IT'S been years between dances, but Donna Summer is still the queen of disco.
Speaking ahead of the release of her first new album in 17 years, Summer confesses laziness was the reason she has never performed in Australia.
"I was too stinking lazy to fly that far," she says.
"Now it is probably a lot better with all of the new aircraft, but, back in the day, it was like a two-day flight.
"But I am coming -- hold on. I am hoping for this year."
Audio: Listen to Donna's new song, Stamp Your Feet
If her plans to visit Australia this year go ahead, Summer hopes to reunite with an old friend, Marcia Hines.
The pair grew up in the same Boston neighbourhood and Hines was in the same school year as Summer's younger sister.
The star says she was considering approaching Hines to sing a duet, but, as her latest album proves, she is still a strong solo performer.
After taking a break to raise her three daughters, Summer released her 19th album -- Crayons -- yesterday.
The singer wrote 12 of the 13 tracks, including a song titled The Queen is Back.
"It is me poking fun at being the queen and the whole concept of all of that," says Summer, who celebrates her 60th birthday on New Year's Eve. "But at the same time it's taking it seriously in terms of what that means to other people."
Summer has sold 130 million albums and enjoyed a string of hits globally.
Many of her songs remain firm favourites in clubs worldwide.
They include Love to Love You Baby, Could It Be Magic, I Feel Love, Last Dance, Hot Stuff, No More Tears, On the Radio and Bad Girls.
In a career spanning almost four decades, the Bostonian has earned five Grammy awards and a host of other accolades.
"I will always love disco. That is my baby," she says.
"I am ready, really ready. It has been a long while, longer than I would have wanted, but I was raising my kids and having a good time doing that. And then I just got bored and I figured I might as well do something I know how to do -- let's make a record."
Summer manages to hold her own in an industry obsessed with youth and unveiling the next big artist, all the while remaining true to her disco roots.
"I just wanted to be as free as I possibly could to make music and not worry about what the market would or wouldn't be, to go wherever I could go," she says.
Asked how she thinks the industry has changed, Summer is quick to say: "For the artists, it is great.
"In many ways, it has improved tremendously for the indie people. There is a broad spectrum of possibilities that I think allows young people today to actually not even need a record company, to establish themselves quite easily if they are determined.
"It is a great playing field for the artists.
"It is not so great for the establishment."
The only fear facing the celebrated singer is that she hopes fans feel the same connection to her new music as they did to her hits of the past.
"It has been a labour of love for sure."
Crayons is out now.
