Deborah Gibson (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson (born August 31, 1970), is an American singer-songwriter who was a teen pop icon. Her popularity with her dedicated fanbase remains today. At age seventeen (and ten months), Gibson was the youngest person to write, produce, and perform a Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit single (in the U.S.) with her song "Foolish Beat".

She appeared repeatedly on the covers of teen magazines (in the USA) such as Tiger Beat. Although she used the name "Debbie" in her teens, she has always preferred and now uses the name "Deborah" professionally. Gibson has gone on to starring roles on Broadway and touring musicals, as well as independent film and television work. She continues to record, and reached the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart as high as #24 during 2006 in a duet with Jordan Knight titled "Say Goodbye".

Early life

Gibson was born in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in the Long Island suburb of Merrick, New York. At the age of five, she began performing in community theater with her sisters and wrote her first song "Make Sure You Know Your Classroom". When she was eight, she sang in the children's chorus at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. She began playing the ukulele and taking piano lessons soon thereafter. Gibson has stated that her household was probably the only one where you'd hear kids fighting over piano playing time.

Pop Princess

Gibson spent years knocking on doors and handing her demos to every director, agent and producer she came into contact with. Eventually, at the age of sixteen, she caught the attention of Atlantic Records which signed the teenager and thus began her successful pop music career.

Gibson performed around the U.S. at various track dates. These dates included venues such as straight, gay and teen nightclubs. Simultaneously, Gibson was recording what would become her debut album, Out Of The Blue. The album was recorded in a total of 4 weeks.

Four singles from her debut LP Out Of The Blue reached the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 100: "Only in My Dreams," "Shake Your Love," "Out Of The Blue," and "Foolish Beat." By the time Out Of The Blue was established as a hit album, and she had considerable success in the UK, as well as Japan and southeast Asia, with stadium tours.

Throughout 1988 and early 1989, Gibson was racking up studio time recording her second release. Electric Youth was released in March of 1989 and spent 5 weeks at #1. The first single released, "Lost in Your Eyes", held the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. Gibson achieved an additional honor of having both a #1 single and album charting simultaneously. She also shared ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award 1989 with Bruce Springsteen.

In parallel with the album, she created Electric Youth eaux de parfum under Revlon, and various makeup essentials for young girls through Natural Wonder Cosmetics, one of her sponsors at the time, distributed nationwide.

She eventually recorded two more albums for Atlantic Records: Anything Is Possible (1990), and Body Mind Soul (1992). Atlantic compiled Greatest Hits as a 1995 release oddly in conjunction with her release of SBK album Think With Your Heart.

Broadway Starlet

American music tastes changed from pop music affecting a majority of pop singers, more favoring grunge rock. She debuted on Broadway in 1992, playing Eponine in Les Misérables. She then went to London, where she played Sandy in the West End production of Grease to sold out shows, breaking box office sales records. The single version of "You're the One That I Want", a duet with Craig McLachlan, taken from the Original Cast Recording reached #13 on the UK charts in 1993.

On returning to the States, she appeared in the Broadway touring production, this time she playing Rizzo. She played Fanny Brice in a Funny Girl benefit concert. She was among the many actresses who took on the role of Belle in the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast of Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (in a production staged at The Papermill Playhouse). She participated in the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, where she played the part of The Narrator, and as Cinderella in the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's famed musical. In October 2002, she starred in the Boston production of Chicago. In 2003, she played Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of Cabaret.

Think With Your Heart

In 1995, she signed with EMI's SBK Records division and recorded what would be her only album for the label, Think With Your Heart. This album is an Adult Contemporary heavy album consisting of piano ballads and keyboard ballads. Only a pair of Dance Pop songs, "Dontcha Want Me Now" and "Too Fancy" serve as the faster moments on the album. The album sold 25,000 copies in the US and 100,000 copies worldwide. The album's producer, Niko Bolas (usually Neil Young's co-producer), was also producing the reunion album for veteran punk band Circle Jerks, and invited Gibson to a recording session for that band's album. She subsequently ended up singing background vocals on the song I Wanna Destroy You as well as appearing at and participating in the Circle Jerks' performance at legendary punk venue CBGB, wearing one of the band's t-shirts and sharing a microphone with frontman Keith Morris. Footage of this appearance can be found on www.youtube.com.

Espiritu, Golden Egg and reality TV

After parting company with EMI, Gibson formed her own record label, Espiritu, to release her original material. Her sixth album, Deborah, marked her full return to dance-pop albeit with a more mature approach. Deborah includes the lead single "Only Words." "Only Words" (Dance Edit) became a Top 40 Hot Dance Music/Club Play hit. The album's other single is the ballad, "Naturally." Deborah was well received by fans and remains one of her most respected works, though only sold 20,000 units in the US.

In 2001, Gibson released her seventh album on her then-new record label, Golden Egg, titled M.Y.O.B. (AKA Mind Your Own Business). It features the three singles, the sensual pop song "What You Want," the Latin infused Dance-pop song "Your Secret" and the bass heavy "M.Y.O.B." Highlights from the album include the sultry Latin favoured Smooth Jazz song "In Blue," her vintage style ballad "Wishing You Were Here," "Jaded," and a remix of "M.Y.O.B."

In the summer of 2003, she was a judge on the short-lived American Idol spin-off American Juniors.

In 2005, Gibson co-wrote and recorded a song titled "Someone You Love" with the O'Neill Brothers. With the O'Neill Brothers, Gibson also released an updated, acoustic version of her former #1 hit "Lost in Your Eyes."

Controversially for some of her fans who were more comfortable with her earlier wholesome image, the March 2005 issue of Playboy featured a nude pictorial with Gibson, the publication of which also coincided with the release of her single, "Naked."


In January 2006, she joined the cast of Skating with Celebrities on Fox Television, partnered with former Canadian World Champion figure skater Kurt Browning. She was voted out in the third episode in what has been called a gross miscarriage of justice.

2006–present

Following her Skating with Celebrities appearance she has 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, DE. "Your Secret" has been on their request show, Total Control Radio, for 12 months. "Your Secret" reached #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) which is a Eurodance mix of the song. They all have become recurrent hits on the station since.

Her popularity in this niche market is growing. She tours and has become a popular attraction at Gay Pride concerts. Her 2006 single, "Say Goodbye", featuring dance-pop artist Jordan Knight, has made a good impression on the Soft AC and Hot AC radio fromats, becoming the third-most added single on the format during summer 2006. It debuted at #35 on the Billboard magazine Hot Contemporary chart, peaking at #24 in early September. In May 2007, the world premiere of "Electric Youth: The Musical" was unveiled at The Starlight Theatre in Orlando, FL. The musical features 14 of Deborah's most loved songs and will be directed by Dean Parker.

Discography

Out of the Blue 1987	Electric Youth 1989	Anything is Possible 1990
Out Of The Blue Only In My Dreams Staying Together Between The Lines Foolish Beat Red Hot Wake Up To Love Shake Your Love Fallen Angel Play The Field	Who Loves Ya Baby? Lost In Your Eyes Love In Disguise Helplessly In Love Silence Speaks (A Thousand Words) Should've Been The One Electric Youth No More Rhyme Over The Wall We Could Be Together Shades Of The Past We Could Be Together (Campfire Mix) No More Rhyme (Acoustic Mix)	Another Brick Falls Anything Is Possible Reverse Psychology One Step Ahead Stand Your Ground Deep Down It Must've Been My Boy Lead Them Home My Dreams One Hand, One Heart Sure Negative Energy Mood Swings Try In His Mind Where Have You Been? This So-Called Miracle

Body Mind Soul 1993	Think with your heart 1995	Deborah 1996
Love or Money Do You Have It In Your Heart? Free Me Shock Your Mama Losin' Myself How Can This Be? When I Say No Kisses 4 One Little Birdie Tear Down These Walls Goodbye	For Better or Worse Didn't Have The Heart Will You Love Me Tomorrow? Dancin' In My Mind Dontcha Want Me Now? Can't Do It Alone Think With Your Heart Too Fancy You Don't Have To See Two Young Kids Interlude/Tony's Rehearsal Let's Run Away	Prelude Ode To A Would Be Lover Moonchild Only Words Naturally Nobody's You Cry Tonight Where I Wanna Be Butterflies Are Free Give Me Your Love Just Wasn't Love I Can't I Will Let You Go Only Words (Dance Edit)* Only In My Dreams (Dance Edit)* People** Don't Rain On My Parade**

M.Y.O.B 2001	Colored Lights 2003
M.Y.O.B. Your Secret What You Want Down That Road The One Wishing You Were Here What Part Of No In Blue Jaded Knock Three Times M.Y.O.B. (Dance Mix)	Let Me Entertain You Blame It On The Summer Night Raise the Roof! Colored Lights Who Are You Now? I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love I'm the Greatest Star On My Own They All Laughed I Enjoy Being a Girl Sex Maybe This Time Anytime (I Am There)

Chart Positions

• CHARTED SINGLES:

• "Only In My Dreams" (1987) US #4 (Dance #12, Maxi #4, AC #31), UK #11, Canada #6, Netherlands #46.
• "Shake Your Love" (1987) US #4 (Dance #6, Maxi #1), UK #7, Canada #10, Australia #27, Switzerland #19, Netherlands #24
• "Out of the Blue" (1988) US #3 (Dance #44, Maxi #1, AC #16), UK #19, Canada #21, Australia #71, Netherlands #88.
• "Foolish Beat" (1988) US #1 (AC #8, Maxi #31), UK #9, Canada #1, Australia #49, Switzerland #10, Netherlands #8
• "Staying Together" (1988) US #21, UK #53, Canada #29.
• "Lost In Your Eyes" (1989) US #1 (AC #3), UK #34, Canada #5, Australia #8, Netherlands #45.
• "Electric Youth" (1989) US #11 (Dance #3, Maxi #2), UK #14, Canada #15, Australia #17, Germany #14, Netherlands #35.
• "No More Rhyme" (1989) US #17 (AC #13), Australia #59.
• "We Could Be Together" (1989) US #71, UK #22, Australia #53.
• "Without You" (1990) Japan #26
• "Anything Is Possible" (1990) US #26 (AC #48), UK #51, Canada #17, Australia #63.
• "One Step Ahead" (1991) US Dance #18, US Maxi #21.
• "In His Mind" (1991) Japan #90.
• "Losin' Myself" (1993) US #86 (AC #49, Maxi #46).
• "Shock Your Mama" (1993) UK #74.
• "You're The One That I Want" (1993, duet with Craig McLachlan) UK #13.
• "Only Words" (1997) US Dance #37.
• "Say Goodbye" (2006, duet with Jordan Knight) US AC #24.

• CHARTED ALBUMS:

• "OUT OF THE BLUE" (1987) US #7, UK #26, Canada #16, Australia #66, Japan #75, Netherlands #29, Sweden #34.
• "ELECTRIC YOUTH" (1989) US #1, UK #8, Canada #4, Australia #10, Japan #15, Switzerland #21, Sweden #43.
• "ANYTHING IS POSSIBBLE" (1990) US #41, UK #69, Canada #58, Australia #86, Japan #5.
• "BODY MIND SOUL" (1993) US #109, Japan #13.
• "THINK WITH YOUR HEART" (1995) Japan #46.
• "GREATEST HITS" (1995) Japan #63.

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