Debbie Gibson Nick Spanos Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment At 15, Debbie Gibson went from a home studio plastered with posters of her idol George Michael to ecstatically watching him rock Philadelphia with Wham! after winning tickets on New York's WPLJ radio. At 17, her No. 1 hit "Foolish Beat" snatched Michael's spot as the youngest artist to write, perform and produce a chart-topping U.S. single. And at 18, Gibson hopped on her first private jet to dine with Michael backstage on The Faith Tour. It's a trajectory that encapsulates the wild, whirlwind nature of Gibson's rollercoaster ride through teen pop stardom."I was on the charts with George, Whitney [Houston] and Michael [Jackson] while they were all over my walls," Gibson, 55, reflects during an exclusive sit-down with THR in Los Angeles. "It felt crazy he would take time out to meet me. I was so nervous and anxious, but he was so lovely, respectful and cool. My sister Denise and I had to go to the girls' room just to go, 'Oh my god. How is this happening?'" Related Stories Music Lil Nas X Is in Treatment Following Arrest and Felony Charges, Attorney Says TV Emmys: Reba McEntire Leads Tribute to 'The Golden Girls' With Performance of Iconic Theme Song Michael's one of several late legends featured in Gibson's new memoir Eternally Electric, which also documents being comforted by Princess Diana, working with Michael Jackson and turning down a Prince collaboration. But between the glitzy Hollywood anecdotes, Gibson sheds light on the cloudier sides of her turbulent but fabulous three-decade career, like how being left feeling "energetically slutty" in a male-dominated industry ignited crippling anxiety, which saw her hospitalized. As her New Kids on the Block pal Joey McIntyre writes in a moving forward, fans will be left wanting to "go back in time and take her away from the pain and struggles of such an exhausting, exhilarating journey." Raised in New York by her powerhouse late momager Diane and dad Joseph, the obstacles Gibson faced early on would have prompted many aspiring artists to dump their dreams. Her lisp and "unconventional nose" deterred agents and managers, and she was bullied for her showbiz ambitions and grappled with the "inner torture" of developing her voice to a level that appeared so natural to others. "In the Billy Joel documentary, he seemingly rolls out of bed and sings like that. Some people are like that. Kelly Clarkson can sing the phonebook, and it'll sound ethereal and otherworldly. I felt more like a songwriter and wanted to become the vocalist I strived to be to deliver my songs." And she did. At 16, Gibson released her triple platinum debut album, Out of the Blue, featuring hits like "Foolish Beat." Her 1989 follow-up, Electric Youth, spawned chart-topper "Lost In Your Eyes" and topped the Billboard 200 for five weeks. It was the beginning of an eclectic entertainment career spanning film, television and Broadway and packed with surreal moments like meeting Joel and appearing in Jackson's "Liberian Girl" video. "I met Michael in L.A. and he said, 'I saw this special you hosted on TV.' I thought, 'Michael Jackson's home watching me on TV. What?' And, I'll never forget Whitney Houston walking over at the AMAs, saying, 'Debbie!' with her arms open." Then there was the time Gibson opened the Prince's Trust Concert in London. Hoping to wear a gorgeous gown to greet Princess Diana, she was horrified when producers insisted there wasn't time for outfit changes, so she'd have to wear her casual stage costume. "I was like, 'I'm so sorry I'm in this,' and she was like, 'You look a heck of a lot more comfortable than I feel right now!' She knew how to put you at ease. I was like, 'Oh my god. She's just another girl.'" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leena Tailor (@leenatailor) Months later, Gibson began recording 1990's Anything Is Possible, but despite the record going gold, her label wasn't impressed she didn't hit the "pop bull's-eye" of previous releases. She also felt little freedom to experiment musically. "Every album of Billy Joel's wasn't The Stranger. He had albums that barely went gold, then something would sell 7 million. We allowed him that arch, but female pop artists weren't given that same grace. We weren't allowed to 'fail.' And it's crazy that selling half a million records was considered a fail." Meanwhile, executives tried to sexualize Gibson, and she felt forced to grow up fast despite feeling "20 going on 12." "I was very adult in my career mindset, but I knew this was the only time I'd get to be a girl and was hanging onto that for dear life. The hardest part was having grown men trying to push me through what should be a sacred transition from girl to woman." In Eternally Electric, Gibson recounts having to schmooze a