Who is Barry Manilow's stepdaughter? Get to know Kirsten Kief
Barry Manilow's stepdaughter, Kirsten Kief, came into his life as an infant, and he helped raise her alongside her father, Garry Kief, who the singer calls the love of his life. The Weekend in New England hitmaker has always been open about not wanting kids, but Kirsten made him experience fatherhood and 'grandfatherhood'.
I've never, ever thought about having a baby or having anything to do with [being] a father or any of that.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Kirsten Kief's profile summary
- Barry Manilow's stepdaughter, Kirsten Kief, was raised by two dads
- Kirsten Kief's mother reportedly passed away
- Kirsten Kief was raised out of the spotlight
- Kirsten Kief is a doting mother of one
- Kirsten Kief is an entertainment executive
- Barry Manilow does not have biological children
Key takeaways
- Kirsten Kief works as an executive in the entertainment industry.
- Barry Manilow's stepdaughter was just over 1 year old when the singer started dating her father, Garry Kief.
- Kirsten Kief has kept a low profile but occasionally joins singer Barry Manilow on the red carpet.
Kirsten Kief's profile summary
| Full name | Kirsten Kief |
| Date of birth | August 1976 |
| Age | 48 years old as of April 2025 |
| Current residence | California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Children | One |
| Parents | Garry Kief, Barry Manilow (stepdad) |
| Education | Whittier College (BA Sociology) |
| Profession | Entertainment executive |
| Social media |
Barry Manilow's stepdaughter, Kirsten Kief, was raised by two dads
Kirsten Kief was born in August 1976 from Garry Kief's previous relationship. Her father met singer Barry Manilow, a television producer, in 1978.
The couple started dating but kept the relationship out of the spotlight while caring for Kirsten. During his November 2023 appearance on Who's Talking to Chris Wallace on Max, Manilow said that meeting Garry saved his life at a time when his career was just taking off.
As my career exploded, it was just (a lot)—Going back to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of trouble...But then I met Garry right around when it was (taking off)...I had someone to cry with or to celebrate with.
Source: Original
Kirsten Kief's dads married after over three decades of dating
Barry and Garry tied the knot in April 2014 after over 36 years of dating and a year after gay marriage became legal in the state of California. Barry Manilow's husband, 77, worked as the manager of Barry Manilow Productions during their relationship and is currently the CEO of Stiletto Entertainment.
Manilow officially came out in 2017. In his May 2017 interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, the singer acknowledged that coming out in the '70s would have damaged his brand but called Garry a great partner and Kirsten a smart woman.
There has never been anything wrong with it. I could not be prouder of being a gay man and having a beautiful life with an incredible partner for 40 years...Together, we raised our daughter, Kirsten—and she has grown into one of the most beautiful and smartest women you could ever meet.
Source: Getty Images
Kirsten Kief's mother reportedly passed away
Kirsten's father, Garry Kief, was reportedly married to a woman called Jane Marie Gunderson, according to RadarOnline. They married in August 1971 in Los Angeles when Garry was 22 and Jane was 21.
The publication also shared that the couple never completed the divorce process after their separation. Jane passed away in March 2005 at 55, according to LAT's Legacy.
Source: Getty Images
Kirsten Kief was raised out of the spotlight
As one of the world's famous singers, Manilow understood the effects of living in the public eye and did not want to subject Garry Kief's daughter to it. The father-daughter duo has attended a few red-carpet events together, including the 1999 premiere of Cabaret and the 2006 Emmy Awards. He told the Telegraph in May 2012 that keeping his family life private was the only way to stay sane.
I am a private guy. You can only be part of my world if I invite you in... That has been my rule from the start—I don't want strangers knowing every detail of my life. If that happened, that would drive me crazy.
Source: Getty Images
Kirsten Kief is a doting mother of one
Barry Manilow's stepdaughter became a first-time mother in October 2023 when she adopted a daughter. The Mandy hitmaker confirmed the news in an interview with People Magazine while expressing his excitement at being a first-time grandpa.
Garry's daughter, Kirsten, adopted a little girl. Now I'm a grandfather—I'm watching this little girl grow up and learn. This is an entirely new experience for me, and am enjoying it.
Kirsten Kief has not shared if she is married. She is following in her two dads' footsteps and raising her child out of the spotlight.
Kirsten Kief is an entertainment executive
Kirsten graduated from California-based Whittier College in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. She started working at her father's company, Stiletto Entertainment, in 1998 and currently serves as its director of business services. Garry Kief's daughter is also a VIP coordinator at Barry Manilow Productions (BMP).
Source: Getty Images
Barry Manilow does not have biological children
The singer has been in two marriages but never welcomed any child. Barry Manilow's kids are usually puppies. He shared in a September 2012 interview with the Telegraph that he could not mix fame with fatherhood.
It was impossible. This insane world that I have and trying to be a father—I think I would have had to choose one or the other... The closest I get is raising dogs. Whenever I get one of those little puppies, I stop everything.
Barry Manilow was previously married to a woman
The Can't Smile Without You hitmaker was married to his high school sweetheart, Susan Deixler, for two years, from 1964 to 1966. Their marriage ended because of Barry's busy music career rather than his sexuality, and he called her the 'perfect wife' in his memoir.
Susan Deixler never remarried after their divorce but welcomed two children: Danny and Pauline. She now lives a quiet life in California.
Source: Getty Images
Barry Manilow's stepdaughter, Kirsten Kief, has never been interested in the spotlight despite being raised by a famous stepfather.
READ ALSO: Learn who Elliot Kingsley's real father and mother are
Briefly.co.za highlighted lesser-known facts about Elliot Kingsley's parents. He was adopted by English singer Ozzy Osbourne when he married Thelma Riley in 1971.
Elliot did not develop a close relationship with Ozzy due to his addiction problem, which led to the end of his marriage to Riley in 1982. Kingsley ventured into theatrical acting with performances in productions like Romeo and Juliet and Fiddler on the Roof.
Source: Briefly News
