ARTIST STORY
CYNDI LAUPER.
IMAGE CREDIT: Eva Rinaldi / Wikimedia Commons · Cyndi Lauper during a concert in Sydney, March 31, 2011 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Cropped responsively for the hero image.
Click to load the Spotify player. Spotify determines what you can play.
Open in Spotify ↗Cyndi Lauper sounds as if she walks into a song without asking for permission first. That striking voice and her exuberant appearance made her instantly recognisable. Yet, the power of her records lies in more than just colour and energy. Listen to Time After Time or True Colors and you can hear how much room she gives to vulnerability. Continue listening on vinyl with Let the Canary Sing and She's So Unusual.
MORE THAN A FIRST IMPRESSION.
On 1983's She’s So Unusual, various sides emerge at once. Girls Just Want to Have Fun has the tempo and humour of a party, but the chorus also became a recognisable gesture of independence. In Time After Time, however, the spectacle falls away. Lauper keeps the melody small enough to let every word land close to home.
The debut yielded four American top-five hits. The videos were also important: Lauper used clothing, movement, and humour to build a world around the songs. Behind that quirky image stood a singer who didn't want to just smooth over a pop song. Her rough edges remained audible, even when the melody fit perfectly on the radio.
THE COLOUR AND THE QUIET.
On 1986's True Colors, the tone is quieter at times. The title track does not seek a grand, theatrical discharge; precisely because of the restrained vocals, the song becomes personal. This gave the record a different weight than the exuberant first impression of her debut. Anyone who plays both albums side by side does not hear an artist changing identity, but someone showing more of herself.
In 1985, Lauper sang on USA for Africa's We Are the World. Her voice stands out in a recording full of famous names, but that is exactly what the song is about: singing together. Later, she would continue to broaden her own work, from blues and country to theatre. She wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Kinky Boots; the production earned her a Tony Award.
ONE THING YOU DIDN’T KNOW.
With She’s So Unusual, Lauper became the first female solo artist to have four top-five singles from a single debut album in the United States. Behind the playful video aesthetic was, therefore, an exceptionally strong album launch.
THE FACTS
BREAKTHROUGH · She’s So Unusual (1983)
KEY SONGS · Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time After Time, True Colors
CONNECTION · solo vocal on We Are the World (1985)
BEYOND POP · music and lyrics for Kinky Boots
ESSENTIAL DISCOGRAPHY
- 1983She’s So Unusual
- 1986True Colors
- 1989A Night to Remember
- 1993Hat Full of Stars
- 2003At Last
- 2010Memphis Blues
- 2016Detour
Start with her debut and True Colors. The later records show how Lauper continued to use her voice in other musical styles. Check out the latest vinyl releases at SJELF.
FAQ
Which album was her breakthrough?
1983's She’s So Unusual, featuring tracks like Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Time After Time.
What is the difference between She’s So Unusual and True Colors?
Her debut sounds exuberant and playful; True Colors also more emphatically shows her restrained, emotional side.
Did Cyndi Lauper participate in We Are the World?
Yes. She is one of the solo vocalists on the 1985 USA for Africa recording.
Did she also write music for the theatre?
Yes. She wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Kinky Boots and won a Tony Award for it.
Which vinyl releases are available at SJELF?
The artist page features the latest releases, including She’s So Unusual and True Colors. Availability and pre-order dates are always indicated with the product.
Discover the musical context in POP..
THE FINAL WORD.
HER OWN COLOUR.
Cyndi Lauper remained recognisable without limiting herself to one sound. The big choruses draw you in; the fragile moments make you come back. Listen to She’s So Unusual and True Colors one after the other and you can hear how much space there is between those two sides.
