Gloria Gaynor was "in shock" to be named as a Kennedy Center honouree.

The I Will Survive hitmaker was recognised by US President Donald Trump at a ceremony over the weekend and was stunned to honoured alongside the likes of rock band KISS, movie legend Sylvester Stallone and West End star Michael Crawford.

Gloria told People: "I was in shock. I was literally in shock. Are you serious with me?

"I mean, really, it's so wonderful to be counted among all these other great artists, and with all of their accomplishments. I'm blessed."

Gaynor also described how "wonderful" it was to meet with the "personable" Trump when the President welcomed this year's honourees to the White House.

The 82-year-old singer said: "It was wonderful. It was, I mean, like the third or fourth time meeting him. I'd met him before, and he's always very personable and very pleasant."

Gloria's 1978 hit I Will Survive remains one of the best-selling disco singles in history and she was inspired to record the song after being empowered by the lyrics following an operation.

She said: "When I first read the lyrics, it was an anthem to me because I was in a back brace. I just had surgery on my spine.

"Because it was doing so much for me, encouraging me, I knew that it would do that for anybody that was going through, not just a physical struggle, but any kind of mental, emotional struggle.

"I believed that it would help them and spur them on to victory and encourage them to make it through whatever they were struggling with."

I Will Survive was lauded by Trump, who claims that the record gets "better every time you hear it".

The White House chief said: "I Will Survive is an unbelievable song.

"I've heard it, you know, like everyone else here, thousands of times. And it's one of those few that gets better every time you hear it.

"Nobody can sing it like her. And that's an honour. So, Gloria Gaynor, thank you."

The track is regarded as a feminist anthem but Gaynor claims that song has led to misconceptions about her.

She said earlier this year: "The biggest misconception about me? Hmm.

"It may be dangerous to say this, but that I'm a feminist. People say it to me, 'And since you're a feminist…' Um, no. Not really. I love men."

Gloria continued: "I grew up with five brothers, and I love men. I love men who know who they are and are strong enough to take their place but also strong enough to recognise a woman's strengths and who are able to allow her to exercise those strengths and realise that we are to be partners and not opponents."