Gloria Gaynor in Dubai

"Performing has always been easy because I believe that I can sing," says Gloria Gaynor. Meet the first lady of disco live in concert in Dubai tonight.

The first name that springs to mind is Gloria Gaynor, whose anthemic 1979 release, I Will Survive, is every girl's theme track.

While the Spice Girls might have popularised girl power, it was Gaynor who first introduced it in I Will Survive, a track with empowering lyrics such as "Go on now go/ Walk out the the door/ Just turn around now/ Cause you're not welcome anymore/ Weren't you the one who tried to break me with goodbye/ You think I'd crumble/ You think I'd break down and cry/ Oh no, not I/ I will survive."

Surprisingly, I Will Survive was never intended to become the big hit it eventually did.

"It was first written as a B-side to a more pop-sounding song called Substitute," says Gaynor, who performs in Dubai tonight.

"But I believed in the power of the song. When I read the lyrics, I knew instinctively they were timeless. So, along with my husband, who's also my manager, we promoted the track by including it in my live shows as the last song, so that everyone would remember it."

It's a trick that worked, as now, no Gaynor concert is complete until she sings I Will Survive.

Not that Gaynor is a one-hit wonder.

With more than 20 albums (including compilations releases) and numerous hits, including No. 1 spots for I Will Survive, Never Can Say Goodbye, Got To Be Forever and I Am What I Am, plus a new album out in 2003, Gaynor has had to work hard for every moment luxury she has today.

"I grew up without a father," says the singer who has had to struggle for everything she's got.

"When I was a kid, we were poor. Ever since I can remember, I had been plagued with insecurities about what I thought of myself. Which is why, I value every moment of what I've been given."

Perhaps it is that inner strength that Gaynor draws from when she performs live on stage — not an easy feat if you'd have to put on your stage face and smile through your tears night after night for decades on end.

And until just a few years ago, tears were a fact of life for Gaynor.

The singer went through major changes, trauma and addiction problems during the height of her fame. It is only her survival instinct that, Gaynor says, has pulled her through it.

Did she draw inspiration from the lyrics of her own song?

"In a very roundabout way," says Gaynor. "While the song did help me pull through, it wasn't with the lyrics everyone was familiar with."

Gaynor has now changed the lyrics to the anthemic hit.

"The concept remains the same. It's still about surviving all the downs of life, but the new lyrics indicate that survival is possible only when you truly believe, when you have faith in your heart," she says.

For her performance at the Irish Village, Gaynor is sure to keep the fans spellbound with her powerhouse vocals and dazzling aura.

"Gloria Gaynor's depth as an artiste reached new heights in several up-tempo hits and her dynamic voice is recognised worldwide. We are sure she will appeal to a wide range of nationalities," says Dave Cattanach, Irish Village and Catering Services manager.

Live concerts have always been an integral part of Gaynor's life.

Numerous dignitaries and ambassadors such as Bill Clinton, Princess Grace of Monaco, Prince Rainier of Monaco and Pope John Paul II have had the pleasure of watching her performances. Now, the Dubai audience, too, can partake of the pleasure.

The lady who went down in the history books as the first and only female to win a Grammy Award for Best Disco song, says she has no problems performing her older hits, even though they were released two decades ago.

"I love all my songs. And, I love the fact that they have always had a positive impact on people's lives. Why shouldn't I continue to spread that goodwill?" she says.

Critics have often said that Gaynor was born to be on stage and going by her concert reviews, that's an understatement.

"Performing has always been easy because I believe that I can sing," she says.

And we're hoping that Gaynor will perform her heart out when she gets here.

For many, attending her concert might be a nostalgic walk down memory lane. Others might just want to be there to witness the legend live.

Whatever your reasons, there's really no excuse to miss Gaynor live in concert, especially since she's come all the way just to be close to you, to edge you on, to tell you not to give up on life, to teach you to survive.