Who Is Barry Manilow's Stepdaughter Kirsten Kief, Who Stays Out of the Spotlight

Some lives brush against fame without stepping into it. Inside the "It Never Rains in Southern California" singer's guarded private world is one such story, defined by family and deliberate distance from the spotlight.

For decades, Barry Manilow has lived much of his personal life away from public view, even as his music played constantly in the background of American pop culture. Fame came early and loudly, but privacy, he has repeatedly said, was something he fought hard to protect.

"I'm so private. I always have been," Manilow once said in an interview with People, a statement that has quietly shaped not just his own life, but the lives of those closest to him. That instinct for discretion extends beyond his marriage and sexuality and into his family, including a stepdaughter most fans know little about.

A Life Anchored in Privacy

Manilow publicly came out as gay in 2017, decades after becoming a household name. Speaking on CNN's "Who's Talking to Chris Wallace," he explained why he remained silent for so long.

"Well, in the '70s, you know, you didn't [come out]," Manilow said. "It wasn't the same as it is today. Now being gay is no big deal. But back in the '70s, it would have killed a career."

Behind that long-held secrecy was Garry Kief, Manilow's longtime partner, manager, and later husband. The two met as Manilow's career was exploding — a moment the singer has described as both exhilarating and intensely lonely.

"As my career exploded, it was just crazy," Manilow said. "And, you know, going back to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of trouble if you, you know, you're alone night after night after night."

The Man Who Saved His Life

In a recent chat, Manilow has credited Kief with more than companionship, saying his presence helped ground him during the most chaotic years of fame.

"But I met Garry right when everything was exploding, and I didn't have to go back to those empty hotel rooms," Manilow reportedly said. "I had somebody to cry with or to celebrate with… It was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was fun."

The pair eventually married in 2014 after nearly four decades together. Reflecting on their bond, Manilow told People, "I knew that this was it. I was one of the lucky ones… He's the smartest guy I've ever met in my life — and a great guy, too."

When Manilow's Family Quietly Expanded

Long before marriage was legal for same-sex couples, Manilow's life with Kief already included something rarely associated with the singer in the public imagination: parenthood.

Kief had a daughter from a previous relationship when he met Manilow, and she was just one year old.

"Nothing changed. Garry and I have been together going on 40 years, and we raised a daughter, probably, like you were raised," Manilow said. "Garry had a daughter when we met and she was only one-year-old, and we raised her." That daughter is Kirsten Kief.

Kirsten Kief and Her Career Behind the Scenes

Kirsten Kief is Manilow's stepdaughter and the child he helped raise, mainly out of public view. Unlike many celebrity offspring, Kief has never pursued fame for its own sake and has remained almost absent from red carpets and social media.

What is known comes primarily from professional records and occasional remarks by Manilow himself.

Kief works in the entertainment industry, but far from the spotlight. According to her professional profile, she has spent more than two decades at STILETTO Entertainment, working across multiple roles including event planning, VIP coordination, customer service, and domestic and international touring.

Starting young, she cultivated a wide range of skill sets while learning the operational side of live entertainment. This career path mirrors her family's world without placing her at its center.

A New Chapter For Manilow's Stepdaughter

In recent years, Kief's daughter's life took another meaningful turn. Speaking with People in 2024, Manilow revealed that he had become a grandfather after his stepdaughter adopted a baby girl.

"Garry's daughter Kirsten adopted a little girl, and so I'm now a grandfather," Manilow said. "I'm watching this little girl—she's 2½—grow up and learn. This is a brand-new experience for me, and I really am enjoying it."

The soft rock singer's stepdaughter reflects the same quiet values that shaped her upbringing. Raised alongside fame but apart from it, she built a career and a family out of public view.

That carefully protected private world was pierced only recently, when Manilow disclosed a serious health scare that had been unfolding quietly as he remained onstage.

For weeks, the concerts went on as planned — festive, familiar, and filled with the kind of joy audiences have come to expect from one of pop music's most enduring performers. Behind the scenes, however, something else had been unfolding.

After completing a series of holiday charity performances in California, music legend Barry Manilow shared a deeply personal update with fans, explaining that a prolonged illness ultimately led doctors to uncover a far more serious condition.

What Happened Behind the Scenes

In a statement shared on Instagram, Manilow said he and his team had just wrapped five Christmas concerts at the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, the seventh year the shows have raised millions for nonprofit organizations across the Coachella Valley.

"As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks," he wrote, revealing that he had been very sick for an extended period even as he returned to the stage at the Westgate Las Vegas.

Though the bronchitis eventually cleared, Manilow's physician ordered further testing.

"Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK," he said.

That precaution changed everything.

The Diagnosis

Manilow said the additional imaging revealed something unexpected.

"The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed," he wrote, adding that the discovery came down to "pure luck (and a great doctor)" because it was found early.

Doctors, he said, do not believe the cancer has spread, and additional tests are underway to confirm that assessment. According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States, underscoring the importance of early detection.

What Comes Next

Now that the holiday concerts have concluded, Manilow said he is preparing to undergo surgery to have the spot removed.

"So, that's it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and "I Love Lucy" reruns," he wrote.

The surgery will require about a month of recovery time, prompting the rescheduling of his January arena concerts. Ticket holders can use their existing tickets for the new dates.

Updated Tour Dates and Return Timeline

Manilow said the postponed January arena dates have been moved across late February through April, with performances now set for Tampa on February 27 at the Benchmark International Arena, followed by a March 6 stop in Columbus at Nationwide Arena.

The tour will continue through the South with shows in Charleston on March 11 at the North Charleston Coliseum, Orlando on March 13 at the Kia Center, and Sunrise on March 14 at Amerant Bank Arena.

Additional performances are scheduled in Estero on March 16 and 17 at Hertz Arena, before the tour resumes in late April with stops in Greensboro on April 24 at First Horizon Coliseum, Jacksonville on April 27 at VyStar Veterans Memorial, and Duluth, Georgia, on April 29 at Gas South Arena.

He added that he expects to return to the Westgate Las Vegas for Valentine's weekend concerts on February 12, 13, and 14 and plans to continue performing throughout 2026.

"Something tells me that February weekend is going to be one big party!" he said.

Beyond the Diagnosis: A Life in Music and Love

Born Barry Alan Pincus in Brooklyn in 1943, the singer rose to fame in the 1970s and became one of the most successful pop artists of his era. His top songs include "Copacabana (At the Copa)," "Mandy," and "Can't Smile Without You".

In a 2017 interview with People, Manilow spoke candidly about his fiercely private nature, his decades-long relationship with manager Garry Kief, and his belief that coming out later in life ultimately strengthened his bond with fans. "I'm so private. I always have been," he said at the time.

Manilow and Kief married in an intimate ceremony at their Palm Springs estate in April 2014, a moment he later described as unexpectedly emotional. Still, Barry has said the decision to marry was less about changing their relationship than formalizing what already existed.

"We've been married all these years. It's just that it became legal," he said. The singer was previously married to his high school sweetheart, Susan Deixler, for one year before they split. "I was in love with Susan … I wasn't ready to settle down," he added, maintaining that he was not struggling with his sexuality at the time.

Reflecting on the practical side of the decision, Manilow explained, "We took a look at our wills and made sure that everything is in proper order. Getting married was the right thing to do."

In 2015, news of Manilow's marriage and his sexuality made headlines worldwide, a moment the music legend later described as "a blessing and a curse."

Reflecting on why he remained private for so long, Manilow explained that his hesitation stemmed from concern for the fans who had supported him for decades. "I thought I would be disappointing them if they knew I was gay. So I never did anything," he said.

The response, however, was far different from what he had feared. "When they found out that Garry and I were together, they were so happy," Manilow recalled. "The reaction was so beautiful — strangers commenting, 'Great for you!' I'm just so grateful for it."

The experience, he has said, ultimately strengthened his connection with fans and reaffirmed the decision to live more openly later in life, even as he continued to guard his privacy closely.

Moving Forward

For now, Manilow says his focus is on recovery and returning to the stage as soon as he can. "I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year," he wrote. "I'll see you at the Westgate Las Vegas for Valentine's!"

As he prepares for surgery and a brief pause from touring, the "What a Wonderful World" singer's message remains one of optimism, shaped by decades of navigating fame, privacy, and now an unexpected health challenge.

Together, the quiet life Manilow built with his family and the resilience he now brings to recovery reflect a career and a private world long guided by intention, discretion, and endurance beyond the spotlight.