UPFRONT/THE A LIST
6 Surprising Things About Debbie Gibson
1. Decades before Kris Jenner, mom Diane was a tough “momager.”
As my mom/manager, she always said, “You’re going to do this with or without me, so I may as well be a part of it.” We had a lot of respect for each other’s fortes. And as a woman—especially in the music business at that time—she had to be 10 times more knowledgeable than the men to be taken seriously.
2. When she was 21, she bought Liberace’s piano.
I’m not a materialistic person; I was never someone who needed diamonds and things. The piano is my prized possession. I saw Liberace when I was 7 at Westbury Music Fair. My dream is to use it in Vegas in a residency.
3. She let a reality show set a bunch of her stuff on fire—including her signature black bowler hat from the ’80s.
It literally went up in flames before my eyes, and I let them do it, just because of the chaos that was going on in my life. At the end of the day, they are things, but they’re still my things.
“I feel way better than I felt a decade ago, which always is a reaffirmation to me that age really is just a number.”
—Gibson, 54
4. Grunge music shrank her fan base, but she’s grateful for loyal Debheads.
A lot of people did leave me behind, but there’s a core group that did not. They were out in the world, advocating for me. Now, if I get sick, they’re like, “Take your time. We care about your health.” To have a whole army of people that feel that way … I’m sorry, I’m literally gonna cry. It’s beyond any legacy I could have dreamt up.
5. Various therapies help her manage Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr virus and other health issues.
I think there’s a place for traditional medicine, energetic medicine and holistic medicine. When you’re on your health journey, you have to do what you feel resolute about. It’s hard when you’re feeling weak to tell people, “Thank you for your opinion, but this is my journey,” but that’s what really saved my life.
6. Her RV is a vacation home—and mobile recording studio.
I started noticing RVs on the road and was like, “I think I want to test-drive one.” I am part road warrior and part homebody, and it provides both. You also realize how little you need when you’re living in 25 feet! It gives me more space creatively in my mind, with my little studio in the back—it’s been one of the great freedoms of my life. —As told to Whitney Matheson
Singer, songwriter and actress Debbie Gibson made history at age 17 as the youngest artist to write, produce and perform a Billboard No. 1 single. Her memoir, Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music, will be published on September 9.