Remember when Debbie Gibson became sexy?

I don't think she was very sexy in the video, but it's a pretty good song. And it's funny how it foreshadows the sound of the whole Britney and Christina era from so many years later.

No, we're still waiting.

I liked the video What You Want more because of sexy AJ Hammer.

I saw an interview with Gibson during her promotion of this song, and it was kind of unpleasant. She seemed slightly bitter and aware that her career was in serious trouble, maybe even over. She also blamed Madonna, saying there was no way to progress in the industry without taking the sexualized route because of her. It was quite shocking to see her so hard-edged.

Did Tiffany ever become sexy?

I’m anxious to read her memoir — plus, I think the pic at this link (not the actual book cover) is one of the best pics of Deb.

Debbie Gibson has never been and will never be sexy. She will be forever in big, flowery dresses with Doc Martens and a dumb hat.

That’s how Debbie Gibson rolls.

R6 Debbie does look good today, and I hope she talks about her time playing Sandy in Grease on the West End.

Didn't she flash beav in "Muff Parade" or some other such periodical?

I don't remember her sexy era. I do remember her "Deborah" era.

I don't remember this single at all. That being said, the video is right in line with the era, I believe the single launched 1993? Jennifer Aniston /Friends seems to have stolen some of her T-shirt look from this.

Debbie was probably thinking, "I did it first!"

Losing Myself was the song/video that was supposed to usher in sexy Debbie

R12. That's a much better video, but her being a stripper didn't really fit with what we already knew about her. She is obviously much more talented than Madonna, so I can understand her frustration about being marketed as an adult star.

did she ever marry?

Debbie Gibson Sexy? Only in my dreams.

[quote]I don't think she was very sexy in the video, but it's a pretty good song. And it's funny how it foreshadows the sound of the whole Britney and Christina era from so many years later.

Except Debbie had talent and could write her own music unlike those two whores.

R5 She posed nude for Playboy.

The second a female singer goes through their sexy phase, their career tanks—Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Madonna, and on and on

That French twist says: “I’m a sophisticated woman now, mama!”

Fun Fact: Electric Youth was originally a concept album called "Electric Puss".

I saw her as Louise, opposite Betty Buckley’s Rose” in the Aperture Mill production of “Gypsy.” Gibson was better than competent but never rose to “sexy,” even in the scenes when she has become Gypsy. Buckley sang the score better than anyone else I’ve heard—I saw Lansbury, Daly, and LuPone, in addition to the filmed versions with Russell-Kirk and Midler—only heard recordings of Merman and Peters. But her characterization felt like Margaret White playing Madam Rose—chilling.

[quote]The second a female singer goes through their sexy phase, their career tanks—Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Madonna, and on and on

Madonna’s entire career has been a sexy phase. She’s never stopped.

R21, Paper Mill Playhouse?

The most upsetting part of Debbie’s Playboy pictorial is that she was bumped by Paris Hilton for the cover.

Debbie Gibson is a real deal performer — she certainly works hard and continues to put on great shows, in my opinion.

[Quote] Madonna’s entire career has been a sexy phase. She’s never stopped.

Early on, she was playful sexy. The second she went to sultry sexy, her career took a dive

R20's pic just demonstrates that in the 1980s the music industry had a 'gentler' standard of beauty...

In My Dreams, OP.

The sky was so blue the day Debbie Gibson became sexy

It was great! I liked it!

The hand movements are like what Britney does now, only better. She has some flash.

She worked with Lamont Dozier on her 3rd album anything is possible in 1990 but the only the title track made the top 40.

Martika was more effortlessly sexy during her Earth Mother 'Love Thy Will Be Done' phase. She was another who held so much promise, yet seemed defeated by the early 1990s. Kylie Minogue was able to circumnavigate the challenging waters of the times better by becoming a sex-kitten in a very non-threatening way, and then she became indie and avant-garde sexy.

R12. Again. It's a pretty good song. Well performed and written with heart and intelligence. It does seem a little disingenuous to see her performing as a stripper in a video when we know she was raised a million miles away from that life. Also, it's way too stark sounding for her.

Most 80s performers were done by the early 90s when tastes radically changed and new artists emerged with a new sound. Only a few of the big A List pop stars survived like Madonna and Whitney. Even Michael Jackson's popularity fell.

[Quote] The hand movements are like what Britney does now, only better.

Said another way, Britney stole the moves from Debbie.

[quote] She also blamed Madonna, saying there was no way to progress in the industry without taking the sexualized route because of her.

Debbie should blame the fact that she was a stupid teen star, not Madonna (yes, I know Debbie wrote her own stuff, she still sucks). Debbie is more talented than Madonna? LOL sure. Unpopular opinion--Tiffany's debut is better than anything Debbie did.

Anyways, it was great that 80s teen pop stars were not able to transition to music careers in adulthood. That's how it should be! Britney Jean Spears changed that. And we are still suffering for that today.

I bought her CD! And Tiffany's as well lol

Debbie always came off as a child whereas Tiffany at least seemed like she was older than her years in some ways. How many teens in the 80s would cover "I Saw Her Standing There"? The fact that her cover hit the top 10 is impressive. And "Spanish Eyes" sounds more mature than you'd expect.

Tiffany had a great "loved and lost" song.

Debbie seemed like the sweet, proper, good girl while Tiffany seemed like she secretly smoked cigarettes and had multiple abortions.

R38, she sounds like she has allergies/sinus problems in that song.

She was a blonde teenager from Long Island with an OK voice and no distinctive style or feel except pop, pop, pop. She wasn't beautiful or sexy - just a disposable smiley teen blonde.

I agree with the posts above - early 90s saw grunge take-over and harder rap, not the pop rap of the 80s.

Pop stars have a short shelf-life - usually less than 10 years. She should be thankful for her success and what else she has achieved.

She puts on a great show today. Saw her last year. Also her dance album from a couple of years ago has over a million hits on YT. It's really good.

[quote] op stars have a short shelf-life - usually less than 10 years.

Even this is way too generous. I'd say less than 5.

What female teen popstars were before Debbie and Tiffany?

[quote]She was a blonde teenager from Long Island with an OK voice and no distinctive style or feel except pop, pop, pop. She wasn't beautiful or sexy - just a disposable smiley teen blonde.

Disagree completely. She wasn't your average teen star. Pop, yes. But she wrote and produced her own songs. Shake Your Love and Lost in Your Eyes were really good songs that have held up quite nicely. She had talent, it just wasn't utilized the way it should have.

This gave me severe second hand embarrassment.

This ain’t the look.

I agree with R45.

She still holds the record for youngest female artist to write, sing, and produce a number one song.

While I do love her dance stuff (the recent album is great) I have always wished she leaned more into the adult contemporary slot — Think With Your Heart is phenomenal.

She gets mad props for going to Atlantic Records all day 40th anniversary concert, and surrounded by many of the creme de la creme of music artists, belted out "Lost In your Eyes" with just her playing the piano. She won over the crowd, who were surprised as they expected some trite pop routine.

She needed more of that kind of exposure, but I love her Motown-esque version of Sleigh Ride.

The problem with Debbie is I just can't remember her voice, she needed more catchy songs.

Or this one

Didn’t she (infamously) date Lorenzo Lamas jr? I remember when I heard the news and finally stopped laughing I realized there was another side to this woman

R23. Yes, gremlins invaded my autocorrect.

I heard she used to date Freddie Jackson.

Debbie posed for Playboy too.

She got the Janet treatment when Paula Abdul choreographed her “Shake Your Love” video.

[R20]'s pic just demonstrates that in the 1980s the music industry had a 'gentler' standard of beauty

People like Tracy Chapman and Melissa Etheridge would have had no career if they had happened just a year or two later. In the mid '90s, when rock girls (Shirley Manson, Courtney, Alanis) were allowed to have some edge again, they needed to appear like dolls.

R55 is it me or does she look like a young Gregg Alexander in that video? She reminds me of some sort of boy but I can't think who.

Nevermind, I must be thinking of Buddy Lawrence from Family, idk