Paul Anka Reveals Why He's Single and Loving It — and Would Never Marry Again: 'I Love My Solitude' (Exclusive)
- - Paul Anka Reveals Why He's Single and Loving It — and Would Never Marry Again: 'I Love My Solitude' (Exclusive)
Rachel DeSantisFebruary 8, 2026 at 1:00 AM
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Paul Anka at his home in Thousand Oaks, Calif. on Jan. 13.
Brian Bowen Smith
Paul Anka tells PEOPLE why he enjoys being single at this point in his life
Anka also explains why he would never get married again
The star was previously married three times
Paul Anka may be a single man — but he’s certainly not a lonely boy.
The legendary singer-songwriter, 84, opens up to PEOPLE in this week’s issue about choosing not to be in a relationship at this stage of his life, explaining that he finds peace in his singledom.
“I’ve done the married thing. I’ll take all the good from it, some of the bad,” he says. “I love my solitude, and it’s an amazing place to be in, having peace of mind and growing older gracefully.”
Anka was previously married to model Anne de Zogheb from 1963 to 2001, and the two share daughters Alexandra, 59, Amanda, 57, Alicia, 55, Anthea, 54, and Amelia, 48. Anka married Anna Åberg in 2008 and they divorced two years later after welcoming son Ethan, now 20 (Anka won full custody of Ethan in a 2017 court battle). And from 2016 to 2020, the musician was married to Lisa Pemberton.
Paul Anka and his former wife Anne de Zogheb in New York City in October 1987
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Still, it seems the third time was hardly the charm, as the “My Way” singer — whose new album Inspirations of Life and Love comes out on Feb. 13 — says he’s totally sworn off marriage.
“I would never get married again. Why? Done it. Got great kids, got nine grandchildren, got a son I’m raising,” he explains. “I’m so happy with what I’m doing. I couldn’t handle the change after you get married. People change. If I’ve got any wisdom at all, I don’t want to do that to myself.”
Anka says he “had a great woman for 40 years” and “that was it,” referring to de Zogheb, from whom he ultimately split because she wanted him to retire and he wasn’t ready. She died in 2017.
The pair married when Anka was just 20 years old, and he acknowledges that his busy career put a strain on their relationship.
Paul Anka at his home in Thousand Oaks, Calif. on Jan. 13.
Brian Bowen Smith
“It’s not easy for anyone in an occupation that takes them away from their home,” he says. “It’s not easy when you get married young, which I did at 20, but I found a great woman. You’re constantly adjusting to it. You’re trying to understand life and relationships at a young age and learning too late. But it was believing in what we both wanted — having children, raising them the best we could.”
He continues, “I give a lot of credit to her, but I was away 200 days a year. I’d be taking daughters with me, and I’d be trying to sit down and listen to what their needs were, knowing I got what I wanted, but how does somebody else exist in that? I [was] too young to get it, but we got through it. It was quality time, not quantity.”
Though he’s eased his schedule a bit since the era of spending 200 days a year on the road, Anka is hardly ready to hit the brakes. The star has a full slate of tour dates starting in March, and balks at the idea of retirement.
“I know what retirement is. I don't want to retire,” he says. “Let’s say I do 75 days a year. I got the rest of the year to do what the hell I want. I get to write. I got my things. This is so much fun. If you can’t have fun in life or in a job that you’re doing, don’t do it.”
For more on Paul Anka, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere now, or subscribe here.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
