Debbie Gibson on her late mother being the 'original music momager'
Share and Follow

It didn’t start with Mama K.

Kris Jenner is often regarded as the original momager, skillfully navigating the careers of her famous daughters such as Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe Kardashian, as well as Kendall and Kylie Jenner.

But Diane Gibson — mother of late ‘80s teen-pop sensation Debbie Gibson — had the Kardashian/Jenner matriarch beat by a couple of decades.

“You know, my late, great mom, Diane, was really the original music momager,” the “Only in My Dreams” singer exclusively told The Post on the red carpet of last week’s Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Years later, other momagers would make like mama bears pushing and protecting their showbiz kids, from Brandy’s mom (Sonja Norwood) to Lindsay Lohan’s mother (Dina) and Miley Cyrus’ mom (Tish) to Selena Gomez’s mother (Mandy Teefey).

Diane, who passed away in 2022, was the force behind taking her daughter Debbie, now 54, to history-making heights with her 1987 debut album “Out of the Blue,” released just before her 17th birthday.

In addition to “Only in My Dreams,” the LP featured the hits “Shake Your Love,” Out of the Blue,” and “Foolish Beat.” When the latter topped the charts, it made Gibson the youngest female artist ever to write and produce a No. 1 single — a record that still stands.

It was her mother who fought for Gibson to have the creative control to do that. “I remember my mom pounding her fist in the conference room on that,” she said.

“And she’s like, ‘Well, listen to the demo. Deb has a vision. She’s the only person who should produce this record,’” Gibson told The Post in 2022.

Gibson looked back on how she and her mom made a pioneering pair in the male-dominated music industry as she worked on her upcoming memoir, “Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music,” which will be released on Sept. 9.

“I really speak a lot about that male-dominated music world we were in together,” said Gibson, who wrote all of the songs on “Out of the Blue.”

“Yeah, I mean, it was a party trick to kick those doors down … and to convince the label. They believed pretty early on in my writing, Atlantic, but I’m a producer too.”

In addition to producing “Foolish Beat” all by herself, Gibson co-produced three other tracks on her debut LP.

It has been “therapeutic” for Gibson to relive and reflect on the early days of her career while writing her memoir. Now she is happy to see the progress that has been made in the music industry “to have someone like Gracie Abrams here today [at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where she received the Hal David Starlight Award] in this landscape that is, you know, wide open now for young female songwriters.”

And Gibson was thinking about her mom — and the momager moves she made in the face of male doubters — at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction.

“To be the mother manager, there was such a stigma attached to that, and she knew that she had to know 10 times more than any of the men knew to be taken seriously,” Gibson told The Post in 2022.

It’s a mother-daughter legacy that Gibson upholds today: “She and I started that together, and it’s still going on.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Iran may get a ‘last chance’ from Trump to accept nuclear deal: report 

Trump considering giving Iran final opportunity to accept nuclear agreement, per report

President Trump reportedly plans to offer Iran a “last chance” to accept…
A guide to what the Juneteenth holiday is and how to celebrate it

Explaining Juneteenth: What it is and how to celebrate

It was 160 years ago that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned…
2 people killed, 32 others injured after iron bridge collapses over river at tourist destination in western India

Iron Bridge Collapse in Western India: 2 Dead, 32 Injured

NEW DEHLI — At least two people died and 32 others were…
Search continues for 10-year-old Trinity Eslinger

Efforts persist to find 10-year-old Trinity Eslinger

Search efforts for missing 10-year-old Trinity Eslinger, who disappeared while swimming off…
Pilot theorizes what went wrong in fatal Air India crash that killed 270

Pilot speculates on cause of deadly Air India crash that claimed 270 lives

An experienced pilot for commercial airlines recently mentioned that he might have…
Korean rescue team training in Colorado helps respond to deadly crash

Colorado Training Helps Korean Rescue Team Prepare for Responding to Fatal Accidents

DENVER (KDVR) — A wrong way driver on Interstate 76 in Denver…
Man found guilty of Jacksonville triple murder sentenced to life in prison

Man Convicted of Jacksonville Triple Murder Receives Life Sentence

According to a family member, two of Ja-Darrius Jones’ victims were his…
Minnesota shooting: Cop's intuition may have stopped violent rampage

Potentially, police officer’s instincts could have prevented a violent attack in Minnesota

() A police officer’s gut instinct to check on a lawmaker may…