If Anastacia feels exhausted or annoyed or bored with the grueling process of promotion her debut CD, Not That Kind (out May 30), it certainly doesn't show. Maybe it's because the 26-year-old singer has "seen a lot of doors close in the music industry" and figures she'd better make the most of the opportunity she was almost convinced she'd never get.

"I've been an underdog in the music business for a long time," says the petite blonde with a singing voice that, frankly, sounds like it should be emanating from a large, black woman. "Record companies saw me as a risk, a freak of nature, someone they might lose a lot of money on. I never really fit into a category."

Not that producers haven't tried to squeeze her into various boxes over the years. "I've worked with people who tried to get me to sing like Celine Dion or LeAnn Rimes, but it just didn't sound right -- it was like taking away my character," says Anastacia, who in the early '90s got her start as a Club MTV regular and a backup dancer for Salt-N-Pepa ("I was the token white girl," she chuckles).

By late '98, however, Anastacia had experienced too many near-misses with recording deals and was down to her last few unemployment checks. She seriously considered giving up on her dream of becoming a singer, but her agent convinced her to appear on The Cut, a Star Search-style show slated to air on MTV, and her performance brought down the house. She eventually advanced to the show's final round, and while she didn't take home first prize, she still emerged a big winner. Legendary pop producer David Foster, serving as a judge, told Anastacia she reminded him of a young Gladys Knight or Tina Turner. Her performance caused such a stir, in fact, that every major record label in the country began courting her -- she even received a phone call at home from the gloved one, Michael Jackson -- and Anastacia eventually signed with Epic/Daylight.

It seems appropriate that Anastacia broke into the big time on The Cut singing "Not That Kind," a self-penned R&B empowerment track that she's been "carrying around for a long time. That song is the epitome of me. It's about how people either see me and don't hear me, or hear me and don't see me. You can be judged a lot in this world, by ear or by eye, and it can get pretty depressing. But my message is, 'I'm here and I'm going to tell you something about my life.'"

Anastacia spent a good part of last year choosing material for her album, and says she was surprised that she ended up recording a lot of her own songs. "I never considered myself the best writer, but the label really like my messages and how I expressed them. Too many songs they presented to me sounded like they were written for other people. I guess I had more of an idea of what I wanted to do that anyone else."

Chart success came quickly this spring, when Anastacia's debut single "I'm Outta Love" peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's dance charts -- though oddly, pop success hasn't yet followed. Unlike some artists, Anastacia says she enjoys rerecording her vocals for remixes ("I'm not just punching in syllables!") and has no problem being labeled a dance artist. "Please! Call me a dance diva! I'm grateful people in the clubs want to hear my voice," she says. "And I love the remixing process. It brings aspects to the song than you could ever imagine when you're writing it. The Giant Step remixes [of "I'm Outta Love] were really earthy, while Hex Hector made the diva in the vocals come out on his mixes."

"Not That Kind," Anastacia's second single, is getting the remix treatment from none other than her new pal, Grammy-nominated Macy Gray. "We've become friends," says Anastacia. "She's given me advice on how to do a million phone interviews in one day and how to deal with the pressure. We wanted to do a duet together so badly, but our schedules didn't work out."

Much like Gray, Anastacia has a very eclectic style -- both in terms of music and fashion. Not That Kind, for instance, spans everything from the dance-pop of "I'm Outta Love" to the jangly guitar sound of "Cowboys and Kisses" to booming ballads such as "I Ask of You." The common thread is her distinctive voice -- a big, growly instrument that falls somewhere between Tina Turner and Taylor Dayne -- when she uses with a restraint uncommon among today's pop singers.

As for her look, Anastacia's never without her trademark glasses. "I don't think of my glasses as a crutch, they're an advantage," she says. "My grandfather owned an eyewear shop, so I've always liked them. I've had a few ugly pairs in my day, but I like being able to wear glasses as an accessory. If it ends up becoming a marketing thing, fine, but it is who I am."

And while the singer says she has a tendency to be label-conscious in choosing her clothes, she isn't immune to bargain hunting either. "I'm all about $10.99 and under," she says with an infectious laugh, adding that sometimes Epic execs have to veto her thrifty ensembles.

That eye for a good bargain was honed as a teen, when the singer moved from her native Chicago to New York City. "My mom and my older sister and younger brother and I all lived together in a two-bedroom apartment. We had our struggles -- my brother has autism -- but we always got along."

Regarding her brother's disease, she explans: "It's really important for people to know he is who he is. He has a great soul, and you have to let beautiful people like him in. He's so much more in touch with what's real than most people are -- there's a naturalness, a childlike quality he'll always have. It keeps me aligned."

In addition to being outspoken about her brother's autism and her early battles with her weight, Anastacia is also passionate about discussing the fight against HIV, which her brother-in-law has had for 16 years. "That's first and foremost the cause I support. It's so important to talk about it. Thankfully, my brother-in-law has a brilliant doctor, and he's as healthy as an ox, but it's a shame we haven't figured this disease out yet."

Anastacia's outspoken personality is very New York, and she says she misses some of the city's perks now that she's relocated to Los Angeles. "I love the subway. I miss sitting next to a bum on one side and a millionaire on the other. It's great -- and you don't have to worry about parking your car," she says.

The crowd at Anastacia's Bowery Ballroom concert -- a showcase for the press and other industry types -- was clearly populated with some of the singer's New York contingent. Anastacia's two best friends from high school -- both gay -- were in the house, squeezing up to the front and going wild during every song. But then again, so did a lot of the crowd. Decked out in leather pants and a form-fitting, midriff-revealing top, Anastacia delivered a rendition of "I Was Made For Lovin You" that packed twice the punch live that it does on the album. My backup singers and I play around on it -- it gives the song more personality," she says. And "Who's Gonna Stop The Rain" proved Anastacia's power isn't the result of studio wizardry -- she's the real deal.

"I can only thank God I didn't go through a millio singing lessons growing up," she says of her vocal gifts. "It's nt something I tried to formulate; this is just me."

A diva who puts realness first? Can it really be? "Absolutely," says Anastacia. "I don't want my world to change too much, regardless of my success. I tell my friends, 'Slap me if I get all diva. Don't let me get away with anything.'"