Bio : Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor’s legendary career spans over 50 years, never losing momentum. The 2x GRAMMY® winner has achieved global stardom with hit songs in the charts in all five decades. She has also shared her talent through roles in film, television, and the Broadway stage.
Having performed in over 90 different countries throughout her career, Gloria continues to tour the world with her ten-piece band performing in the USA, UK, Europe, South America, and beyond. She has performed at sold out concert venues and headlined music festivals around the globe such as the Heineken Jazzaldia Festival (Spain), World Expo 2020 (Dubai), Boogietown Festival (UK), Carnaval de Mazatlán (Mexico), Starlite Festival (Spain), the Tecate P’al Norte Festival (Monterrey, Mexico) and The Big E (USA). Gloria has also partnered for event performances with some of the world’s top luxury brands such as Cartier, Chopard, PINKO, Moet Chandon (LVMH), De Grisogono, Habanos and more! The Summer of 2023 found Gloria in Tuscany, Italy dueting in concert with celebrated Italian Tenor, Andrea Bocelli. She also performed at noted music festivals in Malaga, Spain (Sabatic Fest); Geneva, Switzerland (Venoge Festival), and Albufeira, Portugal (Dia do Municipio) for audiences of ever 65,000 people. In September 2024 Gloria headlined the Rock in Rio Festival in Brazil performing for an audience of 150,000 joyous fans.
Gloria continues to write and record new music. Her recent work in Nashville with the GRAMMY Award® winning team of Christopher Stevens (TobyMac, Mandisa, Jason Aldean), F. Reid Shippen (Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban), Bryan Fowler, Shannon Sanders, and Drew Ramsey as well as Yolanda Adams, Bart Millard (MercyMe), Mike Farris, and Jason Crabb delivered her 2019 album, “TESTIMONY.” Her new roots gospel album debuted in the Top 5 of the BILLBOARD Top Gospel Albums Chart, the Top 3 on the iTunes Gospel Chart and the Top 20 on the Amazon Overall Album Chart. It received rave reviews from Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Herald-Standard, CBS Sunday Morning, The TODAY Show and more! “TESTIMONY,” also received two GRAMMY® nominations for Best Roots Gospel Album and for Best Gospel Performance / Song for Gloria’s duet with Yolanda Adams on the song, “Talkin’ ‘Bout Jesus.” And Gloria took home the Best Roots Gospel GRAMMY® at the 2020 Award Ceremony. Gloria also headlined the 2020 GRAMMY® Celebration.
Gloria is following up her 2020 GRAMMY win with an EP IN 2025 entitled, “Happy Tears.” She has returned to Nashville, TN to work on co-writing with her, “TESTIMONY,” producer Chris Stevens (TobyMac, Mandisa, Colton Dixon, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood) and collaborators Liz Rose (Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood); Caylee Hammack (Reba McEntire, Ashley McBryde, and Tenille Townes); Caitlyn Smith (Meghan Trainor, John Legend, Dolly Parton, Avicii, Miley Cyrus); Sam Tinnesz & Matt Bronleewe (Kygo, Banners, Fitz and the Tantrums); and Michael Pollack (Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, Ben Platt).
"Fida Known," is the lead single from the upcoming, “Happy Tears,” EP. It was co-written by Gloria along with GRAMMY Award winning songwriter and producer, Chris Stevens, and GRAMMY Award winning songwriter, Michael Pollack, who co-wrote the 2023 hit song, "Flowers," with Miley Cyrus. The new single will be featured in the Lifetime TV Network biopic, “Robin Roberts Presents - I Will Survive: The Gloria Gaynor Story,” that will premiere on February 8th. The film chronicles Gloria's rise to fame, from her humble beginnings to becoming one of the most iconic voices in music history. Dubbed America’s “Queen of Disco,” the movie will feature many of the songs that catapulted Gloria to the top of the charts, including her legendary hit "I Will Survive," which became a cultural phenomenon and a powerful anthem of empowerment for millions worldwide.
A feature documentary from Storyville Entertainment about Gloria that has evolved over an eight year period will soon be available worldwide on streaming platforms. The film reveals how the unstoppable Gaynor, who, despite incredible hardship, has wielded her undeniable musical talent to change the course of her life, having surmounted illness, paralysis, her sister’s murder, a 25-year traumatic marriage (and divorce) and a cleaned-out bank account. Discovering faith and self-love, Gaynor never lost vision nor momentum throughout incredibly devastating times. Facing ageism and a ticking clock, she invested her own resources to self-produce “Testimony” – winning her second Grammy 40 years after her first for “I Will Survive.” Helming the documentary are Storyville’s President, Betsy Schecter, and award-winning editor, David Zeiff.
The documentary had its world premiere in New York City at the opening night of the Tribeca Festival on June 9th where it was an Official Selection, receiving a standing ovation from the audience. It has gone on to win awards at several other film festivals like the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Nashville Film Festival.
During the pandemic which saw many recording artists, actors and performers staying home and staying safe, Gloria was featured in several virtual concerts and media events. In the very first weeks of the pandemic, she created an #IWillSurvive Hand Washing challenge on TikTok in order to encourage people to stay safe and healthy. The TikTok post became a social media sensation generating an astounding 300+ million views along with countless reposts.
With the world facing immense tragedies and challenges in 2020 due to Covid19, Gloria helped usher in 2021 by singing her global anthem, “I Will Survive,” along with some of her other hit songs in New York City’s Times Square, honoring first responders and essential & frontline workers. Her performance was broadcast on live TV and also streamed around the world by the Times Square Alliance to a global audience of millions.
Gloria also recorded new songs in late 2021 with 5x GRAMMY Award winning band, MercyMe and with fellow global music icon, Kylie Minogue who has sold over 80 million albums worldwide. While she could not join MercyMe on their 2022 major 30-city concert tour, Gloria appeared on stage each night through the magic of video screen technology, singing their duet song, “Brand New,” to the packed stadium audiences. Gloria’s duet with Kylie Minogue entitled, “Can’t Stop Writing Songs About You,” was released as a single by BMG and climbed the charts in the UK and Australia.
No stranger to theater, TV, and film; Gloria wowed North American audiences as The Mermaid on Season 8 of the hit TV program, “The Masked Singer,” from the FOX Network in 2022. Her performance sparked a standing ovation from the show’s celebrity panel made up of Nicole Scherzinger, Jenny McCarthy, Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong along with musical theater legend, Lord Andrew LLoyd Webber, who was a guest panelist. Recently Gloria was a headlining performer on the PBS TV Special “A Capitol Fourth” (USA) and the holiday TV extravaganza, “Arena Suzuki 60-70-80-90 2022” (Italy). And in late 2022 Gloria made her feature film acting debut as Doctor Poitier in, “The Thursday Night Club,” which premiered on the inspirational content focused streaming outlet, PureFlix.
She was also featured in the special “March Madness” Capital One Credit Card TV commercial alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee, and Charles Barkley. Gloria has made guest star appearances on “Ally McBeal,” “The Wayans Bros.,” and “That ‘70s Show.” She was a featured guest along with Reese Witherspoon on the premiere episode of “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris.” She’s also appeared and performed on countless programs such as Good Morning America (USA), The TODAY Show (USA), NBC New York Live (USA), Fox & Friends (USA), Volverte a Ver (Spain), “Sale e Sol” (Mexico), Loose Women (UK), as well as the Opening Segment for the 2016 “NTA” National Television Awards Telecast on stage at the O2 Arena with a performance that had the entire audience on their feet giving Gloria a standing ovation. And she has made celebrity appearances on mainstream American daytime programming such as, “Oprah,” “Hallmark Home & Family,” “Dr. Phil,””The Harry Connick Jr Show,” “Dr. Oz,” and, “The Doctors.”
Gloria has been honored in the past several years by the CCU’s Women in Leadership Conference and by Dowling College who presented her with an Honorary Doctorate of Music. She was presented with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award by the Consulate General of Israel, Ido Aharoni, with him stating that Gloria has “inspired millions with her music to empower themselves” over the years. Gloria was also honored by the Library of Congress on May 6, 2017 after having the recording of her global anthem, “I Will Survive,” inducted in the library’s collection of recordings with American historical & cultural significance in 2016. As part of that 2017 honor, she was part of an “In Conversation” with fellow survivor, Robin Roberts from TV program “Good Morning America,” in the Coolidge Theater in Washington, DC. That evening, Gloria delivered a concert to end all concerts in the historic Thomas Jefferson Building’s Great Hall. That same year Gloria was inducted into the NJ Hall of Fame at a special ceremony in Asbury Park, NJ. And in the Summer of 2019 Gloria was invited to sing the, “Star-Spangled Banner,” by U.S. astronaut and American treasure, Buzz Aldrin, at the APOLLO XI 50th Anniversary Gala.
Gloria has channeled her fame and recognition into support for several charities, donating not only her money but also her time and talent. She changed the lyrics to her world-renowned song and leant her time to the creation of a corresponding music video for the Miami Children’s Hospital to help raise awareness and funds for their life saving efforts. Never one to rest, Gloria recently earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences to aid in her work with charities and organizations helping at-risk youths and their families.
Gloria’s 2nd book, “We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song”, was a 2015 GRAMMY® nominee for Best Spoken Word Album. The remarkable stories in this book reveal that the song, “I Will Survive,” has reached people from all walks of life and touched them in thousands of unique ways. From individuals triumphing over illness to those suffering from the painful loss of a loved one to others piecing their lives together after bearing witness to a national tragedy, “I Will Survive,” has become an emotional anthem for them and for millions of Gloria’s adoring fans around the world. “‘I Will Survive’ is my mantra, the core of my God-given purpose,'” Gaynor said in a statement. “It is my privilege and honor to use it to inspire people around the world of every nationality, race, creed, color and age group to join me as I sing and live the words: ‘I Will Survive.’”
Gloria is verified and active on all the current social media platforms as @GloriaGaynor. She loves being able to stay in touch with her fans around the world, sharing music, encouragement, and inspiration. Her official YouTube channel just surpassed a half a million subscribers. The channel features a mix of fabulous vintage concert and TV performances as well as new video content.