Gloria Gaynor,
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the legendary voice behind the 1978 disco anthem I Will Survive, has reflected on her remarkable life at 81 — a journey marked by hardship, resilience, and an unshakable Christian faith.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1943, Gaynor grew up in poverty as one of seven siblings, with an absent father and a loving, community-minded mother she still calls her greatest inspiration. Her childhood was scarred by sexual abuse, yet she says God has helped her heal, “retrieving” her from the pain.
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Her career took off in the early 1970s, leading to 20 studio albums. But her path was far from smooth: a disastrous marriage, a 1979 stage accident that left her temporarily paralysed, and years of back pain tested her resolve. A turning point came in 1982, when she says God stopped her in the middle of a party, steering her away from drugs and deepening her faith.
The star still performs around the world — recently at Greece’s Sani Festival — and treasures the connection her music brings. I Will Survive, she says, continues to empower audiences, uniting fans across “every race, creed, colour, nationality and age group.”
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Gaynor also spoke about one of her life’s deepest tragedies: the murder of her sister Irma in 1995, killed while trying to protect another woman. Remarkably, she has forgiven the killer. “Not forgiving someone is like taking poison and hoping the other person dies,” she says.
At 81, Gaynor embraces fitness through regular CrossFit sessions, cherishes her many nieces, nephews, and godchildren, and is determined to keep fulfilling her “God-given purpose” until the end. “I want to stand before God and have Him say, ‘Well done’ — and I know I haven’t yet done everything He’s called me to do.”