Singer Cyndi Lauper released her debut album, She's So Unusual, in 1983 to incredible success, making her the first female singer to have four top 10 singles on an album. The album went on to sell more than 16 million copies and won her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
Lauper went on to great success, selling more than 50 million records and scoring 14 Grammy nods. The accolades continued as she has won a Tony and an Emmy; separately, she's won numerous honors with her True Colors Fund. She released 11 studio albums over the years, with her most recent, Memphis Blues, becoming the best-selling blues album of 2011.
Heading back to the Windy City this week to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her first record, Lauper talked about recent projects and keeping it all fun.
Windy City Times: Hi Cyndi, the last time we met was at the AIDS Legal event at Downtown Bar in Chicago during the run of Kinky Boots. It was great to see you be involved in the gay community while in town. So how was staying in Chicago during the run of the show? Did you get to have any fun?
Cyndi Lauper: I love Chicago. It's one of my favorite U.S. cities. It has all the great advantages of a big city: a great diversity of people, great architecture, music, food and culture, yet also has elements of a small-town feel. Great place to be. We didn't have a whole lot of down time when we were getting the show ready but I did a boat tour so that I could get a better feel of the city.
WCT: Any favorite restaurants?
Cyndi Lauper: I always gotta eat right so I did get to go to some great restaurants There are so many great places to eat in Chicago. Greek Town has so many great restaurants. I love saganaki. I also loved Hot Doug's and Au Cheval. I also went to Topolobampo and Frontera. The hotel I stayed in had The Palm in the lobby so we often went there.
WCT: Some of the cast from Kinky Boots told me that you explained in musical terms they could relate to from your experience in the world of music. Did that make things easier?
Cyndi Lauper: I think being a composers actually a performer, too. It helped me to explain to the cast better what I had hoped what each song would do to move the story forward. You just can't sing the words well and make the story move forward. You have to feel and live the words and bring that across in the performance to make the story work. I know how to do that since that is what I have been doing my whole life thru my performances. You have to really think and live the words to make your performance authentic so the folks in the audience can share in the emotional moment of the song, whether it be hope, sadness, joy or a plain ol' party!
WCT: The show went on to big success in New York. How rewarding was that for you?
Cyndi Lauper: I got to work with the best producers on Broadway—Hal Luftig and Daryl Roth. I got to work with one of Broadway's greatest book writers, Harvey Fierstein, and one of Broadways brightest and best directors, Jerry Mitchell. The cast is just perfect. Billy Porter, Stark Sands and Annaleigh Ashford are all magnificent. I was privileged to do my first musical with Broadway's A-team. What an honor!
I am extremely proud to be accepted by the Broadway community. It's an amazing world of hard work, and dedicated true artists. I am honored to be considered one of them now. They welcomed me with open arms and for that I am grateful.
WCT: Would you like to do another musical at some point?
Cyndi Lauper: Yes, I definitely want to do another musical and am actually in early stages of talks with a new show. Stay tuned!
WCT: The book Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir really had some personal things in it. How has the reaction been for your family?
Cyndi Lauper: My family were pretty great. I mean some of the stuff in the book is pretty heavy and for me to share my experiences with my fans through Memoir I also had to share their experiences and it wasn't always pretty, but they stood by me and allowed me to do what I needed to do which was to be honest.
WCT: Writing it must have been therapeutic...
Cyndi Lauper: Yes, it was.
WCT: You mentioned in the book a lot of the trials of being an opinionated woman in the music business. How have things gotten better or worse?
Cyndi Lauper: Music business, like the world, has changed for women. There are more women in power at the labels and certainly a lot of great success is being had by female artists but it's still not equal. We have made progress but there's still a lot to be done to achieve equality.
WCT: Your reality show on WE tv, Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual, went behind the scenes of your personal life. You seemed really comfortable doing it. Was it easy for you?
Cyndi Lauper: I did a deal for a year. It was for them to cover me while I was doing two major projects when I was at a crossroad in my life. I was writing Memoir and I was writing songs and getting Kinky Boots ready for Broadway, while I tried my best to be a good wife and mother. Again, I just was myself, warts and all, so of course it was easy because I wasn't trying to hide anything.
WCT: What was your favorite part of making the reality show?
Cyndi Lauper: The best part was "working" with David and Declyn. David is a great actor so, of course, the cameras love him. My son Declyn has a lot of charisma and that came across. Being with them doing the show was a lot of fun.
WCT: Any chance for a season two?
Cyndi Lauper: We are not doing it again, as it was just a one-season commitment. We did not intend to do a second year.
WCT: It has been 30 years after the album She's So Unusual was released. You are performing the entire album. Will that leave much time [for other songs] from your big catalogue?
Cyndi Lauper: I am doing the entire She's So Unusual album from beginning to end. I am going to play the same arrangements as the album. We are going to be true note to note. We even are bringing out the keyboards from the '80s because while you can find programs that simulate some of those great keyboard sounds, it's not the same. It has been a lot of fun to go back and really listen to the album and play it the way we did back then.
WCT: Do you have a favorite song you like to perform from that album?
Cyndi Lauper: I don't really have a song on the album that I love to perform more than the others. Of course, I am really proud of "Girls." All these years later it is still an anthem for women.
WCT: Your third annual holiday show benefiting LGBT homeless youth for the Forty to None Project sounds amazing. Talk about the line-up for this important cause.
Cyndi Lauper: It's going to be a great show. We have P!nk who I love! She's not only a great singer and a great performer, but she's also a killer songwriter.
There is Josh Grobin. The voice ... wow, that guy has some pipes. We may even do a tune together.
We have Matt & Kim, who are, hands down, one of my favorite live bands.
The Hives are gonna kick it live that night. I recorded a song with them a few years back and we are going to perform that.
Ingrid Michaelson and Matt Nathanson will be there, who are amazing singers and songwriters.
The Indigo Girls—who have always been a favorite of mine who have supported True Colors Fund since I started it—[will be there].
Of course, Rosie O'Donnell and Carson Kressley will bring the laughs!
WCT: Do you cook much for the holidays?
Cyndi Lauper: I am a pretty good cook so, yes, I love to cook for the holidays. I am in New York City for both holidays this year so I am thrilled! We are doing Thanksgiving at my Mom's and Christmas at my place.
WCT: What is your favorite thing about the holidays?
Cyndi Lauper: The best thing about the holidays is being together with family. Greatest gift of all...
WCT: What advice to do you give to female singers today?
Cyndi Lauper: Be true to yourself.
WCT: Do you think Miley Cyrus is unusual, too?
Cyndi Lauper: I think she is a young artist that is finding her own voice. She should be allowed to be the artist she wants. Most performers are a bit unusual, don't you think?
Cyndi Lauper bops at The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State Street, on Friday, Nov. 1. In addition, Lauper goes Home for the Holidays for a Cyndi & Friends concert on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, in New York.
For tickets visit www.truecolorsfund.org/homefortheholidays and www.thechicagotheatre.com .
