Cyndi Lauper

Latest News: Cyndi Lauper Announces Farewell Tour

Pop icon Cyndi Lauper is preparing to conclude her touring career with an exciting announcement. The 70-year-old singer, renowned for her timeless hits such as “True Colors,” revealed on Monday that she will embark on the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, visiting 23 cities across North America. This marks Lauper’s first extensive concert schedule in over a decade, commencing in Montreal on October 18 and culminating with a performance in Chicago on December 5.

General ticket sales will begin on Friday, June 7, at 10 a.m. through Live Nation. During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Lauper shared her motivations for this farewell tour, expressing her desire to offer fans one last opportunity to experience her live performance while she is still in good health. “I’m not doing the trains, planes, and automobiles anymore,” she told Kimmel. “I’m strong now, but I don’t know what I’m going to be like in four years. I wanted to do this while I’m feeling strong and, you know, celebrate with people.”

Lauper also took the opportunity to discuss her latest documentary, Let the Canary Sing, which explores her illustrious career and commitment to social activism. The film debuted on Paramount+ on June 4, 2023.

Who Is Cyndi Lauper?

Cyndi Lauper emerged as a pop music sensation with her 1983 debut album, She’s So Unusual, which produced a series of chart-topping hits, including “Time After Time” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” Her talent earned her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1984. With her distinctive style, characterized by eclectic clothing and flamboyantly styled hair, Lauper has solidified her status as a music icon, having sold over 50 million albums globally. In June 2013, her musical Kinky Boots won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, making her the first woman to win this prestigious category as a solo recipient.

Early Life

Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper was born on June 22, 1953, in Astoria, New York. Her formative years were spent in Brooklyn before her family relocated to Ozone Park, Queens, when she was approximately four years old. Lauper grew up in a railroad-style apartment, experiencing a childhood marked by feelings of being an outcast. Her parents divorced when she was five, leaving her mother to raise Lauper and her two siblings. Her mother, a waitress with a passion for the arts, frequently took her children to Manhattan to experience Shakespearean plays and visit art museums. Although Lauper struggled academically and was expelled from several parochial schools, she discovered her love for music early on, beginning to write her own songs by the age of twelve.

After obtaining her high school equivalency degree, Lauper held various odd jobs, including waitressing and working as an office assistant, while simultaneously pursuing her music career. During this time, she performed in multiple bands and gained her first significant success with the group Blue Angel, which secured a record deal and released one album before disbanding.

Breakthrough Success

Lauper’s solo career took off with the release of her debut album, She’s So Unusual, which astonished the music industry with her distinctive style, characterized by eclectic clothing, flamboyantly styled hair, and catchy pop melodies. Released in 1983, the album sold over six million copies in the U.S. alone and 16 million worldwide, featuring her breakout hit “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” This song became a cultural anthem, and its accompanying music video received heavy rotation on MTV. Lauper’s popularity surged, leading to a string of hits including “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” and “All Through the Night.” In recognition of her achievements, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1984. The following year, she contributed “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” to the soundtrack of the film The Goonies.

Her sophomore album, True Colors (1986), continued her success, selling nearly two million copies in the U.S. and seven million worldwide. Lauper ventured into film with her debut in the 1988 comedy Vibes, where she starred alongside Jeff Goldblum; however, the film was not well-received critically or commercially. In 1989, she released her third album, A Night to Remember, which included the hit “I Drove All Night” but experienced weaker sales compared to her earlier works.

Later Career

In addition to her music career, Lauper found success in acting, particularly in a recurring role on the television sitcom Mad About You, which starred Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser. For her performance on the show, she received an Emmy Award in 1995 and later appeared in series such as That’s So Raven and Bones.

Despite the ups and downs of her music career, Lauper continued to produce new work. Although Hatful of Stars (1993) did not achieve commercial success, it was critically acclaimed for its exploration of complex themes, including domestic abuse and homophobia. In 1995, she released Twelve Deadly Cyns, a compilation of her greatest hits, followed by the album Sisters of Avalon in 1997, which received critical praise for its innovative sound. Lauper’s 1998 holiday album, Merry Christmas… Have a Nice Life!, was another addition to her diverse discography. After a brief hiatus, she returned in 2003 with At Last, a collection of pop standards. Her 2008 album, Bring Ya to the Brink, featured dance tracks, including the Grammy-nominated song “High and Mighty.” The following year, Memphis Blues was released, featuring classic blues songs and becoming Billboard’s bestselling blues album of 2010.

In 2012, Lauper published her autobiography, Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir. The following year, she made her Broadway debut as the composer and lyricist for Kinky Boots, a musical that won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Lauper made history as the first solo female to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. The production, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell, tells the story of Charlie Price, who inherits his father’s nearly bankrupt shoe factory and discovers his true self with the help of an entertainer named Lola.

In 2013, Lauper celebrated the 30th anniversary of her iconic album, She’s So Unusual, with a commemorative tour. Her 2016 release, Detour, was a country album featuring collaborations with notable artists such as Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, and Alison Krauss.

In June 2024, Lauper announced her final stadium tour, the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, referencing her iconic 1983 hit. That same month, a documentary about her career and social activism, titled Let the Canary Sing, premiered on the streaming service Paramount+.

Charitable Causes

Beyond her music career, Cyndi Lauper has been a dedicated activist for the gay rights movement. In an interview with WWD, she emphasized, “Civil rights have to be afforded to every American, no matter what their color, gender, or sexual preference. You can’t say this is a democracy if that isn’t the case.” Lauper co-founded the True Colors Fund, an organization aimed at raising awareness and advocating for equality.

On the fund’s official website, Lauper articulates her vision: “Everyone—whether straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender—should be allowed to show their true colors and be accepted and loved for who they are. Every American should be guaranteed equal treatment at school, at work, in their relationships, in service of their country… and in every part of their lives.” To further her mission, Lauper has toured to raise funds for the organization and participated in the reality show The Celebrity Apprentice to benefit her charity.

In July 2015, during an appearance on The Today Show, Lauper publicly expressed her support for the National Psoriasis Foundation and Novartis, revealing that she had recently been diagnosed with psoriasis.

Family Life

Cyndi Lauper has been married to actor David Thornton since 1991. The couple met on the set of the film Off and Running, shortly after Lauper’s breakup with her boyfriend and former manager, Dave Wolff. Together, they have one son, Declyn, who is now 26 years old and a rapper known for his collaboration with G-Eazy on the 2019 track “K I D S.” However, Declyn has faced legal challenges outside of his musical pursuits. In 2022, he was arrested for driving a stolen Mercedes Benz and subsequently sentenced to five days of private community service and a year of probation as part of a plea agreement. In February 2024, Declyn faced another arrest for gun possession in New York City.

Net Worth

As of March 2024, Cyndi Lauper’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. This valuation follows Lauper’s decision to sell a majority share of the rights to her music catalog to the Swedish company Pophouse in February 2024.