The ‘First Lady of Disco’ Gloria Gaynor easily defied her 81 years as she stepped out in a black faux-fur coat to tape an appearance on Good Morning America at Times Square Studios in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 46 years since the two-time Grammy winner released her woman-empowerment anthem, I Will Survive, which topped the US Billboard H๏τ 100 and was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 2016.

Once safely inside, Gloria joined executive producer Robin Roberts and actress Joaquina Kalukango to promote their Lifetime biopic, I Will Survive: The Gloria Gaynor Story.

Gaynor (born Fowles) said of her enduring disco classic: ‘It just addresses the human condition, you know, it celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit and just pumps you up. It just makes you feel like I can do this.’

The New Jersey native told a story about the time she performed I Will Survive in Italy and a fan approached her to tell her she was ready to go home and ‘end my life.’

‘”But now that I heard you sing that song I know where my strength can come from, and I don’t have to die,”‘ Gloria recalled her saying.

The ‘First Lady of Disco’ Gloria Gaynor easily defied her 81 years as she stepped out in a black faux-fur coat to tape an appearance on Good Morning America at Times Square Studios in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday

It’s hard to believe it’s been 46 years since the two-time Grammy winner released her woman-empowerment anthem, I Will Survive, which topped the US Billboard H๏τ 100 and was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 2016 (pictured in 1975)

‘Of course we were both standing there in a puddle [of tears].’

Gaynor- who was an executive producer – went on to say why she authorized the biopic: ‘If I can uplift, encourage, empower somebody else to make it through through the difficult times in their lives by showing how I did it and showing that it can be done – then it’s worth it.’

The 64-year-old GMA co-anchor asked, ‘How did you do it?’

Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Gloria Gaynor is being ‘ill-advised’ claims ex-producer she is suing

‘I did it with Christ,’ the Thursday Night Club actress explained.

‘I did it with him every step of the way. He was there for me. I saw this T-shirt that I should have worn, it says “Jesus is My Rock and That’s How I Roll.”‘

During the end credits, fans will get to hear Gloria’s brand new song, If I Had Known, after director Alicia K. Harris’ movie premiering February 8.

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Tony winner – who sang live on set – was in awe getting to meet Gaynor in person for the first time at GMA.

‘It was such a joy. I feel so honored and thankful to be able to contribute to honoring this legacy that this woman has built,’ Joaquina – who graduated from Juilliard – gushed.

‘It’s amazing. And like you said, singing the music on set is nothing short of electrifying, camera crews out there bopping shoulders and doing two steps. Everybody is in it!’

Once safely inside, Gloria joined executive producer Robin Roberts (L) and actress Joaquina Kalukango (R) to promote their Lifetime biopic, I Will Survive: The Gloria Gaynor Story

Gaynor (born Fowles) said of her enduring disco classic: ‘It just addresses the human condition, you know, it celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit and just pumps you up. It just makes you feel like I can do this’

The New Jersey native – who was an executive producer – went on to say why she authorized the biopic: ‘If I can uplift, encourage, empower somebody else to make it through through the difficult times in their lives by showing how I did it and showing that it can be done – then it’s worth it’

The 64-year-old GMA co-anchor (L) asked: ‘How did you do it?’ 

Gloria explained: ‘I did it with Christ. I did it with him every step of the way. He was there for me. I saw this T-shirt that I should have worn, it says “Jesus is My Rock and That’s How I Roll”‘

During the end credits, fans will get to hear Gaynor’s brand new song, If I Had Known, after director Alicia K. Harris’ movie premiering February 8

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Tony winner (R) – who sang live on set – was in awe getting to meet the Thursday Night Club actress in person for the first time at GMA

Joaquina – who graduated from Juilliard – gushed: ‘It was such a joy. I feel so honored and thankful to be able to contribute to honoring this legacy that this woman has built. It’s amazing’

Missing from the trailer and the GMA set was Lance Gross (L, pictured November 12), who portrayed Gloria’s ‘controlling’ manager Linwood Simon, whom she divorced in 2005 after 26 years of marriage

I Will Survive: The Gloria Gaynor Story will include Gaynor becoming paralyzed from the waist down in 1978 after a bad fall and her miraculous recovery after several spinal surgeries

The Masked Singer Mermaid – who grew up in the projects with her six siblings – is also known for her hits Let Me Know (I Have a Right) in 1979, I Am What I Am in 1983, and her version of Never Can Say Goodbye in 1974 (pictured in 1978)

Missing from the trailer and the GMA set was Lance Gross, who portrayed Gloria’s ‘controlling’ manager Linwood Simon, whom she divorced in 2005 after 26 years of marriage.

I Will Survive: The Gloria Gaynor Story will include Gaynor becoming paralyzed from the waist down in 1978 after a bad fall and her miraculous recovery after several spinal surgeries.

The Masked Singer Mermaid – who grew up in the projects with her six siblings – is also known for her hits Let Me Know (I Have a Right) in 1979, I Am What I Am in 1983, and her version of Never Can Say Goodbye in 1974.

Gloria – who recorded Can’t Stop Writing Songs About You with Kylie Minogue in 2022 – hasn’t released a full-blown record since her 20th studio album Testimony in 2019.

Gaynor – who enrolled in college at age 65 – is next scheduled to perform this Friday at the Temple Theatre in Lufkin, TX.