Disco-pop legend Gloria Gaynor, known for her anthem I Will Survive, has shared an honest playlist spanning from Beyoncé's Crazy in Love to Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. The 80-year-old singer also revealed she once performed I Will Survive at karaoke and nailed it.
First Song and Single
Gaynor grew up in Newark, New Jersey, with five brothers and one sister. She remembers her mother singing Willow Weep for Me when she was five or six, moved by its sadness. Her first single purchase was Why Do Fools Fall in Love by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, after hearing it on the radio. A neighbor mistook her singing for the radio, cementing her decision to become a singer.
Karaoke and Party Anthems
Gaynor has only done karaoke once, about 20 years ago for her birthday. Dared to sing I Will Survive as if drunk, she committed and nailed it. For parties, she picks Crazy in Love by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z, calling it a fun song that makes you move your body. She also knows every lyric to Every Little Bit Hurts by Alicia Keys, sympathizing with its unrequited love.
Songs She Can't Listen To and Sexy Grooves
Gaynor can no longer listen to Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel by Tavares, as her ex-husband used to sing it to her. For sex, she recommends Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye for its sexy groove, right tempo, and vibe.
Life-Changing Hits and Spiritual Songs
Her first major hit, Never Can Say Goodbye, changed her life, leading to more shows, bigger audiences, and world travel. It took her from dreamer to living the dream. She wakes up to Great Is Thy Faithfulness, a gospel song, preferring Carrie Underwood's version. Amazing Grace makes her cry; her version opens her last album, touching her spirit and reminding her of God's grace.
Funeral Song
Gaynor wants her song I Want to See You played at her funeral. It's about reunion with loved ones in heaven, the message she wants to leave behind.
Gloria Gaynor headlines Boogietown in Walton-on-Thames on 11 July.
