Debbie Gibson takes the call while half-awake, in mid-multitask, navigating social media just hours before a show in Singapore. Her next task is sound check for a show on her “Newstalgia” tour at the Gateway Theatre, half a world away but still reaching her “Debheads” fanbase.
It’s seems like a lot, but it’s a typical day for the pop star from the late 1980s. And she has more planned for this year, announcing in the dead of summer a Christmas season run at The Strat.
Gibson’s “Winterlicious Holiday and Hits” will run at the Strat Showroom at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 to 20, with a 3 p.m. matinee Dec. 19. Ticket start at $91.56 and are on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at TheStrat.com or the hotel box office (this show was the “Tease this …” feature in Sunday’s column for those keeping track).
Gibson has road-tested the Christmas show around the country for years but held back last year — as a strategy.
“I kind of wanted to build to this. There’s new music, a new show,” Gibson says. “I want you to feel like you’re walking into my Winterlicious Wonderland.”
The headliner then laughs and says, “I did not pre-plan that quote, but I like it.”
The themed series blends Gibson’s hits (“Shake Your Love,” “Foolish Beat,” “Lost in Your Eyes” among them) with new cuts from her upcoming “Winterlicious D’Luxe” album. Five new songs are being added to a reissue of her 2022 “Winterlicious” album.
The new show is Gibson’s first solo headlining run in her adopted hometown. She’s been a resident since 2009, so ingrained in the community she was honored as Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Woman of the Year in 2025.
During the gala, Gibson delivered a punchy, hit-filled performance with the company’s youth dancers. A headlining series has long seemed a natural fit, and Gibson has mulled ideas and reviewed concepts for years.
Finally, a light (or many lights) went on a few months ago when she met with SPI Entertainment officials Adam Steck, Alex Schechter and Jeremy Fayne.
This was more than a brainstorming summit. It was a backward audition, with the venue and operators selling themselves to the artist. Gibson entered the Strat Theater with her manager, Heather Moore, and the show was on.
“We thought we were just meeting with them, but they had all the LED screens displayed with ‘Winterlicious,’ and my music playing,” Gibson says. “It was so cool. I was just like, ‘Oh, my God, this is my dream at this point to be doing my show here.’”
Gibson is issuing her first Spanish-language song, “El Regalo,” or “The Gift.” She’s diving into Disney with “It’s a Small World,” performing the new piano ballad “Angels in the Snow” and mashing “Out of the Blue” with “Blue Christmas.”
“We’re bringing Elvis to Vegas, appropriately,” Gibson says.
She’s also bringing the Raiders to the recording studio. Gibson cut the new song “Lit Up” with David Perrico and horn players from the Raiders House Band, Andrew Freidlander on tenor sax, Steve Meyer on trombone and Adam Schroeder on baritone sax. The band convened in late June at the Tone Factory in Las Vegas.
“It’s got a big, classic sound but is also modern, like how Megan Trainor has combined modern and classic, but it’s really like an old Phil Spector track,” says Gibson, covering about seven decades of musical influences. “I wanted a big, anthemic song, and the songwriting fairies dropped that one on me.”
As caretaker of a 40-year pop career, Gibson is aware of show business trends, including the challenges of creating a midscale show in today’s Las Vegas.
It’s tough out there, a climate not for the meek. Gibson is maximizing her talent, hit catalog, seasonal theme and an all-ages format to give this show it’s best shot to sell tickets.
“One-thousand percent, I want good, authentic entertainment that will reach a lot of people,” says Gibson, who sought to record in-studio with Perrico’s band rather than use AI tools, so she could work with real musicians. “The reason my business has flourished is because I’m authentically doing what I love to do. I’ve always strived to give that directly to fans. It’s all about bringing quality.”
Tease this …
A beloved, influential, hitmaking combo is coming back to the Strip in March. Be aware, as we attempt to live in perfect harmony …
Cool Hang Alert
“MJ The Evolution” is hosting a benefit performance at 7 p.m. Monday at the Orleans Showroom for popular Michael Jackson tribute artist E’Casanova Evans. The performer has been diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. The Jackson tribute show is to help the performer defray medical costs. Go to onthestripticketing.com.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.