Blues singer Ana Popovic, who believes “guitars can save lives,” will showcase her licks and riffs May 17 at Mauch Chunk Opera House, located on West Broadway, Jim Thorpe.

As the COVID-19 pandemic impacted global life in 2020, the Serbian singer-songwriter/guitarist - set to release her new album “Power” on Friday - was diagnosed with breast cancer that fall. Three years prior, the same illness claimed her mother’s life.

“When I got the diagnosis, for a second, I started thinking about retiring, giving up on music,” said Popovic, who acquired her main guitar, a ’64 Fender Stratocaster, about 15 years ago. “I didn’t know how my life would look like.”

Popovic credits Buthel, her bassist/musical director, with convincing her to carry on and inspire listeners. The two, who collaborated over Zoom, “started writing right away,” Popovic said. “We never stopped. Two year later, we have ‘Power.’”

The album, released on Popovic’s own ArtisteXclusive Records, celebrates survival through faith, friendship, tenacity and unity. The cover art shows two arms, one black and one white, with hands clasped.

Recording the album in between chemotherapy treatments, which she received in Amsterdam, and flights was an escape for Popovic. “I put everything I have into this record. It brought me to the very positive side. It’s one of my favorites, if not the, I’ve done.”

Popovic added that, “now that the whole episode is behind me - hopefully it will stay that way - I can enjoy the new record. It’s a celebration of music and life.

“Everybody should have that one passion in life,” she continued. “It can get you out of bed, put a smile on your face, give you fuel to go through one of most difficult times in your life. For me, it’s guitar.”

On “Power,” Popovic plays Fender Strats, Gibson Les Paul, D’Angelico jazz guitar and classical nylon string guitar. The album, her 10th solo studio set, offers a mix of rock, blues, gospel, soul and funk.

Three singles/videos - “Strong Taste,” “Recipe is Romance” and “Turn My Luck” - preceded the album, with a video for “Flicker ‘N’ Flame” due Friday.

Born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia, Popovic briefly played keyboard at age 9, with classical guitar, which she also played briefly, and electric guitar following. At age 12 or 13, Popovic sat in on her father’s weekly blues jam sessions.

Popovic, who acquired her first guitar at age 17 or 18, favored American music. As she enjoyed blues heavyweights such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ronnie Earl and Jimi Hendrix, Popovic never connected to sounds from her homeland.

“It was a different household than regular households over there,” she said. “It didn’t really trigger anything with me. I love the American sound. I grew up listening to it and later tried to play it.”

Following a club gig in her late-teen years, Popovic formed the band Hush. The group released one album, 1998’s “Hometown,” with Popovic - who studied jazz and world music in the Netherlands - then moving to Holland and starting the Ana Popovic Band.

“After three years of studying/touring, we went full-on touring and never stopped,” Popovic said. “I wanted to push my career/sound in the States, bring something different, unique.”

Upon hitting American shores, “it was like homecoming,” she said. “I was familiar with everything through records, the way of living, watching movies, concerts, TV/VHS throughout childhood. It was a natural environment. I was right at home.”

In 2001, Popovic released her debut solo album, “Hush!” Other titles in her discography include 2007’s “Still Making History,” 2015’s “Blue Room” with father Milton and 2018’s “Like It On Top,” a female-empowerment-themed album.

Popovic - who has shared stages with acts such as B.B. King, Solomon Burke and Jeff Beck - has released three live albums, including 2020’s “Live For Live.” The eight-time Blues Music Awards nominee, who resides with husband Mark and children Luuk and Lenna in Manhattan Beach, California, continues touring relentlessly.

During her return to Jim Thorpe, Popovic and her band will play material mainly from “Power.” Audiences, she said, “are really accepting it. Usually they need some time when a record is out, take it home, listen to it, warm up to songs. It’s such positive feedback.”

Popovic also plans to perform material from “my baby,” 2016’s “Trilogy.” The triple set features three discs of distinct styles: soul/funk/R&B, blues rock and jazz.

Aside from recording, Popovic’s career highlights include doing 100 to 150 shows a year, on both sides of the ocean.

Among her hobbies, Popovich has taken up drumming “just to know another instrument.” She’s also enjoying her second passion, interior design. “I just made the cover of a magazine, a few other publications with something I’ve done as a hobby.”

Popovic, 25 years removed from the release of that sole Hush album, thinks newcomers these days have no need for a record company, given they could make their own music and promote themselves. She also advises up-and-comers to get a great band together.

“You can have a great record, but if the show sucks, nobody’s going to book you,” she said. “You have to come up with something really good.”

As for what listeners should think upon hearing her name, Popovic hopes her “unique way of phrasing on the guitar, unique way of writing“ comes to mind.

“I would like people to hear 10 seconds of my solo and say, ’This is Ana Popovic.’ At an early age, I established my own personal style in songwriting, production, and I hope people recognize that.”