Deborah Gibson :: The One

Chronology

:: The Early Years ::

August 31 1970
- born Deborah Ann Gibson in Brooklyn, New York

5 years old
- wrote first song, "Make Sure You Know Your Classroom"
- started formal lessons in piano
- won talent contest with rendition of "Fur Elise"

:: Elementary School ::

7 years old
- composed first musical score for school play
- projects in elementary school included writing an opera "Alice in Operaland" and directing a play "Best of Broadway"
- auditioned for broadway production of Annie but was too tall
- local theatre appearances included South Pacific, Sound of Music, Annie and Cinderella

9 years old
- started voice lessons
- sang at NYC Metropolitan Opera in Children's Chorus in productions featuring the likes of Placido Domingo and Pavarotti
- started auditioning and appearing in TV commercials and theater in NYC

:: Junior High ::

12 years old
- started writing songs and recording own demos in home studio
- won a songwriting contest in under-22 category with a song called "I Come From America"
- appeared as an extra in a scene in "Ghostbusters"
- started performing her songs in an ice cream parlour

13 years old
- wrote "Only In My Dreams"

15 years old
- auditioned for Eponine in the play Les Miserables but lost out for being too young

:: The Star Has Arrived ::

1987
- "Only In My Dreams" released as a single, which eventually peaked at number 4 in Billboard pop singles charts
- started performing track dates in dance clubs
- got a recording deal, recorded and released first album "Out Of The Blue"
- became youngest person to write, produce, arrange and perform a no. 1 single when "Foolish Beat" hit no. 1

1988
- went on first tour around America
- appeared in Atlantic Records 40th anniversary celebrations concert
- appeared in the Prince's Trust Gala concert
- graduated from high schol as an honour student (91 average)
- impromptu performance of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" with Billy Joel and Elton John
- released second album "Electric Youth"
- when "Lost in Your Eyes" and "Electric Youth" hit no. 1 in Billboard's Singles and Album charts simultaneously, she became the youngest person to have composed and performed a no. 1 album, first female teenager to top both charts and 2nd teenager after Stevie Wonder to top both charts
- "Lost In Your Eyes" spent 5 weeks at no. 1
- co-hosted American Music Awards
- went on second concert tour

:: The Nineties ::

1990
- third album "Anything Is Possible" released, featuring 16 songs

1991
- went on third concert tour

1992
- Broadway debut as Eponine in Les Miserables

1993
- fourth album "Body Mind Soul" released
- played Sandy in London West End production of Grease

1995
- fifth album "Think With Your Heart" released
- US tour of Grease playing Rizzo
- Greatest Hits album released

1996
- played lead role Fanny Brice in the revival of musical "Funny Girl"
- sixth album "Deborah" released under her own record company, Espiritu

1997
- acted in two movies
- returns to Broadway as Belle in the musical Beauty & The Beast

1998
- starred in the title role of Gypsy at the Paper Mill Playhouse
- sang the character "Carlotta" in the concept album for "Z, The Masked Musical"

1999
- duets with Peabo Bryson, "Light The World"
- played the narrator in the US Tour of "Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"

:: The New Millennium ::

2000
- played the title role in the National Tour of Broadway's "Cinderella"
- released various singles- "You Don't Belong To Me", "What You Want", "With All My Heart"

2001
- seventh album, M.Y.O.B.

2002
- played Velma Kelly in Chicago

2003
- permanent judge in the FOX TV series, American Juniors
- return to Broadway as Sally Bowles in Cabaret
- eight album, Colored Lights