Born in Florida, in the southern United States, Bonnie emerged from the purely Black American institution of Gospel choir, the fertile spawning grounds for a great many of America's musical streams — R&B, jazz, pop and blues alike, with the voices of Lena Horn, Aretha Franklin, Billy Holiday, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Nina Simone among those coming to mind.)

Bonnie sang as an amateur for many years. Her professional bid came in 1987. Fronting a band headed for Singapore, she fell in love with Asia, and made up her mind to make a music career happen here. With no reputation, no agent, no money in the bank, she had only her soul and her determination to depend on. But, with Bonnie, that's a powerful combination. Since that time, she has established herself as one of Phuket's most cherished artists, and works regularly in many of the first-class hotels and clubs here.

"Music is the source of all things," she says, "of life itself. It has the power to heal you no matter what's going on inside you. I mean, you can go to the psychologist or you can just put on your favourite CD. You know what I'm saying?"

It's easy to relate to what she's saying, and, in speaking with her, you have no doubt that music is the anchor of Bonnie's own spiritual life and her own inner healing mechanism. Music is something that transcends all other forms of communication and bridges language barriers and cultural differences, speaking directly to the heart and soul of all human beings. Flashing her enormous, disarming smile, she adds: "It's been there since the beginning, you know? We hear the rhythm of the heart before we're even born."

As an artist, Bonnie is the genuine article. Hard to interview in the normal fashion, she has an uncanny way of getting you talking about yourself. Moments after the interview begins, she's discussing my passions and the means and ways of my life and loves. I learned quite a bit about myself in only a short time with her. And before I could say, "who's interviewing whom," it's time for her to do her thing. I can only sit back and enjoy watching her do the exact same thing to the whole crowd with her music. It's only then you know a little about Bonnie Anderson. She gets people feeling good things about themselves: whether it's one on one, or one to many. She generates intimacy.

A self-described "vocal acrobat", Bonnie renders pop, blues and jazz with her own improvisational interpretations. There will be no jukebox renditions, no parrots in the house tonight — she tends to playfully outline melodies rather than just repeating them. It keeps things fresh, rejuvenating what has been familiar, constantly allowing you witness the moment of creation. Even though you recognize the song, you don't know where Bonnie will take it. The Dadaists, artistic philosophers of the past, would peg that moment of creation as the art itself. Everything else to them was just the product of art. In looking at things this way, watching Bonnie perform live is an irreplaceable experience. The music comes from within.

She mixes it up, blending electronica and house-style rhythms to an eclectic group of live instrumentalists, including a superb Afro-Cuban percussionist and a rockin' blues guitar duo. Various musicians sit in from time to time, shifting the vibe, making it a different experience every time. It goes from sultry to slamming and back again throughout the night — big fun. Bonnie's energy retains people, and collects new passersby along the streets. She's got it going on once again.

You can also catch Bonnie doing more traditional sets, featuring solo voice and piano in some of the area's finer hotels. Wherever you catch Bonnie, it's sure to be a treat. Many guests have written the club and hotel managers where she's worked, imploring them to expedite her immediate return whenever she disappears from the regular schedule. Some people depend on the medicine. But not to worry, Bonnie will be back. She just needs to re-invent the music constantly and, when she's back, it'll be even stronger medicine. Clearly a big chunk of her heart belongs to Phuket, but Bonnie does have a bit of a gypsy soul. She likes to move it around. It's always best not to miss Bonnie Anderson when you've got the chance.