I was hearing it in, in the play school. So I would, I would just, I had perfect pitch. My mom was like, you were totally singing. Well, because you could hear it from that. And you could just get it. And so I'd hear it and it was like over and over again. And they repeat a lot of stuff in church. So I was just like, she's like, oh, wow. She, this one's a singer, you know?

13:04So she knew I could sing. Was she pushy in the way to push you? No, she wasn't pushy. She just knew. And also my dad knew. I mean, he knew that I could sing. Everyone told me that I could sing. So it wasn't an unknown fact, but I thought it was a choice. But can I ask you that? Because when your parents or loved ones say that you can sing and you're good, you then expect to achieve things, right? So then when you're not, or did you not? No, I wanted to be an archaeologist. I wanted to be, um, what was I, my big thing was archaeology. And then when I found out you're alone a lot, I was like, nope, no, thanks by yourself.

13:39Just digging. Okay. It's not as exciting as being on the beach and finding this and going, you know, like I thought I was finding fossils on the beach and then now. So I, I like, like to look at microscopes and like, look at the leaves and look at all the things. But I wasn't smart enough to do anything past a microscope. Like, I just didn't have the, I'm, I'm going to say the smarts in school. It just wasn't, it wasn't my go-to. I was passing, I was fail passing, really, every grade. And so I don't even think that if I went and tried to do anything, that I would get too far. Was your mom who said you should go to stage school?

14:27My mom wanted me to go to stage school. So yes, I did. But I wasn't into it. I didn't want to do it. My mom felt that I had something. And I'm not going to deny she was wrong. Here I am. Yeah. So, I mean, apparently she was really wrong. Because you were a performative? But I really wanted her to be wrong. Because I did not want to do theater. I didn't want to do musical theater. But she knew I had a voice. But she also knew I had the thing that she keeps calling the thing. And I'm like, okay. What does she mean by that? What is like the thing? Like when I see someone and there's just magic in them when you see Ray or you see, you know, Teddy Swims.

15:07And you're like, there's just something about him. I would have liked him at probably 15 and I like his voice now. Like I think he's always kind of had that vibe. And I think Ray isn't old enough to not have it in her soul since she was like little. So I just think, you know, there's some people out there that kind of have the magic moment. And either they happen or they don't. Because it doesn't mean really great people haven't made it. It means they were really great, but just the timing didn't work out. I think there's tremendously talented people in all shapes of the world, from the arts to plumbers or whatever you want to call it.

15:46But maybe they didn't get to do what they wanted to do. Do what they wanted to do. Exactly. So what was stage school like? Did you like it when you were there? No. I mean, it was school. But the thing is, is that the stage school I went to was correspondence school. So in New York, when we finally moved to New York when I was like 14, 15. and when I went to the performing arts professional children's school, it was called, seriously, but it was a school for all the kids that actually were on TV, like the Cosby show, and everyone else that actually had jobs, and I would tell my mom I did go to the audition, but did I go to the audition?

16:29And I say I didn't get called back, so I just didn't like the whole audition thing. I thought it was just a setup for just failure. Like just, it made me failure. No, I just didn't like that. It didn't make me feel comfortable, judged, everything like that. Like it didn't make me feel happy. It made me feel self-conscious and I didn't have that in me. It made me feel that way. I was like, okay, I don't like people are staring and then they're just sort of staring, waiting for you to do stuff. And I'm like, that's why I didn't think I had anything to offer in like the way of talent in that way is that I was like, I didn't like that part of it.

17:11So I think if I was on like American Idol now with all of what they do, even when it started or whatever, I don't know that I really would have been my best. And I say that because I don't like competing because I, I get, I get, I don't like the games that get played in the competition. Like if I was on big brother, I'd be like tapping out, you know, I'm done. But that's, that's interesting. Cause then you, you picked an industry which is competitive, but it's not for me. Cause I don't compete with anyone. I'm competing with myself. You really don't know. My record label might've done it. My people may do it, But I myself am doing my thing.

17:58And I don't expect somebody to like everything I do. I'm trying to do me for me. And that's why not that kind is not that kind. That's why freaking nature is freaking nature. It's just I didn't want to be, which I was, judged for not being like everyone. It was already, she doesn't sound like anyone. She's wearing glasses. She's kind of a town boy. You know, I mean, like they want a girl to wear a dress. And, you know, and I kind of was like all the guys' friends and all the girls' girl. So I wasn't like the in-between. I wasn't the girl that put on makeup. I was the girl that sort of would be on the phone with the guys.

18:42And they're like, she broke up with me. Like, no, you know, and I'd be the one that was kind of like. and maybe they wanted to date me but they took the friendship. It was okay. But I mean, I'm not saying everybody's like maybe a couple of them maybe wanted to date me but we ended up being friends. Yeah, that's kind of how I took it. You said that you were the most unsignable artist because of the way you looked and sounded. But that's true. But explain that to me. Because can I just say from my point of view, like now, you look amazing. You sound amazing. so okay so think about in the 90s let's say 95 who was out there that sounded like me okay i can tell you there is no one there's no one that looked like me or sounded like me so in the industry yeah they were always kind of there'd be somebody who comes out but in a way it's like okay well there's celine there's mariah there's jenna jackson and then there were people that were like a Mariah or like a Janet Jackson or like a Celine.

19:46So you had to be like something. I wasn't like anybody and I didn't sing like anybody. So where do I fit? Where does my genre fit? Because I really, I'm not going to take off my glasses. No one's wearing glasses. This is not like, I don't have a theme going on. You know, I'm not the sellable sex, you know, in the magazine, you know, fold out. I'm not going to do that. That's not my jam. so I'm like if you like a voice then I'm gonna be what you want to sign if you want a pin-up girl you're not looking at the right girl so that was just sort of my shtick on who I was and I did go to people with my not that kind song and they're like it's not good enough it's you know I don't really get it I don't get who you are and I I got those answers because they couldn't put you in a box they couldn't find where you were right and that's understandable because that is our business is like going, you know, and then there becomes more Anastasias out there.

20:44There becomes more girls who uniquely have their own voice, you know, like, you know, you end up loving Amy Winehouse. You end up loving certain voices that are so unique that you're like, oh my God, I love that. But they have to find those voices and take a risk on those voices. I'm not a businesswoman, so I don't know. But when I got on a TV show that just put me in front of a camera and I sang my own song that I wrote that not that kind and it starts pretty much with my voice and you see it like I watch it back and I'm like, oh my God, I was so confident. But I didn't feel confident. I didn't think I feel at the time.

21:27Yeah, I was just like, I don't even know. Like, I'm so I'm so going to get kicked off this show. Like I just never really felt like I had what it took. And I was already just turning 30. So completely on the opposite side of when you need to get a record deal in our business, in pop music or whatever you want to call that. It's just I was getting to an age where I would need to try to figure out a vocation if music wasn't going to spin off. But hang on, let's just take a step back because this is The Cut, right? It was a TV show called the cut and you were 30 at the time but you lied and said you were 24 no I was 30 at the time and in the audition yeah I said I have to be honest with you guys I know you're supposed to be 29 to be on the show but I'm really 30 and they were like no no they said no and I was like I know and they're like no and I'm like I just turned 30 I just turned 30 it's September I know and And they're like, no.

22:26And I was like, no. And they're like, no. So a lot of no's until they got to, I don't know. What do you think she is? I went 21, 20. They made my age on the show. And then Sony was like, sure, sure. We'll stick with it. And I was like, but I'm not. And they're like, it's okay. You look it. And I was like, I do get carded. So it's true. Wait, wait, wait. Explain. So they said you were 24. Yeah, they said it was like 22, 23 or something. And then I was, I continued to be that age. But I don't really. Yeah. Till I was 40. And then I had to like say, I'm 40. Like, I'm just letting you all know I'm done with the math.

23:02I can't. I don't know how old my sister is. She's just, I would answer. So your sister is, I was like, older than me. Three years. I go three years older than me. And my brother's two years younger than me. I'd be like, next question. You know, I would be so nervous that. You were kind of on the circuit being like a singer performer, but not as a pop star and you were performing at like you performed at Arnold Schwarzenegger's well I did weddings if you want to call it that way weddings and special parties so I was a a band singer you know so I sang everybody else's songs with instrument you know people that would just get hired for the gig through an agency and you did Arnold Schwarzenegger's party and I did Arnold Schwarzenegger's birthday party let's get that straight and um and I sang I want to say I sang an Envogue song but I keep saying, what a man, what a man, but I feel like that's a rap song.

23:53So maybe I just have to listen to En Vogue to know, but maybe it was Salt-N-Pepa, but he had me sing it over and over again. 12 times apparently. No, they keep saying 12. I definitely, it wasn't 12, but a lot of times, um, more than I've ever sang a song in a night, you know, like usually it's like a request comes in. I want to hear something and then you sing it, but they're not like, and I want to hear it again, like right now, like again, again. Well, he didn't say that to me, but the party planner person, you know, he didn't talk to me, but it was like, they want to hear his song again. They called it his song.

24:30What that did for me is I found my sound at that point, because when I was, when producers were approaching me in my, let's just say, 20 to 25 time, I was just sort of singing what they wanted me to sing and not really understanding because I could do a lot of things. And only until I went into a booth and wrote my own song did I come into my own voice. But I think that was because I did everyone else's songs and sung them like me, that it was like, I knew what my sound was because I sang everybody else's songs like me. So once I sang a me song, that's what it sounded like. And I was like, oh yeah.

25:18And so I didn't know if it was great or not or good. I just knew that it was a me song. So when I wasn't getting signed, I'm like, yes, it's not great. But explain to me, from a naive point of view, when you try and find your voice, what do you mean you found your voice? Meaning, when I would go into the studio with a producer, I would sort of say, what do you want it to sound like? Is this good? Is that good? I didn't, I was sort of, because I didn't really understand what the music business was, nor did I have like big fancy dreams that this was what life was going to be. because I started by going to a disco underage with my mom and she knew the owner.

26:01So she said, you could go there as long as you don't drink. I mean, seriously, she was like, and don't put the drink down because if you put the drink down, you don't get another drink. They're going to kill you. She was just very, very like, don't let them put anything in your drink. And so she'd make me kiss her when I got home just to see if I smelled like alcohol, that little tricky lady. I didn't know that at the time, but I'd always kiss her when I got home. And she's like, it's because I wanted to know if you drank anything. And I was like, well, you told me not to. I don't want to like...

26:31Go against you. Yeah. Okay, so going back to the cut, right? You go and do the cut. And during that, that's when you start to get noticed. Well, that is when I got noticed. Period. Every label wanted to sign me at the same time. And I think the show came out in October. By December, I was signed to a major label for a lot of records. but just explain because i heard that is it true that michael jackson tried to sign you yeah there were so many people every record label that was a record story i need okay so um everyone was coming out of the woodwork um all the labels rca i don't even know what they're called anymore because they probably don't even exist anymore but um every label and part of sony michael jackson had his own label on Sony.

27:23And so a few different Sony derivatives were looking to sign me. And one of them being Michael. And so he wanted to talk directly to me and he didn't want an assistant to connect him. He was just like, I'd love her to pick up the phone and just sort of, you know, it be her and I on the phone. I would really appreciate that. And so he had my home number. I like waited by the phone. Let me just tell you, that was when we had cords attached to the phone and I was waiting. He's the biggest star in the world. Yeah. And I was just sort of like waiting at the phone for it to ring. It was kind of wild.

28:00The phone rang and I'm kind of like, hi. And we just had the most wonderful conversation. What did he say? Just about anything. He said, what did you do today? And, you know, I just want to tell you, you're so talented. And, you know, mainly why, you know, he's like, one thing he said to me that I didn't understand until now or not now, but later in my career is that he said, you are someone the world would understand as opposed to people like just a random person. He's like, everyone in the world would get you. And, and I understood that to be, he's like, you have a world talent. You don't have a country talent.

28:46You don't have a specific regional talent. You have a world talent. And that is not come by a lot. How did he know that? What is that about you? Do you think? I don't know. But if you had to take yourself outside of your body. He saw me sing one song and he got it from that one song. Everyone got it from that one song that you have something that we've never seen and we all want it. And I'm like, you all want it now? I'm 300 years old. Where were you? Because that for me, right? It's like. That makes sense that people want me when they hear me singing. But it took a random TV show that had one season that never came back again that we sang our own songs on.

29:29That is fucking wild. That was my breaker that broke me in the industry.

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31:38What is it like being catapulted suddenly into the spotlight where suddenly everyone wants you? How do you even manage that? It was hard. In what ways is it hard? It was hard because I had no concept or dreamed of what this would be like. So you weren't even prepared for that? No. I had no real, like, like, there wasn't a, I remember when my lawyer was walking down the street with me and this is like 98 or 99. And he's like, you know, you're not going to be able to do this. And I was like, what? He's like, walk down the street. I was like, shut up. And he was like, no, your world is going to change.

32:15And I'm like, from your mouth to God's ears, you know? And I just would always like, you wish I know it. I was like, maybe we'll put out a single, like, you know, I mean, at the end of the day, everybody hopes that they sign to a label that, you know, once again, you hear all the stories. I signed to a label and they didn't put it out and they held me for three years or whatever. You hear all the stories, but it didn't happen that way with me. Like it continued to happen. Like my song was that. And then another song was that. And they like me. They really, really like me. You know, kind of thing.

32:50But each album had four singles or five singles. And it just kept going better and better. Yeah. Which is kind of... No, that's great. But it's also rare. Yes, it's rare. But I also think that I, you know, probably had a little bit overwhelmed by the third album, you know, because I had just recovered cancer. And so I think there was a lot that was, that I was okay to sort of dip out, you know. and sort of get away from it all. Because I think sometimes you just don't, you want people to tell you the truth, but then they really don't tell you the truth. What do you mean? Explain that to me. When my sister started working with me is when she really started to let me know, like, what people say when you're not around isn't what they say to you.

33:48they say la la la is happening and then all of a sudden when you're in the room they're like great okay but then they'll be like oh my god and the tragedy's happening and then i walk in they're like okay so we will you know so what were they saying was the big power what were they saying outside the room i mean i don't exactly know but i use that as a metaphor of you know everything's okay don't let the artist know the ship is crumbling or whatever like but I wasn't crumbling whatever's going on but don't let her worry about it because let her stay focused let her stay focused you know she's got 14 more interviews to do go just go to keep going yeah just keep going right and I do understand the philosophy of you know burnout you know it's it's a real thing what does it feel like when you had it well who helped me with that was celine and that was in my second year um so that was 2001 and celine and i were at a party dude we're having a conversation all right did i see celine and you got really excited i know we all love celine this is so this is brody everyone this is brody right here right so we're just we're gonna act as though he's not here.

35:03And I'm assuming we're talking about Celine Dion. We are. We are. Celine and I were at a party and she was very kind and very sweet and I forget what got us into this conversation because mind you, I'm totally freaking out that I'm talking to her. I'm remembering the conversation but I don't know how it started. She was probably really nice and I was like you know, I was definitely, you know, on Mars. And I was like, and what I do remember is she said, do you sing? This is when it clicked for me. Cause I think then I was like, boink. She said, do you sing live when you do, um, all your press and TV?

35:48And I was like, yeah. And she said, you know, you don't have to. And I was like, what do you mean? And she said, okay, you've already proven you can sing. They know you got the voice, but if they expect you, and this is overseas, mind you, if they expect you to do 40 interviews, like let's do a morning show and then you have to sing a song, then you do like 40 interviews and then maybe you have to take a private plane to another country to do the night show, they have like one input on some of these TV shows in different countries. You don't have to kill yourself singing to a track and do it. So she said, you have earned the right to say either you want the interviews or you want the singing and you pick.

36:34And I was like, I do? And she was like, yeah, you do. And if not, you're going to hurt it. And I was like, it does, it's hard. It's hard. And I will say, you know, at some points, but at the beginning of my career, and I think she related to it, was you wanted to show that you could sing. Like it is kind of like people do want to hear it. But truthfully, I felt like everybody was so in shock that it was coming out of my mouth because it was so different. Like the way you sounded and the way you looked was two different moments. Like you would have been like, and I want to take you. Like it was, I should have sounded sweeter or whatever.

37:15But it's incredible advice because what it's saying is that in those situations, you need to start protecting yourself. because you don't protect yourself. If you're performing forever. Yeah, but if you're performing the whole time and doing everything, that's when burnout happens. And then you're no good to anyone. Well, the difference for a singer, you use a different voice when you're talking than when you're singing. And so if you're continuing talking, talking, talking, you're actually using your voice wrong and singing is different. So that's why on tour, it's not about going out. it's not about you know having extra long conversations or anything everything right so when people say voice rest it really is you're concentrating on the like sprint that's what you need you need the sprint you need the the the race you're on the race and then your body recovery race body recovery because I'm singing these acrobatic songs as if I am a gymnast thinking you know, I need to do those somersaults every night.

38:17Exactly the same. They expect the high note, you know, and I want to give it to them, you know, and putting out the live album last year, let me be kind of proud of myself that I, that it sounded good. I never put out a live album before. And I was like, oh yeah, that was really cool. And even the mistakes in it are fun, you know, Like the organicness and how live it sounds. That's what my shows are like, you know? That's incredible. Celine Dion, I mean, what other mentors do you think you had that really helped you? Pavarotti was one. And he was at the beginning. So I got to be part of Pavarotti and Friends.

38:56And back in the day, he... Pavarotti. I know. Unbelievable. I know. He had a wonderful idea to put opera in with current pop artists. And he would bring them on stage and sort of melt his big orchestras in with music. So he was doing one of my songs and singing part of it in Italian. And then I was singing one of my songs. And so when we were in rehearsal, I was like, I'm never going to get a chance to ask someone this talented or this like, you know, godly, am I doing it right? So I sort of was like, hey, I'm just going to ask you a question. And I have pictures of this and my outfit was atrocious.

39:45Was it? In rehearsal. I don't know what I was thinking of. I was just like, really girl? I had like a can go like, I don't even know. Like I can't even, I'll have to post the picture because it's almost more funny because you know the way I looked after was like oh good but putting me together was interesting so anyway I sort of just said am I singing correctly just there I'm just gonna put it out there I'm very vulnerable I was like ready to hear you should or like you know And he said, oh, absolutely. And I said, how do you know? And he said, for you to create, roughly figuring what he said, but for you to keep creating the same sound without getting hoarse and every moment consistently going and going and going, I know you're placing it the right way.

40:40and I he's like you've never had a voiceless and I said no and he goes well then don't think about it you're doing it right just trust me you don't need help you're fine did you then trust yourself were you then like okay you know I sort of felt a little better but I it was nice to hear from him that maybe my instincts are okay when people are like you have to go to vocal cast I was like well I don't it seems like a lot of work you know I'm like can I ask that because I think as humans we We are insecure and we don't have that confidence sometimes. And coming from you as well, someone so successful, you've done so many incredible things, you also have those insecurities.

41:21100%. Oh, my God. That's so refreshing. I've been asked, what would you tell your younger self? I was like, be nicer to yourself. How about the dialogue be positive? How about that? How about just be nice? Instead of to everyone else, to yourself. I was like, how about that? Why are we so horrific? We're so, and I think it's just because we're in that place where we want to fit in. But I knew I didn't look like the people I wanted to look like. I wanted blue eyes. I wanted to be tall. I wanted to like just feel like when I walked in a room, you know, they're like, oh, and I just knew it wasn't happening because I was a little bit too like, hey, I'm walking in the room.

42:04I was a little dorky, but it was like, but don't bump. so I was kind of like you know the the the jokester more than I was you know the one that floated in like J-Lo I was like J-Lo's hair you know I feel like J-Lo's hype man you know there's like but that's also that is amazing and that is I always would say I have a great personality like let's just like leave it at that like I can sing but I have a great personality so let's look at but I imagine also someone like J-Lo probably wanted elements of you as well right? She probably was doing just fine. I think she didn't wish for that, but I could, I could wish that she wished that she had elements of me, but I think she's done pretty well for herself.

42:50Are you an introvert or extrovert? I'm an introvert. No, but I'm an extrovert at work. Wow. Which is why I'm not on the covers of magazines, sweetheart. I'm not an extrovert, a total introvert. Because you feel like an extrovert. I'm not like, oh my God, she fell out of the nightclub. I'm like, I'm like, anyway, I'll be there on time. And what else do you want? Like, I'm like, no, I'm, I'm the opposite. Because you, you, you come out as an extrovert, right? So if I met you, I think you're an extrovert, but you're not. And if you know anyone that works with me, what do I do? I'm just going to go straight back to the hotel and stay in the hotel and, you know, worry about keeping this okay for work.

43:32Okay. So, So if we were back in the hotel with you and it was just you by yourself, what is Anastasia like in the hotel? What are you like in your own environment? Well, it's usually very organized. And the maid doesn't have to come in but once a week. Because you clean, you make sure everything's… Yeah, I'm just not, you know, I'll be like, I need a new towel. Here's the towels. Don't worry, you know, I got it. And I'm in a kitchen. I'm like a one-bedroom type of thing in a hotel. And so I'm like, yeah, they can clean every Thursday. day, that's fine. But I have to then clean it for them to clean it.

44:05If you know what I'm saying, like I have to put stuff away. I want to make sure they're able to clean without needing to move stuff to clean. I know I'm a Virgo too. So I don't even know if that means anything, but I'm very, very, uh, I do like to have organization. When did, what was the time, or maybe it hasn't arrived when you, you were, you accepted yourself? I want to say it's it little by little. I think I slowly realized that words are powerful. And if I watch my words with other people, I need to watch them with myself because that is a big part of what you bring into your life. So when I started to practice what I was preaching to myself, I was like, oh, all right.

44:54Well, yeah, I could be nicer. You know, I started realizing, you know, okay, maybe, maybe I did, you know, do this because I, you know, like I started looking at my life differently in my forties. But yeah, I want to say, because the first 10 years were like, well went everything. Yeah. And then as you start to, you know, put things into perspective and you look at like what's happening and you're like 40, 41, 42, you're kind of like, yeah, I just, I want to be better. I want to be happy. And you know, what is it that keeps making my dialogue sound not happy? Can I, this is what I hear so much.

45:37Your twenties, you're like hustling. Thirties is like this huge, crazy success. Is it be careful what you wish for? Because your thirties, were you happy? I was happy, but I was so busy. I was not present. Yeah. So that was the only thing that was missing was being present because it was always something else. So even though I was doing something, I knew there was other stuff I needed to do. So you couldn't even have time to enjoy it because you. So in my today, I am here with you and I am talking with you and I'm, there's nothing else in my concern. You know, like my today's world is being mindful of somebody else's human, you know?

46:21And I mean, I don't always get it right. The other day I went to, to Abbey Road and literally got in the car, went to Abbey Road, did all these things, and then got back to get in the car. I was like, hi. And he's like, hi. I was like, did you drive us here? And he was like, yeah, I was like, oh no. I was like, I'm a horrible person. They just threw me in the car. I'm sorry. I didn't say hello. He goes, it happens a lot to you guys. You know, you get thrown in the car. And I was like, can I have a hug? You know, and I gave him a hug. I was like, you drove us so well here. What is your, what is your proudest moment of your career so far?

46:58Would you say? Oh, my proudest moment. Um, I mean, there's moments of performing with people that I'm proud that I say I can like tell people I did. So, you know, singing with Celine or singing with Pavarotti. But those moments, those moments must be incredible, right? When you're on the stage with him as well. But it's true though, right? Like on those moments. Yeah. Like when I was, when he reviewed my album, that was trippy. And then he reviewed my album and he was doing a live show in Madison Square and he asks, you know, requests, would she like to sing on stage with me? And I'm like, this is not normal.

47:42This is not true. Because I stared at his records. My mom had his records, Barbra Streisand's, all these others, but I would stare at his a lot because I wore glasses since I was six and I saw him with glasses on and when I found out I had to wear glasses, I was like, yeah. Like Elton. Like want the ones with the windshield wipers. And my mom was like, okay, get over yourself. Like you're getting a pair of glasses. And I was like, I want this pair and this color. And, you know, and it happened. But it was wild to think I'm going to be with this guy that I used to listen to over and over again as a kid.

48:21Yeah. Like that was never a thought. Like ever. And look, the fact that you're touring across the UK and Ireland this year, I mean, the fact that you're doing that just shows the love, the respect, how many people just adore you. It's been lovely. I mean, the 25th anniversary last year was a moment to just sort of go, whoa, like, like they do want to hear my music. So I do believe that that was just the moment to stop time for me. Yeah. And I watch it back a lot and totally remember what was in my—because I was present at that moment. And I remember just not understanding the level of magnitude of Madison Square.

49:15Not even—like, I knew they had no idea who I was. I was like, blah, blah, blah. And I'm singing his song. So, you know, Saturday nights are right for fighting. And he's just on his piano. And I'm just sort of, you know, how he got with his mouth open. And I'm like, hey, hey, on the other side of the piano, just acting like a dork, like almost like. I mean, you could put that music over it and it would almost be right on. And then he comes over and kisses my belly button. What? You have to watch it. It's worth watching. So I put my, I think I, I don't really know. I'm trying to remember, did I put my hand out or whatever?

49:58Or he took my hand, went down on a knee as if he was going to propose. Yeah. And then kiss my belly button. And I was like, and I just stared at the audience like, for real? And I just was like, what is happening right now? And I was like, bye. And I left and I got off stage and I screamed at the top of my lungs. I was just, and we had no like buddy filming me come off stage, you know, for my own enjoyment. But I remember just going, holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. You're like, I can't believe it actually happened. For all your fans who are listening right now, what can they expect from your tour?

50:34What is going to be happening? You're going to get me on stage reacting to the audience that's there. and whatever ends up happening with that audience, I... You just go with it. I go with it. Like, if somebody shouts out something, then it's going to be something we have a conversation about if I hear it, you know, I mean, whatever, you know. You just don't hold back at all. No, it's like a little bit of a stand-up comedy show at the same time without meaning to do it. It just will happen if it happens. Are you just your happiest when you're on stage? No, I'm my happiest all the time. That's so great.

51:09Yeah, yeah, I'm happy right now. I don't need the stage to make me happy. I'm grateful that the audience wants to come. And I know that... You don't need that audience. To make me happy. You don't need it. No, no. I enjoy it. I love what I do. But I don't need their affirmation to complete me. Like I'm not in that place. I don't think I've ever been in that place as an artist. But I really do love it. So I'm super glad I can still do it. And I'm super glad people are like, we're going to come. You know, here we are. 75 % of us have never seen you live. And I'm like, oh, my God. Oh, let me introduce my name is Anastasia.

51:52It's nice to meet all of you little virgins. So, you know, whatever it is, I say whatever I say, you know. I said you're unbelievable.

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53:35we like to end our conversation in eight questions oh in french no we can do it in french if you want

53:46okay eight questions are you ready for this oh my god do they have to be like a quick fire only if you want them to be i don't know how to do that well then you don't have to do it thank god i got time it's a lot of pressure if you're like do you like i don't know i think i like them both Oh God. Yeah, I'm the same as you. So listen, you can take as long or as little as you want. What's a saying or phrase that makes you smile or cheers you up? A saying or phrase? That makes you smile or cheers you up. It can be anything you want. Literally Brody's name. My dog's name. It does. It's just literally, I'm like, oh.

54:18It's kind of probably the way that you hear your child's name. It's like, it just makes you, oh. You go, oh. Yeah. Hmm. Best compliment anyone's ever given you? I mean, it's usually about my voice and that they think it's the best voice, but I find that hard. I don't know. I think they might say that to other people. No, they don't. But do they? No, they don't. Because your voice is - There's a lot of amazing voices. To be the best? I don't know. That's a little bubblegum. But I do like it. I'm not going to say it's not my favorite thing to hear. Who's your favorite voice ever? Oh, don't have one.

55:01That for sure I don't. Top three. Okay. Mariah. Mm-hmm. Whitney? Yeah, come on. Celine's up there because of her technique, but she doesn't write her music, so there's another level of that. There's another level. Yeah. That's why I think Mariah's up there because of her writing skills. I'd number the comment. Give me one more. Luther Vandross. Wow, great shout. Yeah. Did you see Whitney live? No. Wow. I know. I never got to meet her but you've met Mariah yeah she's lovely and taller I didn't say anything he did have a face he had a face we're going to repeat rewind he was like you met Mariah and I was like yeah and he's like she's taller she's taller than I thought for sure I was like oh my god because everyone I meet they're shorter than you think Yeah, yeah, sure.

55:58So I was like, shut up. And she wears the tall heels. She's tall. Oh, she's tall. Yeah, she's like probably 5 '10". And then with her, my heels that I wear, she's a tall girl. And I'm nothing. I'm like five foot nothing. So I'm like, oh my God, Mariah. Is she intimidating? I thought she was. Yeah, she was. I thought she was just because, you know, I mean, I lived for, you know, Vision of Love. I lived for every note she sang on that record, you know. and just her voice will never die in my head. What she was capable of doing, you know, in her greatest time, you know, it's hard to be that wide in your register and think that you're ever going to be able to do that forever.

56:43What scares you most about yourself? This is good. Scares me. Yeah.

56:54That's interesting. I don't. Maybe it's nothing. Yeah, I think I'm good now, but I think before there probably would have been, you know, you're not listening to your gut, you know, but now. You're pretty good. Yeah, I'm pretty freaking solid with me. Let's freaking go. Okay. When was the last time you cried? Oh, wait. I don't think you were much of a crier. I'm sentimental. Like I could get cry-y, but I feel like. What would you cry normally over? I would cry over like a sad part in a movie or something that's kind of like emotional. Okay. And it would be like if it was real. Like if I was watching something about like a real time situation that happened in somebody's life and you really feel their pain, I would not in the throat and be like, wow, that's deep.

57:55Would you cry over Titanic? No. What? What is wrong with you? I'm a freaking stone. Get blood out of me, I dare you. You wouldn't cry over Titanic? I would. Why, do you? Yeah. Still? 100%. Don't. I do. Don't believe you. And then when Celine comes in, she's like, Oh, I was like, I'm sorry. Well, that song. In my dreams. No. I still love her singing that song. But you don't cry at that moment? No. Okay. No. I don't cry once I've seen the thing. You don't? I don't cry again. I do. And I think it's going to change. Do you still get welled up? The boat's going to sink. Don't get on it. Oh, no. Yeah.

58:35And you still get the welly tears. I still, it wells up, yeah. Oh, you're so sweet. Okay. What's something you can't let go of? Can't let go of my glasses. I heard that you had laser eye surgery. I did. And you regretted having it. I regretted looking at my face without glasses. I was like, ah! I was like, what is that? It was a lot of face to look at. A lot of discovery that I never saw in my entire life. Wait, like a lot of landscape? Like, what do you mean? Tons of landscape. Tons of nose that I had never invested time into seeing. I was like, this was gorgeous. And then it went all the way up to here.

59:14That's a whole other part of the nose I never even thought about seeing. So I felt like, oh my God, it's very witchy, witchy nose. and then I was like oh my god makeup is important and I'm glad that we put that I'm glad now we have it just because the gloss is wet yeah I was like oh my god put it on heavier you know but now I'm very used to myself with or without them and I take it or leave it you know I can't but no I can't because now I can't I have nothing I would not be able to read it you wouldn't be able to see that no the fact that you could see that impress impressed oh my god gone from like 40 so i only had a few good years of being able to be naked without any glasses and then it was like i'm back you know ah what's your guilty pleasure guilty pleasure uh i mean streaming it probably is just and you can't ask me what because i'm like doing it all.

1:00:16Streaming every network at all times. Every series. Seen it. Seen it. Seen it. You know what I mean? Do you like the do you like the Real Housewives? I wouldn't say I'm a super fan of that. I would say I'm more a fan of like crime shows. Oh nice. Yeah. Okay. Have you seen The Jinx? Yeah. Have you seen serial wait Signs of a Serial Killer? No. Is that good? Signs of a Serial Killer. It's all these interviews where they're interviewing serial killers and you get to see it in real, like... Okay, I'm going to give you something. Oh my God, it's so good. I'm going to give you... You have to go onto YouTube.

1:00:55Oh, that's a lot of work. It's okay, you'll find it. You'll find it. Someone. Someone will find it for you. Someone help me. You have to go and you type in JCS, criminal psychology. It's where these people who have committed crimes are in the interrogation thing. Yes, interrogations, yes. Yeah, it's so good and you can see... Watch that all the time. We have ID, so it's like everything. Okay, same thing. Oh, my God. Have you watched Heated Rivalry? Yes, I have. Oh, well, I mean, yeah. I mean, who wouldn't? Who wouldn't want to watch? I mean, maybe a straight man, but... I haven't seen it. You haven't seen it?

1:01:28I haven't seen it. I mean, my gay friend told me to watch it, so... My mom watched it, and she's obsessed. Well. She phoned me up to tell me she was obsessed, and she said... Did she watch it again? She keeps watching it. She keeps watching it, and I said, stop telling me. She's like, it's not a series? I keep watching. I'm on episode five, you know. What do you like most about yourself? Optimistic person. That I just, I can see the light in the dark. And I don't know how I do that. My mother told me when I was little, I played with my sister's toys. And I often was probably a little smaller than needing to play with her toys at my age.

1:02:08And if I broke it, that's the toy I got. and then Sean got a new toy. But I just, if it was a car without a wheel, I'd be like, we're going to the auto shop. You know, and if it was like a Barbie doll that had no arm, I'm like, we're going to the hospital. So she's like, why is she not depressed? That's amazing. She's like, she has broken toys, but now she's figuring out a whole new. You always had that perspective. You always saw the positive in everything. Yeah, I mean, cancer. There's C-A-N at the beginning. Are we having, because you've had cancer. Oh my God, I had cancer twice. We didn't even get there.

1:02:43That's a first. You go. High five. We actually had a conversation without talking about my toxic titties. Yeah, because I think it was like, I don't know how to explain this without making it sound like, it feels like an easy conversation to have, right? And I have no problem talking about it because it is something I think people still need to, like, they still need to know that they don't know, including someone that's in this room right now that is going to get a mammogram. and I'm very proud of her. Because, you know, it's like you think you know and then you're like, oh shoot, I should probably.

1:03:15Can I just ask that? When you get diagnosed with that, what happens? My first reaction was, wow, I didn't think I'd go out suffering. Wow. I was hoping that I'd go out in a blaze of glory like, you know, in a car crash or an airplane went down. You know, I just wanted to like have a - Something like that. But not like a long, eternal suffering cancer is never going to die. Like, I just felt like, oh, wow, what a terrible way to go out. You know, I just sort of. But then I gave myself enough time to prepare the story. Yeah. That I know where to get the wigs. I know where to do it. I'm prepared for the worst and prepared for the worst.

1:03:59And when I got good news, my mother and my sister were like super excited. I was guilty because then I'm like, I'm ready for it. And then there's a mom out there that's going to get the other story and she's going to get stage three and she's got kids and she's got two jobs. And what does she do? And I was like, why do I get the good story? And so technically it was just like a fire under me that just needed to raise awareness because I could have handled it. You know, I went in for a breast reduction, like I was paying for my service, you know, and I found out I had early cancer, but I didn't know if it was early or not.

1:04:46So I kind of prepared myself for the worst answer because I just wanted to be ready, you know, and that's part of the optimism where it's like, okay, if this is the worst, it's going to happen. You're going to die or it's going to be a long death and you're going to lose your hair. So we need to get wigs. So I was like, I had it all planned out. You had it all prepared. And then I was like, oh my God, it's the best answer. Shit. And I just started crying. And my mom's like, why are you crying? And I was like, there's some woman out there that's not getting this answer. And I was like, so weirded out that I also felt that way.

1:05:20It was just so emotional for me at that moment that I was just destroyed. destroyed like guilt-ridden destroyed but then my job now is to talk about it and raise awareness because I don't want to know that there's a woman out there that I couldn't have helped I love that and I said you're amazing thank you so much and you are the best company I really appreciate it thank you so much for coming in

1:06:24We'll be right back. Nothing is everything. Don't use if allergic to SkyRizzy. Serious allergic reactions, increased infections, or lower ability to fight them may occur. Before treatment, get checked for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor about any flu-like symptoms or vaccines. Thanks to SkyRizzy, there's nothing like clearer skin and better movement. And that means everything. Nothing is everything. Ask your doctor about SkyRizzy. Visit SkyRizzy.com or call 1-866-SKY-Rizzy to learn more.

1:07:22and staying ahead of AI risk. Get started at Vanta.com. Monday.com AI agents took over my work. And I absolutely love it. Chasing deadlines, writing status reports, updating stakeholders. Agents handle the daily grind now. I stay in the loop only when it matters. Create your own AI agent in minutes on Monday.com.