Recovering Anastacia Readies 3rd Album

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NEW YORK (Billboard) - Pop vocalist Anastacia is gearing up for the release of her first album since battling breast cancer over the past year.

The self-titled set is due March 29 via Epic internationally, where she is a major star, with a North American release date yet to be determined. First single "Left Outside Alone" will be issued March 8 in Europe, March 22 in the U.K., and April 6 in North America.

"Anastacia" is the follow-up to 2002's "Freak of Nature," which has sold 277,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The single "One Day in Your Life" topped Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

"If there's any message I'd like to get out, it's what I've learned from this experience: Educate yourself, realize that we're not perfect and that can happen to any of us," she told Billboard last fall. "Be honest with yourself, and appreciate what's good in your life."

Anastacia has been easing back into live performance, including an appearance on Saturday at the Echo Awards in Berlin. Tuesday, she will offer a short set of songs from the new album at the Hospital in London.

Reuters/Billboard