Merrick's Debbie Gibson To Compete On Dancing With The Stars

Long Island native Debbie Gibson, the 80s pop star, will be dancing into living rooms across America when the 25th season of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" premiers on Sept. 18.

Raised in Merrick, Gibson has been a singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. In 1987, at the age of 16, she hit the Billboard charts with her song "Only in My Dreams." She became the youngest artist ever to write, produce and perform a No. 1 hit song, "Foolish Beat," and entered the Guinness Book of World Records. She is still the youngest female to hold that record. She has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide, performed for British Royalty and hosted "The American Music Awards."

After leaving the pop world, Gibson took to theater, performing in 17 different shows over 17 years. She has played big roles in "Les Miserables," "Grease," "Beauty and the Beast," "Gypsy," and more.

She also created Debbie Gibson’s Electric Youth, a series of performing arts camps and music boot camps.

Gibson is no stranger to reality television, either. In 2012, she raised more than $50,000 for Children International on "The Celebrity Apprentice." In 2014, she starred as a celebrity judge on ABC’s "Sing Your Face Off," and joined the list of musical performers as a 2014 inductee of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.

Photo: ABC/Craig Sjodin