Cyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper, (born June 20, 1953) was a 1980s singer whose melodic voice and wild costumes would become a classic image of the era.

Lauper was born in Queens, New York. After belonging to a band named Blue Angel and a stint as a club singer, in 1983 Lauper started dating her manager David Wolff, and together they put an album out. The album, She's So Unusual, would become a smash hit worldwide, and propelled Lauper into sky rocketing fame. A mixture of soft pop-rock and edgier sounds, the album's most important song, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" hit the radio waves worldwide like a hurricane and became a female anthem that women worldwide (and more than a few men) cherish. The song was loud and had a sensational beat to it.

That album also produced the punk-rockish "She Bop" and the soft and romantic "Time After Time", a song that has been heralded by critics as a "legendary classic." Cyndi was adored by teens around the world, in part because of her quirky image that took the popular 1980's punk look and tamed it down.

At this period of her career, a lot of people compared her to that other diva, Madonna. Cyndi differed from Madonna in that although she was infinitely more talented as a singer, songwriter and actress, she wasn't willing to use image changing and overt sexuality to further her career.

In 1986, Cyndi produced another chart-topper in the form of True Colors. Showing a more mature sound and attitude, Cyndi once again proved she was a hit maker by sending this album into number 4 on the charts, the title song into number 1, and earning Platinum status once again. This after she had produced the song "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" for the 1985 film The Goonies, starring teen idol Corey Feldman. With this album, Cyndi once again proved, just like with the song "Time After Time", that she could speak up for women worldwide while still showing her soft, romantic side to men.

Cyndi's next album, 1989's A Night to Remember, did not do as well, spawning only the US hit "I Drove All Night." The song, which Cyndi co-penned, would later be covered by singer Roy Orbison. The album was a commercial flop, though top ten hits in other countries were achieved with the songs "My First Night Without You" and "Primitive." During this time Cyndi also appeared as the female lead in the quirky comedy Vibes, which was critically panned and a box office dissapointment. As a result, the soundtrack song "Hole In My Heart (All the Way to China)" also flopped.

Cyndi's singing career took a pause after that, but she didn't disappear from the show business map, and in 1993 she participated in My Life With Mikey, with Michael J. Fox, playing his secretary. She relesaed an album entitled Hat Full of Stars, which was again a commercial failure, but this time a critical hit. With a smooth new R&B sound and production by legendary Junior Vasquez, Cyndi tackled topics like spousal abuse and abortion.

In 1995 Cyndi won an Emmy award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 1995 for her portrayal of wealthy contessa Marianne Lugasso in Mad About You. In 1995 she also released 12 Deadly Cyns...and Then Some, a greatest hits compilation that included several new tracks. Among them was a remix of her first big hit, newly titled "Hey Now (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun)."

Cyndi's 1997 album Sisters of Avalon propelled her back into the spotlight. It's subject matter even more adult than before, it was quickly embraced by the gay community for it's disco and dance music influence. The topicality of the album also appealed to gays: the song "Ballad of Cleo and Joe" addressed the complications of a drag queen's double life, while "You Don't Know" tackled the idea of coming out of the closet. The album's singles were remixed with great success, and Cyndi began performing as a featured artist at gay pride events around the world.

In 1999 Cyndi co-headlined a tour with Cher to great acclaim, and contributed a cover version of the disco classic "Disco Inferno" to the soundtrack of the film A Night at the Roxbury. At this point she had also gotten critical praise for her roles in several independent films including The Opportunists with Christopher Walken, and Off and Running.

In 2001 Cyndi had a full length album of material ready to release. Entitled Shine, it drew back to her initial fun pop sound without losing some of the grown woman mentality that she had embraced on later efforts. However, the album's label, Edel America Records, folded just weeks before it's scheduled release. Then, thanks to internet technology, the tracks were leaked to the public. Cyndi expressed anxiety over this, and although an E.P. of five songs called "Shine" was made available through her website and at Tower records, the full length album concept was scrapped.

As of 2002 Cyndi is currently on her second co-headlining tour with Cher. Her website, www.cyndilauper.com, is very popular. She continues to be one of the most beloved singers of the last twenty years, with a very devoted fan base. She lives in New York with her husband David and their child.