Biography

Gloria Gaynor was born on September 7, 1943 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for The Martian (2015), Bitter Moon (1992) and The Replacements (2000). She was previously married to Linwood Simon.

[2020, on being Grammy-nominated at age 76, after 50+ years in the music business] Being nominated for two Grammys is really quite exciting for me and it's kind of a stamp of approval of what I've been doing and where I've been trying to go and where I've been trying to bring my audience. It's saying, 'Yes, you're on the right track.' And not only that but 'You're doing a good job of it.' So it's very exciting for me.

[on her 1979 hit "I Will Survive"] It's my responsibility to share that message as broadly and as widely as I possibly can - to bring that hope and encouragement to people.

There was always music in my childhood home, but only my brothers sang in public. Being a girl, I wasn't invited. Then one day, aged 13, I was singing to myself in the hallway of our building. A neighbour came down the stairs and said, "My goodness, Gloria, was that you? I thought it was the radio." I decided then and there I would perform.

[on her signature song, "I Will Survive"] At first it was something that I was singing for other people. And then as time went on, different things happened to me and it became my mantra as well. And through the death of my mother, through the death of all of my siblings, through my divorce, I mean, when I did my divorce, I did a marathon version ... (laughs). So the song has really meant a lot to me as well as to other people. I fully understand because I've experienced what the song can do for you.