SINGING sensation Anastacia called on the technical know-how of a dad from Cumbernauld after fans complained about her music video.

Ricki Neill was asked by the star to produce a video for the Digital Dog remix of her hit, Staring at the Sun, after the original video left her fans fuming.

They were unhappy that it used little footage of the power vocalist, who is best known for hits I'm Outta Love, Paid My Dues and Left Outside Alone.

Ricki, 39, said he couldn't believe it when Anastacia's team called on him to re-engineer the film for the remix.

And the singer - as well as her fans - were delighted with the result.

It has received nearly 40,000 hits on YouTube in the last three weeks.

The dad-of-two, head of digital at advertising agency reflexblue in Glasgow's Charing Cross, did some visual work for Anastacia after being introduced to her management through her record label BMG.

He said: "We struck up a friendship with the manager of Glasvegas and when they moved to the record label BMG we got involved with a few artists from there.

"We were originally introduced through BMG to Vikki Josephs, from Logan Media Entertainment - she manages Anastacia.

"I was asked to do some work for her and she liked it."

When Anastacia released Staring at the Sun, music fans hit out at the video.

On Youtube a fan wrote: "Terrible video, is this even the same Anastacia as years ago? She's barely in the video."

Ricki received an email from Anastacia's manager with a brief to create a version featuring the singer.

He said: "I was speaking to someone in LA to get the clips but they didn't send them all over.

"I ended up producing the video anyway and sending the track back."

Soon after, Anastacia's sister and personal assistant Shawn Newkirk phoned to discuss it.

Ricki said: "She passed the phone over to Anastacia and we were on the phone for about half an hour.

"We realised that I didn't have all the clips but she loved what I'd done with it."

Anastacia said: "Genius work, Ricki was given footage and made it into a masterpiece."

Vikki added: "We loved working with Ricki on the Anastacia project. He's created some great videos for us. Fans went crazy for it, his work was just fantastic"

Ricki added: "I don't think my mates believed me when I said that I was on the phone to Anastacia."

l View's Ricki's video for Anastacia here:

 

rachel.loxton@ eveningtimes.co.uk