Everything you need to know about 80s icon Cyndi Lauper

American singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper became a pop sensation seemingly overnight after the release of her debut album 'She's So Unusual' in 1983 - she's now synonymous with the 80s and her hit songs have been enjoyed for decades.

Praised for her passion, creativity, powerful vocals and of course her distinctive look, the 80s wouldn't be complete without Cyndi! With no signs of slowing down, the singer was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November 2025, where she gave an empowering speech and performed her hit 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun'. Find out more about the 'Time After Time' singer...

What is Cyndi Lauper's real name?

Her full name is Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper.

Where is she from?

Cyndi was born in New York, and she still lives there.

How old is she?

Her birthday is 22nd June 1953, making her 72-years-old.

How many albums has she released?

The singer has released 12 studio albums and 15 compilation albums - to top it all off, she has sold around 50 million albums worldwide!

Some of her most popular albums are 'Twelve Deadly Cyns and Then Some', 'A Night To Remember', 'True Colors' and of course her debut album 'She's So Unusual'.

What awards has Cyndi Lauper won?

In 1984, Cyndi won a Grammy award for Best New Artist following the amazing success of her debut album which was released the year before.

It's no surprise that since then she has taken home many more awards, including the MTV Music Video Award for Best Female Video in 1984 for 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun', the Billboard Music Awards for Top Female Artist and Top New Artist in 1984, and an ASCAP Pop Music Award for Most Performed Song in 1986 for 'Time After Time'.

She was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

In April 2025, Cyndi was announced as an inductee for the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The singer shared the news on her socials, telling her fans: 'I’m humbled to be in the company of so many of my heroes - Aretha, Tina, Chaka, Joni, Wanda, to name just a few. Women have made so many important contributions to music and to rock n roll and a win for one of us is a win for all of us. Thank you to the voting members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for this honor. And thank you to my fans for supporting me throughout my career. I could not do any of this without you.'

The singer was officially inducted in November 2025 where she gave an empowering speech, telling the audience: "I know that I stand on the shoulders of the women in the industry that came before me. And my shoulders are broad enough to have the women that come after me stand on mine.

"The other thing that I thought was really important, which is why I really came here tonight, is to tell you that the little kid in me still believes that rock and roll can save the world and we have done that."

She also performed her iconic song 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun', joined by RAYE, Avril Lavigne and Salt-N-Pepa.

Cyndi Lauper as an LGBTQ+ advocate

Cyndi has been a long-standing ally of the LGBTQ+ community, with her song 'True Colors' becoming an anthem. She founded True Colors United, a nonprofit to support homeless young LGBTQ+ people, in 2008. Cyndi became involved in LGBTQ+ rights activism very early on in her career in support of her sister, who is a lesbian.

She opened up in an interview with us about the importance of the song 'True Colors' (also spelt 'True Colours' in the UK, saying: "By the time I really started to answer letters (fan mail), I was pregnant with my son in '97.

"And that's when everything started to settle, and I was reading them online, and that's when I started reading all the letters about 'True Colours'. And I never realised before what it meant, you know, like that.

"And their people felt so disenfranchised that talked about getting fired from their jobs, losing their friends, their families, and I always hated that, 'fit that round peg in the square hole no matter what', so, you know. When I saw these emails I called my sister Ellen and I said 'You know, we should do something', and I read them to her, and she said: 'Absolutely'.

"And then we started with 'P flags stay close', to you and your family, because you know, you always have to stick up for when you know something is wrong, that became the charge!"

Has she been in any films?

As well as being a singer, Cyndi has tried her hand at acting, she had a cameo in Prime Cuts in 1984, and went on to appear in Vibes, Life with Mikey, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, The Opportunists, The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie, and Here and There.

She has also been in a number of TV shows including Bones, Happily Divorced, and Mad About You, which she won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for in 1995.

Cyndi Lauper's documentary

On 3rd March 2023, Sony Music announced that a documentary about Cyndi Lauper was in production. Called Let the Canary Sing, it follows her incredible rise to fame and 'offers an immersive journey into the world of the iconic and history-making singer-songwriter, actor, activist, and best-selling musical composer.'

Speaking about the new documentary, Cyndi said: “Over the years I’ve been asked to do a documentary about my life and work, but it never felt like the right time. Until now. When I first met Alison Ellwood, I knew right away I could trust her to tell my story honestly, which was incredibly important to me, and she succeeded in that. I'd like to thank Alison, the producers, and all of the amazing documentary participants who agreed to be interviewed!”

You can now stream the documentary on several platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video and Paramount+.

Did she write the music for Kinky Boots?

Cyndi wrote the music for the theatre production Kinky Boots by Harvey Fierstein. It went on to win six Tony Awards including Best Musical. Cyndi is the only solo female who has won in the Best Musical category. The soundtrack also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album in 2014.

Is Cyndi Lauper married?

The singer married actor David Thornton in 1991 and they have son Declyn together.

When is she on tour?

Cyndi went on her 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour' in February 2025. She has not announced any further UK dates. She has announced she will be performing five nights in Las Vegas at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

What are her biggest songs?

Cyndi Lauper shot to fame with her girl-power anthem 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' and has released numerous other big hits since.

From her chart-topping hits to some gems you might have forgotten about, take a look through some of Cyndi Lauper's best songs.

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