Cyndi Lauper quietly observed a conservative-looking couple walking through the Sunset Marquis hotel, musing about what they must think of the famously rock-and-roll atmosphere.
I was catching up with this incredible 72-year-old artist the other day, and we were chatting in this really cozy, secluded spot at her favorite Los Angeles hangout – a classic musician’s club she’s been going to since the early eighties. It’s a place she clearly loves, and it felt so relaxed and comfortable there.
She’s had quite a career and remembers many memorable moments. She once dyed the hair of the band The Bangles for their pirate-themed music video for her song, “The Goonies ’R’ Good Enough,” in that room over there. And she recalls watching actor Roy Scheider relax by the pool, saying he looked like a ‘wilted prune’ as he sunbathed.
Cyndi Lauper first burst onto the scene as a bold and unconventional artist, known for her unique style and New York accent. Now, after almost 50 years, she’s just completed a two-night performance at the Hollywood Bowl, marking the end of her farewell tour.
The concerts at the Bowl featured Cyndi Lauper’s beloved hits, including classics like “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” and the ever-popular “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” These shows were recorded for a CBS television special, but even that couldn’t keep one audience member in the front row from dozing off.
Lauper suggests someone likely overwhelmed him with rich food and drink – ‘beef and red wine,’ she says – and she responded by jokingly suggesting he simply get a cot to rest on, expressing more concern than anger.
× These concerts are happening as Cyndi Lauper gets ready to be honored at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next month. When announcing her induction, the Hall of Fame praised Lauper’s incredible voice – spanning four octaves – and her talent as a songwriter. They also highlighted her impact on artists like Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and Chappell Roan, noting she inspired them to be true to themselves and perform authentically.
Cyndi Lauper “broke all the rules,” according to her friend Cher, who appeared with her on stage at the Hollywood Bowl, alongside Joni Mitchell and SZA. Cher added that Lauper even defied expectations about how someone should sound.
Everything is coming together during what feels like a farewell period for the perpetually unconventional artist, whose life and work were recently explored in the Paramount+ documentary, “Let the Canary Sing.”
But wait, there’s more! Cyndi Lauper will soon debut her new musical, “Working Girl,” at the La Jolla Playhouse – a highly anticipated project following her Broadway success, “Kinky Boots.” She also recently announced that, with her farewell tour just finished, she’s heading to Las Vegas next year for a limited engagement at Caesars Palace, promising a final, spectacular performance (though she jokes it might not be the very last).
Cher explains that neither she nor her partner started with privilege or natural advantages, and no one predicted their success. Despite this, they achieved fame, and continue to do so – still working, performing, and recording music today.
Considering Cher is known for repeatedly going on ‘final’ tours, does she actually believe Cyndi Lauper when Lauper says she’s done touring?
Cher explains that the performer is understandably exhausted. ‘Of course she’s going to say she’s tired,’ Cher says, adding that anyone needs recovery after a tour. ‘It’s really demanding to perform in heels and sing while running around on stage.’
If she’s able to succeed, it won’t be a one-time thing. At its core, performers just want to perform – that’s all there is to it.
Lauper knew she was an artist basically from the get-go.
Cyndi Lauper had a difficult upbringing in Queens, New York. Her mother loved her, but her stepfather was abusive. As she wrote in her 2012 memoir, she left home at 17 with very little – just a toothbrush, a change of clothes, an apple, and a book by Yoko Ono called ‘Grapefruit.’
She held a variety of jobs, including waitressing at IHOP and working as an office assistant – a role she jokingly describes as consistently unlucky. She also played in several bands that didn’t pay much. She was part of a new wave group called Blue Angel that showed promise, but ultimately fell apart due to a legal battle with their manager.
She recalls meeting a man named Dave Wolff in 1981 at a party. She describes him as having striking blue eyes and long hair, jokingly comparing him to a romanticized image of Jesus. She adds that depictions of Jesus often reflect the ethnicity of the artists, suggesting that the historical Jesus likely looked different, perhaps more like someone from the Middle East, but that Catholic artists often portrayed him with European features.
Cyndi Lauper is sporting a black mesh top and her hair is styled in a spiky silver-blue cut. She has a boxy, vintage-style handbag and a large pink hat, which she plans to wear if the sun gets too strong. She explains she needs to protect her skin because her father had skin cancer.
Lauper often uses the word ‘anyway,’ and she explains that her relationship with Wolff began as a romance and later evolved into a professional partnership. He helped launch her solo career, and she famously reimagined Robert Hazard’s song ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun.’ Unlike the original, which was a bit melancholic about relationships, Lauper’s version became an upbeat anthem of female empowerment.
Cher explains the song is a message to not hold them to outdated expectations. She describes it as a feminist anthem about women wanting to have as much fun as men – to be loud, free, and enjoy themselves without being criticized for it. It’s about wanting the freedom to live life on their own terms.
I still remember when “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” exploded onto the scene! The music video was so fun and unique, featuring Cyndi Lauper’s mom and the wrestler Captain Lou Albano. It was *the* song of early MTV, and it almost hit number one – I had to remind Cyndi that Van Halen’s “Jump” actually kept it from the top spot! She’d forgotten, which is pretty funny when you think about it.
She chuckled, saying, “That album was fantastic – such talented musicians! And David Lee Roth was hilarious. I always loved his line about how it’s not about winning or losing, but what you’re wearing. I totally agreed!”
Cyndi Lauper’s first album, “She’s So Unusual,” released in 1983, included the hits “Money Changes Everything” and “Time After Time.” The album was incredibly successful, selling seven times platinum. At the 27th Grammy Awards, Lauper received six nominations and, accompanied by Hulk Hogan, won the award for Best New Artist.
Looking back, Cyndi Lauper recalls seeing the disappointment on her record label’s executives’ faces. They had been thrilled the previous year when Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ won eight Grammy Awards, and they were likely expecting a similar success for her.
Despite being disappointed, she’s happy that Tina Turner won Record and Song of the Year with ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It.’ The win was especially meaningful because it marked Turner’s successful launch as a solo artist after escaping a difficult and abusive marriage to Ike Turner.
Music
While touring with her newest album, the pop singer, originally from New Zealand, is sharing her commitment to complete honesty and openness.
Growing up, I learned about domestic violence from both my mom and my grandmother – it was a pattern in my family. So, when I took on the role of opposing Tina, it hit really close to home. The idea of *me* winning instead of her, after everything her character went through? Honestly, that would have felt wrong. I was relieved she got the win – it felt like justice, and it meant a lot to me personally.
Cyndi Lauper believes the many covers of her song “Time After Time” are the best proof of its success. Does she have a particular favorite version?
She mentioned Miles Davis’ version of the song, and then Patti LaBelle. Seeing Patti perform it live on her 1985 TV special – they did a really powerful duet together – made her feel like she’d witnessed the ultimate performance. She said it was a moment where she felt completely satisfied and could have stopped right there.
Lauper, of course, didn’t drop the mic.
I remember being absolutely blown away when I first heard her on “We Are the World” in 1985 – she totally overshadowed even stars like Lionel Richie and Bruce Springsteen! That same year, she also did the theme song for “The Goonies,” and she’s always said it could have been an even bigger hit if the studio hadn’t made them include the movie’s title in the song itself.
She explains that DJs at the time were hesitant to play the song on the radio, and as a result, it didn’t get airtime. However, it’s since become a beloved classic, and she even opened her set at the Bowl by playing it.
After her successful first album in 1986, Cyndi Lauper released “True Colors.” She dedicated the title song to a friend who had passed away from AIDS.
Billy Steinberg, who wrote the song with Tom Kelly, explains, “She didn’t think it would be a hit, so she didn’t record it.” However, “True Colors” became a major success, reaching number one on the charts for two weeks, largely because of Cyndi Lauper’s incredibly honest and vulnerable singing.
Says Steinberg: “She just sings it with so much empathy and warmth.”
The song “True Colors” marked the beginning of Cyndi Lauper’s long-standing commitment to activism, including her work to end homelessness for LGBTQ+ young people and protect women’s access to reproductive healthcare.
“I’m very political,” she says. “Always was.”
In 1993, Cyndi Lauper co-wrote the poignant song “Sally’s Pigeons” with Mary Chapin Carpenter. The song was inspired by a friend of Lauper’s who tragically died as a teenager following a dangerous, illegal abortion. I mentioned to her that I was surprised to hear it included on her final tour, considering it wasn’t a hit in the United States.
“Do you really think I’d omit something that could help people understand how dangerous things were for women back then?” she asks. “Would I leave it out just to add meaningless fluff?”
× I really admire Cyndi Lauper. Despite being so outspoken about issues she feels strongly about – things like unfairness in systems – she’s incredibly understanding of people, even if she doesn’t agree with their politics. She hadn’t seen Hulk Hogan in years, and he ended up supporting Trump before he passed away, but she said it’s not her place to judge how people change their minds. She believes everyone’s journey is their own, and that’s just so generous of her.
She expressed a comparable opinion about Rick Derringer, a guitarist who performed with her on the LaBelle show and who also publicly supported Trump before his recent passing.
People often get caught up in thinking things are simply right or wrong. But the truth is, most of life exists in a more complicated, gray area.
She chuckled, saying, “I feel like Mr. Peabody from ‘Rocky and Bullwinkle’ – you know, the one who had his little segment and explained historical events?”
She’s less willing to compromise when it comes to Jann Wenner, the founder of Rolling Stone magazine. He was removed from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame board in 2023 after making controversial remarks in a New York Times interview, where he suggested that female musicians and artists of color lacked intellectual depth.
She sighed, saying, ‘It’s ironic – he may not have seemed bright, but he actually had a college education. I went to college expecting to fit in, but quickly realized my reading skills weren’t up to par.’
Despite any reservations, she’s happy to accept the Rock Hall’s invitation, especially since it has become much more diverse in terms of both race and gender in recent years, including its leadership.
“If you don’t let people evolve, you’re not gonna learn anything,” she says.
Cher, who was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after years of questioning the organization, says she actually told the previous leadership she didn’t want the honor. However, she’s optimistic about the Hall’s new management team.
Music
As a concert honoring her approaches at the Hollywood Bowl, friends and family are reflecting on the life and impact of the late R&B singer.
Cher feels Cyndi Lauper’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction is well-deserved, especially since many artists with much shorter careers have already been inducted.
Yet Lauper sees a certain cosmic resonance in the timing.
She remembers her first performance as a lead singer – after previously singing backup – at the Boardy Barn, a club in the Hamptons, around the mid-1970s.
She recalls a chaotic early concert where she performed in front of five thousand people, with cheap beer flowing, and everyone was having a wild time. She remembers opening with a song by the rock band Bad Company. She’s referencing a ceremony on November 8th at L.A.’s Peacock Theater where both she and Bad Company will be honored.
“When things like that happen, you have to look at it and understand that there are no accidents.”
Cyndi Lauper’s manager calls to remind her about a virtual house tour in La Jolla. She’ll be spending two months there finishing up the movie “Working Girl” and needs a place that can fit her mobile recording equipment.
I remember when Cyndi Lauper started trying her hand at acting in the late ’80s, after things quieted down a bit with her music. She did a couple of movies – “Vibes” and “Off and Running” – but they weren’t huge hits. Still, it was on the set of “Off and Running” that she actually met her husband, David Thornton, which is a sweet story!
She said she quickly realized he was really cute, funny, and kind, so they began dating. She wasn’t sure if the relationship would last, though, because people in the entertainment industry can be unpredictable. Cyndi Lauper and David Thornton eventually married in 1991 and welcomed their son, Declyn, in 1997.
She describes her husband as someone who isn’t into rock music. Cyndi Lauper recently got a seahorse tattoo and plans to hide it from him for a bit. She jokingly calls him a ‘WASP’ – a very traditional, established American – and says his family history goes all the way back to the early settlers who arrived on the Mayflower. She initially thought he looked Italian, but discovered his ancestry is quite different.
I was so thrilled when Cyndi Lauper started exploring different kinds of music! After releasing a lovely album of classic songs in 2006, she really surprised everyone with her work on Broadway’s “The Threepenny Opera.” But honestly, nothing could have prepared me for “Kinky Boots”! It was amazing – a story about a drag queen helping a shoe factory, and it swept the Tony Awards in 2013, winning six awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score. And it was so inspiring to see Cyndi make history as the first woman to win the Tony for Best Original Score all on her own!
Previews for the new musical “Working Girl” are scheduled to begin on October 28th. The show has been in the works since at least 2017, and according to Cyndi Lauper, its development has had its ups and downs. Based on the 1988 film of the same name, the musical tells the story of a secretary trying to succeed in a business world run by men. Lauper is drawing on the 1980s music she’s famous for, and she’s collaborating with Rob Hyman, her co-writer on the hit song “Time After Time,” and Cheryl James from the iconic rap group Salt-N-Pepa, who will also be honored at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month.
Lauper explained that her agent suggested she try out for the role Melanie Griffith eventually played in the movie. However, Lauper turned it down, saying she couldn’t picture herself working in an office, even for a role. She remembered her own experience working in an office as being so unpleasant that revisiting it would be upsetting.
While she was discussing the musical, a man approached them at the hotel and shared with Lauper how much he’d loved her concert at the Bowl. She thanked him, and they watched him walk away.
“Now let’s hope that he’s inspired enough to stand up for himself,” she says.
That’s what her show is for, in her mind?
Were you at the same event? I want to explain something: I was working with groups like Planned Parenthood, the Human Rights Campaign, and the League of Women Voters – we were a team. I was providing people with resources to help themselves if needed, and also information about a new law, the SAVE Act. This law could prevent women from voting if their name on their marriage certificate doesn’t exactly match the name on their birth certificate. (Those who support the law, which requires proof of U.S. citizenship to vote, say a birth certificate is just one acceptable form of ID.)
“We’re definitely not revisiting that difficult time,” Lauper explains. “That’s why I was so active this summer – I wanted to inspire people. Shouldn’t everything we do have a meaningful purpose? Shouldn’t it be worth all the effort and struggles we put into it?”
Honestly, money isn’t what drives me anymore. I’ve already achieved a comfortable level of financial security – more than enough, really. I often find myself wondering, what’s the point of endlessly chasing wealth? Do I really need to buy an island to feel fulfilled? It just doesn’t seem to matter much to me now.
She probably could, right?
“Ehh, not really,” she says. “Too expensive.”
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2025-10-08 13:33