Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Gloria Gaynor

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: 

Gloria Gaynor

In my own personal big gay church, there is a wing festooned with disco balls, strobes and a pulsing dancefloor. Here reign the Divas of the Dancefloor; a rare cultural phenomena somewhat confined to the clubs. Their siren calls beckon you forth, bewitching you with soulful sounds and inspirational words, causing your body to gyrate as if taken by a spirit. Be it disco or house... one things for certain; these ladies know how to take you to church, son. On the strength of their voices we soar and are liberated from gravity's and reality's pull.

One such diva?

Gloria Gaynor

She was the first to top the disco charts and the only performer to win a Grammy for Disco Recording of the year.

Onstage, it was all bright lights, dance beats and sequins. But behind the scenes?

There were issues. An emotionally abusive relationship. A little substance abuse. And insecurities this honey bee could not surmount. 

But she did, indeed, survive. 

And forty years later, won her second Grammy for Best Roots Gospel Album.

Oh, these days, she may be singing for the lord...

But our feet?

They don't know the difference. 

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The Topic: Self Esteem

"I went through some emotionally abusive relationships and allowed myself to not be properly respected as a lady, as a human being even, though I tried everything I knew to be a lady. The respect that you should have for one another; I never knew any of that. So I suffered. Low self-esteem comes from who you assess yourself to be. It's about who you are, and I didn't think I was anything or anybody."

"Well, we all know that self-esteem comes from what you think of you, not what other people think of you. People always want to ask me about my drug problem - I never had a drug problem; I had a self-esteem problem!"

"When I'm on stage, all is right with the world. I loved the fact that I could get on stage and be in control. That's why you find a lot of entertainers are insecure, because it's the perfect camouflage for insecurity."

 

Never Can Say Good-bye - Gloria Gaynor

I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor

I Am What I Am - Gloria Gaynor

And one last parting shot...

"That is what I liked about being on stage. I was comfortable there, and I could be myself with confidence. I have never been a different person onstage than I am off."