Debbie Gibson: What's Next for the Pop Princess of the 80's?

Rolando Cruz, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Jul 1, 2010 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

Before Britney, Christina, Miley and Taylor there was music's quintessential teenage pop star, Debbie Gibson. Behind the success of her first two albums, Out of the Blue and Electric Youth, the New York born singer rose quickly to stardom at the tail end of the 80's. The albums produced such popular hits as Only in My Dreams, Lost in Your Eyes, Foolish Beat, Out of the Blues and Shake Your Love. Along the way Gibson would become the youngest female artist to write, record, and perform a #1 single, entering the Guinness Book of World Record in 1988 at the age of 17. The Electric Youth album went double platinum, enabling Gibson to win a share of the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award in 1989.

Yet despite such a promising beginning, Gibson's stay at the top of the pop charts was brief, and by the 1990 release of her third album, Anything is Possible, she was on her way down. Though she would never reach the same heights musically, despite releasing eight more albums, Gibson would make a niche for herself on stage, playing the role of Eponine in Les Miserables in 1992, and later starting in the lead role of Sandy in the London West End production of Grease. Over the next decade Gibson would star in several more plays including the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast, where she played Belle.

Her success on stage though did not translate well to feature films, and despite having appeared in more than a dozen movies, Debbie is probably best known for her role in the monster/disaster cult favorite, Mega Shark verse Giant Octopus (2009). Though the film received negative reviews from most critics, there were some who praised Gibson's acting. The success of the film (produced by Asylum) makes Gibson hopeful of starring in a sequel. Up next for Gibson though is a role in another monster/disaster movie, Mega Python verses Gatoriod. In the movie (also produced by Asylum), Debbie is slated to play an animal-rights activist out to free illegally imported snakes. Joining Gibson in the cast is former 80's teenage pop star, Tiffany, who will be playing an over zealous park ranger. Often portrayed as rivals during the 80's, the pair will be involved in a fight scene in the movie. While this will be their first performance together, the pair have crossed acting paths before, as both tried out for the same musical adaptation of the movie Mask a few years ago. Later on this year (July 27 - September 1) Gibson is scheduled to star in the role of Mother Nature in the Broadway production of Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy. The role will allow Debbie to show case both her singing and acting talents.

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