Paid My Dues

"Paid My Dues" was written by Anastacia, LaMenga Kafi, Greg Lawson, and Damon Sharpe, while production was handled by Ric Wake, with additional production by Richie Jones.^[1] Anastacia wrote the song about her early career in the music industry. In an interview with Billboard, she said: "For years, I had been told my voice was too black, that I should get contacts and ditch the glasses, that I was too in-your-face, the list goes on. Now, these are the very things that people respond to."^[2] According to James Salmon from Yahoo! Music, the song is a "typically robust 'go girl' anthem."^[3]

Jose F. Promis writing for AllMusic called the song "the soulful, bombastic rocker".^[1] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine wrote that "her tenacious attitude on songs like 'Paid My Dues' carve a unique niche for the singer."^[4] Aidin Vaziri wrote for Rolling Stone that the song is "grating" and one of Freak of Nature's "moments of sheer overkill".^[5]

Directed by Liz Friedlander, the music video for "Paid My Dues" was shot in Los Angeles, California. In the beginning, Anastacia is speaking while being in a virtual mirror. Then you can see Anastacia in a room where she is packing her suitcases. Following this, you see her while she is trying to make her a way but there are many people she must across. Then she is in some kind of a disco, where she successfully tries again to find her way through people, this time to a stage.

When she finally arrives there, she goes through a mirror and is "teleported" to a stage, where she sings the song. In the end she pulls out the electricity cable.

Credits are taken from the European CD1 liner notes.^[8]

Studios

• Recorded at Cove City Sound Studios (Glen Cove, New York, US) and Sony Music Studios (New York City)
• Mixed at Cove City Sound Studios (Glen Cove, New York, US)

Personnel