No longer a Maniac, Natalie Merchant has decided to test her sanity by going solo. Merchant, formerly the lead singer for 10,000 Maniacs, will brings her first solo tour to C.Y. Stephens Auditorium this Sunday night, May 5.

With Tigerlily, her first solo album, Merchant has created a collection of songs that clearly defines her talent as both songwriter and performer. As the title suggests, it balances fierceness and delicacy, creating a rare span of emotional territory.

Tigerlily draws upon Merchant’s considerable experience as lyricist and singer on six albums with the Maniacs. She announced her departure after the release of one of the group’s biggest hits, 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged, and that album served as her bridge between the two phases of her career.

“There had been 16 musicians involved in the Unplugged concert,” Merchant said in a press release. “It was my introduction to working with new musicians and experimenting with song arrangement. The Unplugged album taught me that a single live performance could be very, very powerful.”

In the year it took her to start recording, Merchant’s bedside reading was Everything You Need To Know About The Music Business. “It was time to make a second start and I wanted all my decisions to be educated ones,” she said of her search for knowledge.

So Merchant set out to create an entirely new foundation, including new managers, lawyers and new band and recording engineer. “I envisioned a small band of young musicians that would be interested in devoting a year of their lives to an experiment,” she said.

“When I was singing for a group, especially since it was a predominately male group, my tendency was to withhold certain emotions or observations,” Merchant said. “Writing for this album, I felt I could speak for myself.”

Natalie Merchant will be “speaking to” a crowd of fans Sunday night when she brings her “Tigerlily” tour to Stephens Auditorium. Opening act is Latino/pop artist Soraya. A scant few tickets are still available for the 8 p.m. show at the Iowa State Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets.