?<\/strong><\/p>\nBecause I’ve cried many happy tears, and I know what that’s all about. I have lived the lyrics of that song. Have you ever laughed so hard you cried? It’s like that. You’re so at peace and so happy with where you are in life and what’s going on around you that cry happy tears.<\/p>\n
This follows your gospel album from 2019, which won a Grammy. What made you want to return to a more upbeat, fun, funky sound? What was that process like?<\/strong><\/p>\nIt was a decision made for me by the industry. They just did not want to accept me as a gospel artist, so I felt like I was wasting my time. I realized I could get some of my messages across through secular music, so I went back to it. I’m always going to do music. My songs are still uplifting and inspiring, and anybody who gets to know me will get to know where that inspiration is coming from. I’m still accomplishing my purpose.<\/p>\n
The overall theme I got from the EP was happiness, faith and perseverance \u2014 qualities your music has always championed. In what ways has your definition of \u201csurvival\u201d evolved over the years?<\/strong><\/p>\nIt’s evolved in that I recognize I don’t need anyone in particular to survive. We all need each other, but no one individual. Everybody is replaceable \u2014 except Jesus.<\/p>\n
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I am surviving. And more than surviving, I\u2019m thriving<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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You were kind of sending that message from the beginning. I mean, “I Will Survive” \u2014 that’s the whole message. How did you know this so early on in your career?<\/strong><\/p>\nIt was early in my career, but not early in my life \u2014 and I think that had a lot to do with it. I was 29 years old when I did my first recording, so I wasn’t a kid. I was a little bit mature \u2014 not a whole lot \u2014 but I had already gone through a lot. I lost my mother when I was 25. She was my rock. I grew up without a father. So there are some things I had to learn pretty early on that other people don\u2019t. It’s not been an easy journey. It’s been a fun, exciting journey \u2014 but not an easy one.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s such an interesting age to start a career. At 29, in today\u2019s industry, that would be considered old for a female pop or R&B star. But I feel like that\u2019s changed over the years. Twenty-eight is a big pivot moment for a lot of people \u2014 Saturn Return, major life shifts.<\/strong><\/p>\nOh, yeah. Absolutely.<\/p>\n
You’ve lived multiple lives in the music industry \u2014 from disco royalty to gospel powerhouse. What have you learned most about yourself as a woman through each chapter?<\/strong><\/p>\nWith each segment of my life, I’ve learned a new level of strength, courage, and faith.<\/p>\n
“Fida Known” feels like classic Gloria Gaynor \u2014 but wiser, a little tougher. What emotional space were you in when writing it, and how does that contrast with where you were when you recorded “I Will Survive”?<\/strong><\/p>\nWhen I recorded “I Will Survive,” I was recovering from surgery and hoping I would survive. With “Fida Known,” it’s like \u2014 I\u2019ve already survived. I am surviving. And more than surviving, I\u2019m thriving. Every day, there’s something new to survive, but I’m thriving in other areas. \u201cFida Known\u201d is about that: living in a space where you’re thriving more than just surviving.<\/p>\n
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I heard you got your psychology degree when you were 71. What made you want to do that?<\/strong><\/p>\nI grew up without a father, and I wanted to start an organization that supports young fathers \u2014 especially those not living with their children. I wanted to help them understand how important a father is, whether they live with their child or not, and give them the tools to be the kind of fathers they\u2019re capable of being. I truly believe a lot of so-called \u201cdeadbeat dads\u201d don\u2019t feel worthy or capable. They need to be shown that they are, or helped in areas where they\u2019re not. Children need their fathers.<\/p>\n
What are your music listening habits like these days? Do you stream? Who do you listen to?<\/strong><\/p>\nI listen on Spotify and Apple Music. Mostly, I listen to gospel music. I’m disappointed in a lot of music today. Maybe it’s just not aimed at my age group, but a lot of it doesn\u2019t please me. I don\u2019t like the subject matter. It seems like young people don\u2019t know their value or worth, and the things they sing about reflect that. There’s not enough strength or mutual respect in a lot of it \u2014 and that\u2019s sad.<\/p>\n
Why do you think that is?<\/strong><\/p>\nI think too many people who don\u2019t care about young people have too much access to them. They flood their hearts and minds with frivolity and foolishness, pit them against one another, and make them think things are important that aren\u2019t. It weakens their value system.<\/p>\n
Are there any artists you listen to that might surprise your fans? Like do you randomly love Britney Spears or something?<\/strong><\/p>\nI don\u2019t really listen to Britney Spears, but I do listen to Beyonc\u00e9 from time to time. I like Rihanna. I have a friend named Brianna, and I always mix them up! Bruno Mars, too. And what\u2019s her name \u2014 the one who did \u201cFlowers?\u201d<\/p>\n
Miley Cyrus?<\/strong><\/p>\nYes! Miley. I\u2019m terrible with names.<\/p>\n
You recently had a biopic come out. What did it mean to tell your story on screen? What message did you want to get across?<\/strong><\/p>\nI wanted to reinforce the strength and impact of \u201cI Will Survive.\u201d To show people that this is something I\u2019ve lived and come through \u2014 and that they can do it, too. I often say, if you tell people you have a garden, they don\u2019t want to see the seeds \u2014 they want to see the flowers. In this movie, I was showing them both: where I came from, how I got here. That gives people a little more reason to believe they can do it as well.<\/p>\n
What was your favorite track to work on for the EP?<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cFida Known.\u201d That felt like a gift from God. I was rehearsing \u201cI Will Survive\u201d with my vocal coach, and when I sang, \u201cIf I had known for just one second you\u2019d be back to bother me,\u201d those words lit up for me. I realized we don\u2019t say \u201cif I had known\u201d \u2014 we say, \u201cFida known.\u201d Like, \u201cFida known you were stupid,\u201d or \u201cFida known you wouldn\u2019t appreciate me.\u201d Those words just illuminated in my mind. I knew I had to write a song around that one phrase, and I\u2019m so pleased with how it came out.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re a Christian, and your faith clearly grounds you. Are there any other spiritual practices or rituals you follow? Or are you just a spiritual person in general?<\/strong><\/p>\nI\u2019m totally a spiritual person. Everything I do comes from that. It\u2019s so whole, so complete, so inclusive. There isn\u2019t anything a human being can want or need that you can\u2019t find there \u2014 whether it\u2019s help, hope, or success. As long as you\u2019re trying to be everything you were created to be, do everything you were created to do, you don\u2019t need to go outside of that. It includes so much.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a beautiful note to end on. Thank you so much \u2014 I\u2019m so excited for <\/strong>Happy Tears<\/em><\/strong><\/em> to come out.<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s been a pleasure. Take care. Bye-bye.<\/p>\n
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Photography: Albert Sanchez<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Gloria Gaynor has always been a survivor. But in this era of her life, the 81-year-old music legend is more interested in thriving than surviving. \u201cI\u2019ve already survived,\u201d Gaynor tells<\/p>\n
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