Debbie Gibson
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Deborah Ann Gibson (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Gibson released her debut album '' Out of the Blue'' in 1987, which spawned several international hits, later being certified triple platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
. One of those singles, " Foolish Beat", made Gibson the youngest female artist to write, produce, and perform a ''
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''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
number-one single. Her double-platinum second album '' Electric Youth'' (1989), gave Gibson another U.S. number-one hit with " Lost in Your Eyes". Gibson is the sole songwriter on all of her singles to reach the top 20 of the
Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online stream ...
. She was recognized by
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
as Songwriter of the Year, along with
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...
, in 1989. Gibson continued to record and release music throughout the 1990s and 2000s. In 2006, she reached number 24 on the U.S.
adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
chart with "Say Goodbye", a
duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a sol ...
with Jordan Knight, and in 2017 achieved her highest-charting hit in more than 25 years in her duet with Sir Ivan, "I Am Peaceman". Gibson's 2020 single " Girls Night Out" became her first top five and highest-charting hit after 30 years. In addition to music, she has gone on to starring roles on Broadway and touring musicals, including playing Eponine in ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' and Sandy in '' Grease'', as well as television and
independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...
work.


Early life

Gibson was born on
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
, New York, the third of Diane (née Pustizzi) and Joseph Gibson's four daughters. Former official site; successor site, as of at least April 20, 2014, gives no birthdate or birthplace. Her father, who enjoyed singing, was originally named Joseph Schultz and was orphaned as a boy; his
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mother married a man with the surname Gibson before putting Joseph into an
orphanage An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or a ...
. Gibson grew up in suburban
Merrick, New York Merrick is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. , the population was 20,130. Geography According to the United States Census B ...
, on
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
. She describes herself as of "Italian/ Sicilian and part German and possibly some Russian" descent. She studied piano under American pianist Morton Estrin. Gibson is a graduate of
Sanford H. Calhoun High School Sanford H. Calhoun High School is a public high school located in Merrick, New York. Established in 1958, Calhoun is one of three high schools in the Bellmore–Merrick Central High School District, and acts as a magnet school for several prog ...
.


Music career

In 1983, Gibson submitted a cassette recording of her original composition "I Come From America" to WOR for the station's song contest. After she won a cash prize of 1,000 from the contest, her mother convinced a relative to loan her 10,000 to convert the family garage into a recording studio.


1986–1989

After years of writing and producing her own material, a demonstration tape of Gibson's submitted to a radio personality was eventually shared with an executive at
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
. Based solely on Gibson's original song, "Only in My Dreams", she was signed to a development deal and began a promotional tour of club venues throughout the United States. Gibson spent much of 1986 and the beginning of 1987 building her songwriting catalog, while continuing to play club dates. During her promotional tour, Gibson continued attending classes at Calhoun High School in Merrick, New York, where she later graduated as an honor student. Diane Gibson, Debbie's mother and manager, accompanied her daughter on many of these track dates. "We played dance clubs, straight clubs, and gay clubs," Diane has said. The "
Only in My Dreams "Only in My Dreams" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter-actress Debbie Gibson, then 16 years old. Released December 16, 1986, as a maxi single ( Atlantic DM 86744), and then in remixed form (Vocal/3:50) February 1987, the song wa ...
" single release landed the song within the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 reaching a peak of number 4 on that chart. Atlantic Records and Gibson began the process of completing the first album as a result of the good showing by the single. Along with producer Fred Zarr, Gibson wrote, recorded, and produced her first album ''Out of the Blue'' in only four weeks. Following the success of "Only In My Dreams", " Shake Your Love" was released as the follow-up single and reached the ''Billboard'' top five. The "Shake Your Love" video was choreographed by
Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographe ...
and was the first time
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
had visited Gibson on a video shoot. In 1987, while performing at nightclub venues throughout the United States, Gibson was recording her debut album, '' Out of the Blue''. It was finished within four weeks. Four singles from the album reached the top five of the Hot 100 chart: "Only in My Dreams", "Shake Your Love", "Out of the Blue", and the number-one hit "Foolish Beat", followed by "Staying Together", which performed more modestly, reaching number 22. "Foolish Beat" set a record for Gibson, making her (at 16) the youngest artist ever to have written, produced, and performed a ''Billboard'' number-one single, as entered in the 1988 ''
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''. She remains the youngest female artist to have done so. ''Out of the Blue'' was established as a hit album, and she had success in the UK and southeast Asia, filling stadiums with her Out of the Blue tour. By the end of 1988, ''Out of the Blue'' had gone triple platinum. The music video compilation ''Out of the Blue'' was certified platinum by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
; the concert tour video was certified double platinum. In October 1988, Gibson sang the national anthem for
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of the
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
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. '' Electric Youth'' was released in early 1989 and spent five weeks at number one on the
Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of ar ...
. The first single released, " Lost in Your Eyes", was number one on the Hot 100 for three weeks, garnering her another achievement as the youngest female to have both an album and single simultaneously at number one. She shared the 1989
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
Songwriter of the Year Award with
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...
. Subsequent singles from the album were "Electric Youth" (number 11), "No More Rhyme" (number 17), and "We Could Be Together" (number 71). The ''Electric Youth'' album was certified double platinum by the RIAA. The successful Electric Youth world tour and ''Live Around the World'' VHS (double platinum) followed.


1990–2001

She recorded two more albums for Atlantic Records: '' Anything Is Possible'' (1990) and ''
Body, Mind, Soul ''Body, Mind, Soul'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson, released on January 19, 1993, by Atlantic Records. The album failed to find favor with the record buying public and missed out on the U.S. top 100, peak ...
'' (1993). The former's title song, co-written with
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
mainstay
Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He co-wrote and produced 14 US ''Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Doz ...
, peaked at number 26 on ''Billboards Hot 100 in 1991. Subsequent singles from ''Anything Is Possible'' failed to chart on the Hot 100, although " One Step Ahead" scored on the Hot Maxi Singles and Hot Dance charts, peaking at numbers 21 and 18, respectively. During this time, Gibson was part of the supergroup that recorded the charity single "
Voices That Care "Voices That Care" is a 1991 song written by David Foster, Linda Thompson, and Peter Cetera and recorded by a supergroup of popular musicians, entertainers and athletes. The song was released as a single on March 13, 1991 by Giant Records. The ...
", which peaked at number 11 on the Hot 100 chart. In 1992, she contributed a version of "
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" to the charity album ''
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'' which hit #7 on the Billboard album chart and was certified Double Platinum for shipment of two million copies. In 1995, she signed with EMI's
SBK Records SBK Records was a record label, owned by Universal Music Group, that was currently part of the Capitol Music Group, where it is in hibernation. The label was founded in 1988 and during its time in activity existed as part of the EMI Group. Hist ...
division and recorded her only album for the label, '' Think with Your Heart.'' It was an
adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
-heavy album consisting of piano and keyboard ballads recorded predominantly with the
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. The album's producer, Niko Bolas, who was usually
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Fu ...
's co-producer, was producing the reunion album for
Circle Jerks Circle Jerks (stylized as Ciʀcle JƎʀᴋs) are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by former Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson. To date, Circle ...
(a veteran punk band) and invited Gibson to a recording session for that band's album. She sang background vocals on the song "I Wanna Destroy You", as well as appearing at and participating in the Circle Jerks' performance at the punk venue
CBGB CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in Manhattan's East Village. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for '' Country'', '' BlueGrass'', and '' Blues'', Kri ...
wearing one of the band's T-shirts and sharing a microphone with frontman Keith Morris. In 1998, she sang the song, "I Do", which is featured on the soundtrack to the film, '' The Naked Man''. The lyrics to the song were composed by the co-writer of the film,
Ethan Coen Joel Daniel Coen (born November 29, 1954) and Ethan Jesse Coen (born September 21, 1957),State of Minnesota. ''Minnesota Birth Index, 1935–2002''. Minnesota Department of Health. collectively known as the Coen brothers (), are American film ...
. The soundtrack has never been released. After parting company with EMI, Gibson formed her own record label, Espiritu, to release her original material. Her sixth album, ''
Deborah According to the Book of Judges, Deborah ( he, דְּבוֹרָה, ''Dəḇōrā'', "bee") was a prophetess of the God of the Israelites, the fourth Judge of pre-monarchic Israel and the only female judge mentioned in the Bible. Many scholars ...
'' (1997), marked her full return to pop. ''Deborah'' includes the lead single "Only Words". "Only Words" (Dance Edit) became a Top-40
Hot Dance Music/Club Play Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
hit. The album's other single was the ballad "Naturally". Though it only sold 20,000 in the US, ''Deborah'' remains well-respected. In 2001, she released her seventh album on her new record label, Golden Egg, titled '' M.Y.O.B.'' It featured three singles: the sensual pop song "What You Want", the Latin-infused
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
song "Your Secret", and the bass-heavy "M.Y.O.B." Highlights from the album include the sultry Latin-flavored smooth jazz song "In Blue", a vintage-style ballad "Wishing You Were Here", "Jaded", and a remix of "M.Y.O.B." with the background vocals of her two nieces.


2005–2009

In 2005, Gibson co-wrote and recorded a song titled "Someone You Love" with the O'Neill Brothers. With the brothers, she released an updated, acoustic version of her number-one hit "Lost in Your Eyes". An Emmy-nominated PBS special aired in 2005. The March 2005 issue of ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'' featured a nude pictorial of Gibson, coinciding with the release of her single, "Naked". She has said that the magazine had asked her five times to pose for them since she turned 18. She agreed to pose to revamp her image, describing how one casting call called her agent, not realizing that Gibson had long since outgrown her teenager image. The single peaked at No. 35 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Single Sales chart in March 2005. In 2006, Gibson went on tour with the O'Neill Brothers for "Someone You Love Tour" in 2006. "Lost in Your Eyes" was revamped with an acoustic sound and a song "Someone You Love" was written and performed by Gibson and the O'Neill Brothers. These two songs also appeared on the O'Neill Brothers album ''Someone You Love''. She had a resurgence of popularity in niche markets. Her single "Your Secret" came back from its dormant state and became popular on some radio stations, including Super 91.7 WMPH in
Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington (Unami language, Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North ...
. "Your Secret" has been on their request show, ''Total Control Radio'', for 12 months; it reached No. 1 on its third week on that station's chart in May 2006. It charted along with a few of her other singles, "M.Y.O.B." and "Only Words" (Dance Edit), the Eurodance mix. They all have become recurrent hits on WMPH. The 2006 single, "Say Goodbye", featuring dance-pop artist Jordan Knight, made an impression in the Soft AC and Hot AC radio formats, becoming the third-most added single during summer, 2006. It debuted at number 35 on the Hot Contemporary chart, peaking at number 24 in early September. The same year, Gibson appeared in the independent film '' Coffee Date'' with
Wilson Cruz Wilson Cruz (born Wilson Echevarría; December 27, 1973) is an American actor known for playing Rickie Vasquez on ''My So-Called Life'', Angel in the Broadway tour production of '' Rent'', Dr. Hugh Culber on '' Star Trek: Discovery'', and the r ...
and Jonathan Silverman and provided a soundtrack song called "Sounds Like Love". On November 14, 2006, Gibson released the song "Famous" on her official website. The song was written by Gibson and Tiziano Lugli and was produced by Lugli. In May 2007, the world premiere of ''Electric Youth: The Musical'' was unveiled at the Starlight Theatre in Orlando, Florida. The musical featured 14 of Gibson's songs and was directed by Dean Parker. On August 24, 2007, Gibson and Frankie Avalon hosted ''Time-Life Presents Dick Clark's American Bandstand 50th Anniversary Collection''. In September 2007, Gibson considered creating a camp on the West Coast. She is the founder and creator of Camp Electric Youth, a children's summer day camp, which ran from July 7–18, 2008. It claims to be the first camp of its kind in the Los Angeles area. The camp was reportedly attended by "over 120 talented singers, actors, and dancers" from around the world. Gibson was a judge for the online talent competition, Total Pop Star, along with Andrew Van Slee (producer and judge) and Joey Lawrence (from ''Blossom''). The first season ran from November 12, 2007 – May 30, 2008, though it was later extended to June. The show ended abruptly during its second season. In May 2008, Gibson performed her 1980s hits, along with her Broadway role songs, during a three-run week at Harrah's in
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
. She later appeared on the April 2008 cover of ''
Lavender Magazine ''Lavender'' is a biweekly award-winning print and online magazine, part of Lavender Media, Inc., published in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the LGBTQ+ community. Since 1995, Lavender Media, Inc. has been producing an award-winning glossy magazine a ...
'' (an
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...
magazine in Minnesota) and was interviewed about her career and upcoming projects. Then on the 24th, Gibson hosted and performed on Spotlightlive '80s Karaoke Experience in New York singing songs such as "Only in My Dreams", "Out of the Blue", "
Love Shack "Love Shack" is a song by American new wave band the B-52's from their fifth studio album, '' Cosmic Thing'' (1989). It was released on June 20, 1989, and was produced by Don Was. The song was a comeback for the band following their decline in ...
" (an original hit for
the B-52's The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, ...
) and "
9 to 5 Working(laboring) time is the period of time that a person spends at paid labor. Unpaid labor such as personal housework or caring for children or pets is not considered part of the working week. Many countries regulate the work week by law, s ...
". She performed with
Samantha Fox Samantha Karen Fox (born 15 April 1966) is an English pop singer and former glamour model from East London. She rose to public attention aged 16, when her mother entered her photographs in an amateur modelling contest run by ''The Sunday Peopl ...
, Tiffany, & Rick Astley at the Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Canada, on April 10, 2009. On March 9, 2009, Gibson released a new song called "Already Gone" on her official website and reverberation, written by Gibson and produced by Fred Coury. It was accompanied by a music video, released on March 13, 2009, produced by Guy Birtwhistle and directed by John Knowles, which starred Birtwhistle, Gibson, and Steve Valentine.


2010–present

In January 2010, an unofficial clip named "Cougar" was uploaded on YouTube. She also became a spokesperson for Murad's Resurgence Skin Care and plays piano and sings a line of the song called "Cougar". Gibson's song "Rise", from the documentary ''3 Billion and Counting'', was included on the shortlist for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for Best Song in a Film in 2010. In the summer of 2011, she released ''Rise'' on iTunes, and also performed it on ''
Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. ...
'' in New York. Gibson performed as Mother Nature in Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy at Foxwoods/MGM Casino from July 27 to September 1, 2010. In 2010, the album '' Ms. Vocalist'', released via Sony Japan, reached the Top 10 on the Japanese ''Billboard'' chart. Gibson covered J-Pop tunes for the album that were originally sung by Japanese artists such as Chage and Aska ("Say Yes"), Yutaka Ozaki ("I love you"), Sekaiju no Dareyori Kitto (by
Miho Nakayama is a Japanese singer and actress. She is affiliated with Big Apple Co., Ltd. Nakayama is nicknamed , and sometimes uses the pseudonyms or when she writes the lyrics. Biography History Nakayama was born in Saku, Nagano, Japan. Following her ...
and
WANDS A wand is a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, ivory, or metal. Wand or magic wand may also refer to: People * Günter Wand, a German orchestra conductor and composer * Hart Wand, an early white American blues musician and composer from Ok ...
) among others, plus Japanese/English version of her number-one hit "Lost in Your Eyes" and a duet with Eric Martin. The first single from the album, "I Love You", hit No. 1 on the international cable radio chart. On November 3, 2010, "I Love You", the first single from her 2010 album , reached number one In January 2011, Gibson wrote, performed, and produced the song "Snake Charmer" for the film ''Mega Python vs. Gatoroid''. During the summer of 2011 Gibson toured with fellow 1980s
pop princess When describing popular music artists, honorific nicknames are used, most often in the media or by fans, to indicate the significance of an artist, and are often religious, familial, or (most frequently) royal and aristocratic titles, used met ...
Tiffany Darwish Tiffany Renee Darwish (born October 2, 1971), known mononymously as Tiffany, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and former teen icon. Her 1987 cover of the Tommy James and the Shondells song "I Think We're Alone Now" spent two weeks ...
. In June 2011, Gibson appeared in
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her campy style, she has been referred to ...
's music video " Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" alongside several other guest stars. On August 27, 2016, Gibson starred in an original
Hallmark Channel The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies a ...
film, ''Summer of Dreams'', about a former pop star, trying to make a comeback, who finds herself better suited as a school's choir director. She also recorded a song titled "Wonderland" for the film. In June 2017, ''Billboard'' Gibson achieved her highest-charting hit in more than 25 years in her duet with Sir Ivan on "I Am Peaceman", which hit number 26 on the ''Billboard ''Dance Club chart. In June 2018, Gibson appeared in the music video of American heavy-metal band Voices of Extreme's cover version of "Foolish Beat". In March 2019, Gibson hosted a special program on SiriusXM Radio's '80s on 8 channel to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her ''Electric Youth'' album, during which she played each song from the album in sequence, accompanied by personal stories surrounding each song. On May 2, the Mixtape Tour commenced in Cincinnati, Ohio. Performers on this tour include Gibson, Tiffany,
Salt-N-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa) is an American hip-hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). Their debut album, '' Hot, ...
, and Naughty by Nature, with
New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoy ...
billed as the headline performers. The tour grossed $53.2 million and sold 662,911 tickets over 55 dates. On June 7, 2019, Gibson released a new pop anthem " Girls Night Out". The music video for "Girls Night Out" was shot in Las Vegas, Nevada. The song peaked at number four on the'' Billboard'' Dance Club chart. On August 20, 2021, Gibson released the album '' The Body Remembers'', her first studio recording of original songs since ''M.Y.O.B.''. It contained a new version of "Lost in Your Eyes" with Joey McIntyre.


Theatre

Gibson debuted on Broadway in 1992, playing Eponine in ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
''. She then went to London and starred as Sandy in '' Grease''—a role for which 800 other people tried out before producers chose Gibson—in a West End production. The show broke box office sales records. The single version of "
You're the One That I Want "You're the One That I Want" is a song performed by American actor and singer John Travolta and Anglo-Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John for the 1978 film version of the musical '' Grease''. It was written and produc ...
", a duet with Craig McLachlan, taken from the original cast recording, reached number 13 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in 1993. On returning to the States, she appeared in the Broadway touring production, this time playing Rizzo. She played
Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. ...
in a revamped '' Funny Girl'' tour. She has had many successful theatre credits; she was among the many actresses who took the starring role of Belle in the Broadway production of ''
Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...
''. She replaced Kerry Butler in September 1997 and was in the show until June 1998, when Kim Huber then succeeded her. She also starred in the critically lauded production of '' Gypsy'' (in a production staged at the Paper Mill Playhouse). Gibson starred as Louise opposite Broadway legend
Betty Buckley Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the American ...
. She participated in the national tour of ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. ...
'', where she played the Narrator, and starred as Cinderella in the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...
with
Eartha Kitt Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song " Santa ...
as the Fairy Godmother. In October 2002, she starred as Velma Kelly in the Boston production of ''
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
''. In 2003, she played Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of ''
Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...
''. From March to April 2004, she played the role of Marta in the UCLA Reprise! production of ''
Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared ...
''. Gibson starred as Anna Leonowens in Cabrillo Music Theatre's production of the
Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most well-known American ...
and
Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight ...
musical ''
The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the chil ...
'', which began October 17, 2008, in the Kavli Theatre at the
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza is a performing arts center and city hall for the city of Thousand Oaks, California. Across Thousand Oaks Boulevard from Gardens of the World, the site is considered the downtown core of the city. City hall incl ...
and ran through October 26.


Film and television

Gibson co-hosted
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
's first
Kids' Choice Awards The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (also known as the KCAs or Kids' Choice) is an annual American children's awards ceremony show that is produced by Nickelodeon. Usually held on a Saturday night in late March or early April, the show honors ...
in 1988, alongside
Tony Danza Tony Danza (born Anthony Salvatore Iadanza; April 21, 1951) is an American actor. He is known for co-starring in the television series ''Taxi'' (1978–1983) and '' Who's the Boss?'' (1984–1992), for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award a ...
, Brian Robbins, and Dan Schneider. Gibson co-starred with actor Lorenzo Lamas in the low-budget action/adventure film ''
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus ''Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus'' is a 2009 American-British monster disaster film distributed by The Asylum, released on May 19, 2009, in the United States and on August 7, 2009, in the United Kingdom. It was directed by Ace Hannah and stars ...
'', produced by
The Asylum The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and s ...
and released on May 19, 2009. The film drew in 2 million viewers on Syfy in 2009. Its trailer became a viral hit, scoring over one million hits on MTV.com and YouTube. The film premiered at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Gibson's former music rival Tiffany had her film ''
Necrosis Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, or trauma which result in the unregulated diges ...
'' (or ''Blood Snow'') premiere at the Cannes, as well. Gibson and Tiffany starred in a
Syfy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. La ...
original movie entitled '' Mega Python vs. Gatoroid'', aired on January 29, 2011. The pairing was suggested by Tiffany, who wanted to play-off their supposed rivalry. Gibson reprised her role as Emma McNeil in the 2014 film '' Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark''. She starred in the UP TV movie called ''The Music in Me'' alongside Gloria Reuben in 2015. The film also featured an original song called "Promises", written and performed by Gibson. In mid-2003, Gibson was a judge on the ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to ...
'' spin-off '' American Juniors'', which lasted one season. In January 2006, she joined the cast of '' Skating with Celebrities'' on Fox Television, partnered with Canadian former world-champion figure skater
Kurt Browning Kurt Browning, (born June 18, 1966) is a Canadian figure skater, choreographer and commentator. He is the first skater to land a ratified quadruple jump in competition. He is a four-time World Champion and Canadian national champion. Career ...
. She was voted out in the third episode. Gibson competed on the fifth season of '' The Celebrity Apprentice'', which began airing on February 19, 2012. On the fourth task, she won $50,000 for her charity, Children International. Gibson was fired on April 1, 2012, in the seventh task because she had brought in the least amount of money between her teammates in the boardroom, Dayana Mendoza and Teresa Giudice. While both Mendoza and Giudice were arguably weaker candidates going forward, given that Mendoza was cited as the women's weakest link and Giudice had failed the task as project manager, Gibson was fired, instead. In 2017, Gibson was one of the celebrities competing on the 25th season of ''
Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the form ...
''. She was paired with first-time pro-dancer, Alan Bersten. On September 26, 2017, Gibson and Bersten were the second couple eliminated coming in 12th place. In September 2018, Gibson starred in the
Hallmark Channel The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies a ...
film ''Wedding of Dreams,'' a sequel to 2016's ''Summer of Dreams.'' In 2019 and 2020, Gibson was a judge on Nickelodeon's '' America's Most Musical Family''. Gibson made a guest appearance on season 5 episode 10 of the
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
series ''
Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passa ...
'', which premiered on May 28, 2021. In the episode titled "Bloody Celestial Karaoke Jam", she plays a mother who sings " Every Breath You Take" with Lucifer ( Tom Ellis) in an interrogation room.


Image and influence

In tandem with the second album, she created a perfume called Electric Youth that was distributed by Revlon, as well as other makeup essentials for young girls that were distributed nationwide through Natural Wonder Cosmetics. Gibson's trademark was her hats, usually a black pork-pie style. She also made popular wearing tight, rolled-up jeans, vests over a T-shirt, friendship bracelets and two Swatch watches as on the back cover of her popular album ''Electric Youth'' and in her music video " Staying Together". Her influences were
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
and Olivia Newton-John, though she has often stated she admires Elton John and Billy Joel as favorite artists and was asked to sing and perform live with both at the former's Madison Square Garden concert, which she did. Gibson appeared on the covers of numerous
teen magazine Teen magazines are magazines aimed at teenage readers. They usually consist of gossip, news, fashion tips and interviews and may include posters, stickers, small samples of cosmetics or other products and inserts. The teen magazine industry ...
s such as '' Tiger Beat''.


Personal life

Gibson had a history of
panic attack Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear and discomfort that may include palpitations, sweating, chest pain or chest discomfort, shortness of breath, trembling, dizziness, numbness, confusion, or a feeling of impending doom or of losing ...
s since the age of 16. Over the years, Gibson has been the target of stalkers. Robert Bardo, who was convicted of murdering actress Rebecca Schaeffer in 1989, had a wall in his house adorned with pictures of Gibson and
Tiffany Darwish Tiffany Renee Darwish (born October 2, 1971), known mononymously as Tiffany, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and former teen icon. Her 1987 cover of the Tommy James and the Shondells song "I Think We're Alone Now" spent two weeks ...
. In May 1998, Michael Falkner, a disgruntled fan from
Eau Claire, Wisconsin Eau Claire (; ) (French for "clear water") is a city mostly located in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat, and with a small portion in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. It had a population of 69,421 in 2020, making it the stat ...
, was arrested outside Manhattan's Palace Theater, where Gibson was performing in the live-musical adaptation of Disney's ''Beauty and the Beast''. This was after Gibson received threatening letters, emails, and faxes from Falkner, who used the alias 'Starcade'. In 2008, Gibson filed for a restraining order against Spanish taxi driver Jorge Puigdollers, who had stalked her since 2002. However, a temporary restraining order was not issued, and a court date was set to determine if a restraining order was appropriate. The proceeding was dismissed when Gibson failed to show up for the hearing. Gibson was once engaged to Jonathan Kanterman and was in a relationship with Rutledge Taylor from 2008 to 2019. In 2014, in response to fans' concern about her weight loss, Gibson stated she had developed symptoms of
Lyme disease Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a vector-borne disease caused by the '' Borrelia'' bacterium, which is spread by ticks in the genus '' Ixodes''. The most common sign of infection is an expanding red rash, known as erythema ...
in early 2013. In 2016, Gibson appeared on '' Oprah: Where Are They Now?'', where she spoke out about her drug use in the past, after the death of singer
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...
:
I really feel like I haven't fully articulated it till now and really spoke candidly till now... When I heard the news about Prince and the fact that it might have been prescription drug-related, I really had a moment of, like, "That's awful and that's sad – and I can relate." And, unfortunately, 90% of the entertainment community can relate. I remember being on the road at, like, 25, touring with theater and doing my own cocktail of
Tylenol PM Tylenol may refer to: * Paracetamol (acetaminophen), a medication used to treat pain and fever * Tylenol (brand) Tylenol () is a brand of medication, advertised for reducing pain, reducing fever, and relieving the symptoms of allergies, cold, ...
and Xanax. It's like, "Oh, I found a way to make the Xanax last longer with the Tylenol PM. I mean, it's as simple as that, and that is how performers get in so much trouble."


Discography

* '' Out of the Blue'' (1987) * '' Electric Youth'' (1989) * '' Anything Is Possible'' (1990) * ''
Body, Mind, Soul ''Body, Mind, Soul'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson, released on January 19, 1993, by Atlantic Records. The album failed to find favor with the record buying public and missed out on the U.S. top 100, peak ...
'' (1993) * '' Think with Your Heart'' (1995) * ''
Deborah According to the Book of Judges, Deborah ( he, דְּבוֹרָה, ''Dəḇōrā'', "bee") was a prophetess of the God of the Israelites, the fourth Judge of pre-monarchic Israel and the only female judge mentioned in the Bible. Many scholars ...
'' (1997) * '' M.Y.O.B.'' (2001) * '' Colored Lights: The Broadway Album'' (2003) * '' Ms. Vocalist'' (2010) * '' The Body Remembers'' (2021) * '' Winterlicious'' (2022)


Filmography


Film

*1984: '' Ghostbusters'' (uncredited) *1986: '' Sweet Liberty'' (uncredited "Amusement Park" scene) *1998: '' My Girlfriend's Boyfriend'' *1999: '' My X-Girlfriend's Wedding Reception'' *2001: ''Wedding Band'' *2001: ''
Soulkeeper ''Soulkeeper'' is a Sci Fi Pictures original TV-movie that premiered October 13, 2001 on the Sci Fi Channel. Synopsis After stealing Abraham Lincoln's stovepipe hat from a Civil War reenactment and then being subsequently dumped by their unseen ...
'' *2006: '' Coffee Date'' *2007: ''Body/Antibody'' *2009: ''
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus ''Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus'' is a 2009 American-British monster disaster film distributed by The Asylum, released on May 19, 2009, in the United States and on August 7, 2009, in the United Kingdom. It was directed by Ace Hannah and stars ...
'' *2011: '' Mega Python vs. Gatoroid'' *2012: ''
Rock of Ages Rock of Ages may refer to: Films * ''Rock of Ages'' (1918 film), a British silent film by Bertram Phillips * ''Rock of Ages'' (2012 film), a film adaptation of the jukebox musical (see below) Music * ''Rock of Ages'' (musical), a 2006 rock ...
'' *2014: '' Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark'' *2022: ''The Class''


Television

*1991: ''
Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to by its short title, ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for ...
'' (episode: "East Side Story") *1991: '' Street Justice'' (episode: in "Backbeat") *1995: '' Step by Step'' (episode: "Roadie" as Christi Rose) *1995: '' Kidsongs'' (episode: "Fun With Manners") *2002: '' That '80s Show'' as Janice (episode: "Beach Party") *2000: ''Maggie Bloom'' as Maggie Bloom *2003: '' American Juniors'' as judge *2004: ''
Celeste in the City ''Celeste in the City'' is a television movie starring Majandra Delfino and Nicholas Brendon. It premiered on ABC Family in 2004. It was directed by Larry Shaw. Plot Celeste Blodgett is a somewhat unkempt young woman who moves from her small hom ...
'' (TV movie) *2006: '' Skating with Celebrities'' *2009: ''
Rita Rocks ''Rita Rocks'' is a Lifetime original sitcom that ran from 20 October 2008 to 7 December 2009. It was the network's first original comedy in over a decade. The series debuted alongside re-runs of '' Reba'' as part of a new comedy hour for Tuesday ...
'' (episode: "Old Friends") *2010: ''
Celebrity Ghost Stories ''Celebrity Ghost Stories'' is an American paranormal reality television series that debuted on October 3, 2009, with the pilot airing on September 26, 2009. Its first four seasons aired on The Biography Channel with the fifth airing on Lifetime M ...
'' *2012: '' Celebrity Apprentice'' *2014: '' Acting Dead'' as Roberta (Recurring Role) *2014: ''
Sing Your Face Off ''Sing Your Face Off'' is a reality singing series that was aired on ABC during the 2013–14 American television season. It was based on both the Endemol format ''Your Face Sounds Familiar'' and an adaptation of the Spanish ''"Tu cara me suena ...
'' as judge *2015: ''The Music in Me'' (TV movie) *2016: ''Summer of Dreams'' (TV movie) *2017: ''
Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the form ...
'' *2018: ''Wedding of Dreams'' (TV movie) *2019: '' America's Most Musical Family'' as judge *2021: ''
Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passa ...
'' (episode: "Bloody Celestial Karaoke Jam")


Awards and nominations

*1988: Billboard Year-End - Top Pop Album Artist Female *1989: Debut Album of the Year – ''Out of the Blue'' –
New York Music Awards The New York Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony and live concert, established in 1986 with its first sold-out show at Madison Square Garden, New York City, United States. It ran for six years with annual sold-out shows at the Beacon Theat ...
*1989: Debut Artist of the Year – New York Music Awards *1989:
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
Songwriter of the Year *1989: Nominated for Best Pop Female Vocalist
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
*1989: Billboard Year-End - Top Pop Album Artist Female (runner-up) *1990: Nominated Favorite Female Music Performer –
People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
*1990: Rock Producer of the Year – American Songwriter Awards *1990: Artist of the Year – New York Music Awards *1990: Song of the Year – "Lost in Your Eyes" – New York Music Awards *1990: Best Pop Female Vocalist – New York Music Awards *2014: Inductee – Long Island Music Hall of Fame *2015: Nominated for Best Supporting Actress (comedy) in '' Acting Dead'' '' Indie Series Awards'' *2015: Lifetime Achievement Award – The PATH Fund's Rockers on Broadway *2018: 425th Golden Palm Star – Palm Springs Walk of Stars *2018: Named one of ''Billboard's'' Top 60 Female Artists of All-Time *2019: Recipient of the
NGLCC The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is a U.S. not-for-profit advocacy group that aims to expand the economic opportunities and advancement of the LGBT business community. Its headquarters are in NW in Washington, D.C. NGLCC is the ex ...
/ American Airlines ExtrAA Mile Award


References


External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gibson, Debbie 1970 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from New York (state) American child actresses American child singers American dance musicians American women pop singers American women singer-songwriters American film actresses American film producers American freestyle musicians American house musicians American musical theatre actresses American people of German descent American people of Italian descent American people of Russian descent American stage actresses American television actresses Television personalities from New York City American women television personalities American women film producers American women in electronic music American women pianists American women record producers Atlantic Records artists The Apprentice (franchise) contestants Child pop musicians Dance-pop musicians Musicians from Brooklyn Participants in American reality television series People from Merrick, New York Record producers from New York (state) Sanford H. Calhoun High School alumni SBK Records artists Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Sony Music Entertainment Japan artists