Debbie Gibson Out of the Blue

Debbie Gibson isn’t much different from your average teenager. In her spare time, the native New Yorker likes to go to the movies or go shopping with friends. She likes to eat pizza and hamburgers. She has idols she looks up to, among them Billy Joel and George Michael.

But Debbie also happens to have a hit album called Out Of The Blue which she wrote entirely by herself. She takes time off from high school in Long Island, NY for mini-tours of America or England. Her first single bulleted into the Top 10 and quickly estate lished her as one of this year’s most promising new vocalists—and she’s only 16 years old. Not so average after all!

ROCK-SHOTS managed to catch up with this busy young lady on her recent visit to Los Angeles, where she was appearing on American Bandstand and Top Of The Pops as

well as shooting a new video. Curled up on a couch in Hollywood’s plush Le Mondrian Hotel, Debbie talked about her sudden rise to the top and how she hopes to stay there in the years to come . . .

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

I started in music when I was four. I used to play piano by ear, and there was always music in my house. I really started writing seriously when I was 12. That’s when I knew I wanted to go into recording and writing and singing.

When was the first time you got in front of a live audience?

In the classroom in kindergarten. I played this song I wrote for my class called “Make Sure You Know Your Classroom”!

How are you working your career around school?

I still go! This week and next week I had to take off, but I have my assignments with me, so I keep on top of it. I usually go to school during the week, and I perform on weekends.

How do your friends feel about your success?

They’re excited. I mean, I have a friend who is really into tennis, so we’ll all go to watch her tennis match. Then my group of friends will come to see me in a show. Everyone supports what everyone else does.

Do you have a boyfriend?

No. (Laughs) I don’t have time for a boyfriend!

What do you look for in a boy?

I knew that question was coming next! Good personality, fun, um ... I like guys who are gentlemen, you know, pay for the girl and stuff like that. And being cute doesn’t hurt, either!

Most of the songs on the record are love songs . . .

Yeah. For the most part, I think everyone wants to hear love songs, and that’s probably the easiest thing to write about because it’s such a broad topic.

Where does the inspiration for the lyrics come from?

I may get an idea from personal experience, but I won’t write it. I’ll make up a story instead. I’ll give you a for instance;

I was in Social Studies, and I was falling asleep because we were watching this political comic, and I wasn’t getting any of the jokes because I’m not into politics. I was really falling asleep, you know, the class was dark, so I was telling myself “Wake up! Wake up!” And I went {sings) “Wake up to love”—and I ended up writing that whole song in Social Studies! Who would you say your influences are?

Well, my favorite artist is Billy Joel. But it’s funny, I don’t think his music influenced the way I write my music! I would say my music is influenced by ’50s music, George Michael. And my kind of vocal style I can hear influenced by Whitney Houston.

You thank Billy Joel In the album credits...

He was always a favorite of mine. One year I got his 52nd Street album, and then my parents took me to see the 52nd Street tour, and I just danced through the whole concert and loved it!

Have you ever met him?

No, he’s one person I haven’t met... not that I’ve met everyone else! I met Phil Ramone, his producer, so I got one step closer.

You’ve done a little bit of acting, is that something you’d like to further pursue?

Yeah, definitely, because I’vejione it before and it opens up new doors. I worked as an extra on Fame a while back and I met Janet Jackson. I was just on two episodes, an extra dancing in the streets. It was fun, though.

What kind of acting are you interested in?

I see myself doing a teen movie, kind of like a Molly Ringwald-type role.

A couple of your songs are being used in new movies . . .

Yeah, “Red Hot” (from Out Of The Blue) is being used in a Whoopi Goldberg movie, Fatal Beauty, and I’m writing a song for the Michael J. Fox movie Bright Lights, Big City.

How do you like life on the road? Is it boring for you?

Definitely not boring! There’s always something interesting happening. But there’s one thing I have to say I miss—a homecooked meal!

Speaking of home, do you have any brothers or sisters?

I have two older sisters and one younger. There’s Karen, who’s 22, and she travels with us and does the sound engineering. And Michelle, who’s 20, wants to open up her own fashion boutique. She makes some of the clothes I perform in. And then there’s Denise, who’s mainly into tennis. We all study classical music and everyone sings, but I’m the only one in the family who really wants to perform.

Would you be interested in doing a duet?

Definitely. With Billy Joel!

Are you getting a lot of fan mail now that the record is so big?

Yes. I try to keep up with it and write back personal notes, but I’m a little backlogged right now! I've written one fan letter in my life, to George Michael. I didn’t get any response—I can understand, he must get a thousand letters a day—but I know I would die if I would have gotten a letter back, so I try to do that.

Does it make you uncomfortable when people are starstruck by you?

Yeah. I don’t like people making a big deal over me. It’s weird, because I know what it’s like. I idolize other musicians, so in that sense I’ve learned to deal with it better. I know what it’s like to be on both sides!

If I asked you where you want to be five years from now . . .

Sitting at the Grammys, starring in films, a few platinum albums.. .{laughs) or babysitting Billy Joel’s baby!