Cyndi Lauper review – still showing her true colours in fun farewell tour
That's certainly one way to describe the approach to the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, Lauper's first (and now final) arena shows since 1987. The tour began last year in North America, although that time on the road hasn't reined in the chaos: the show is all over the place. Along with the incident involving the recorder, Lauper is plagued by technical difficulties, poor sound that buries her voice beneath an admittedly slick band, an uneven setlist, dodgy costumes, and her own garrulous monologues.
For anyone else it could be disastrous. But as Lauper begins another anecdote about a breakup with boyfriend and the movie Poltergeist, she wins you over with her charming and squeaky New York drawl. 'I'm only talking to you because I don't want you think that all this is bigger than you and me connecting,' she says.
When things align, the show is excellent: material from She's So Unusual is a highlight, Lauper's still impressive voice punching through her fizzy cover of Prince's When You Were Mine, then delicately caressing the soft, pillowy Time After Time. There's moving vulnerability in an a cappella take on Fearless, revved-up passion during I Drove All Night, soaring euphoria in the new age strum of Sisters of Avalon, and a poignant performance of True Colors staged alongside a version of artist Daniel Wurtzel's Air Fountain installation.
It's just enough to distract from the mess – but then again, Lauper has often left slick perfectionism in the hands of her peers. During her final and most famous song, the aim of the night becomes clear: even at 71 years old, this girl just wants to have fun.
• At the O2, London, on 11 February; then touring.
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USA Today
21 hours ago
- USA Today
Cyndi Lauper says goodbye to touring with heart, color and powerhouse vocals: Review
BRISTOW, Va. – In the nine months since Cyndi Lauper launched her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, she's birthed a worldwide arena run and an October premiere date for her long-gestating 'Working Girl' musical. She's also been rightfully crowned an inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this fall and remained a staunch advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and women's issues, raising $200,000 through fan donations during the tour for her Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights Fund. In other words, Cyndi has remained Cyndi – indefatigable, loyal and bracingly authentic. The final leg of her final tour kicked off July 17, this time hitting amphitheaters, with a slightly modified production from her arena run. Lauper, a seemingly ageless 72, will say goodbye to the road – but not to music – with a two-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles Aug. 29-30. At Jiffy Lube Live amphitheater in northern Virginia July 24, Lauper uncorked a generous mix of classics ('True Colors,' 'Change of Heart') and album tracks ('Who Let in the Rain,' 'Shine') with her well-honed five-piece band anchored by drummer Sterling Campbell and percussionist Mona Tavakoli. But her storytelling between the music also riveted those willing to stop scrolling through their phones to listen. There is a direct through line from Lauper to Lady Gaga from a theatrical standpoint. Unlike Gaga, also currently captivating fans with her sublime Mayhem Ball tour, Lauper has never been a dancer, aside from her unbridled arm waves and hip swings first captured on the cover of her blockbuster 'She's So Unusual' debut more than 40 years ago. She uses her bold fashion – wig changes from blue to canary yellow, outfits from ruffled trains to polka dots – and gale-force voice to sell her drama. Cyndi Lauper tells fans 'you write the book' While it is endlessly amusing to watch Lauper cavort through the opening 'She Bop' (hilarious to recall the song was considered risqué in the '80s) as fans are blasted with rainbow confetti and dance with abandon during the underappreciated 'The Goonies 'R Good Enough,' the songs where Lauper flourishes are ballads. Her rendition of Roy Orbison's 'I Drove All Night' is an exhale of yearning. But Lauper sharing her story of how being an outcast in high school shaped her is what garnered the most applause: 'This is one chapter in your life. You get to write the other chapters … you write the book,' she said in her staccato New York accent. A highlight of the two-hour show was her riveting performance of 'Sally's Pigeons.' Following a deep, detailed story about her family, growing up in Queens and the neighbor who inspired the song, Lauper stood under a lone spotlight, singing the first verse of the song a capella. Close-ups of her face on the long-paneled screens behind the stage captured every facial contortion as she poured her emotion into the poignant ballad. More: Lady Gaga thrills at theatrical Mayhem Ball tour kickoff: Review Cyndi Lauper has mastered mixing fun with philosophy Lauper's Carole-Lombard-meets-Lucille-Ball kookiness has always been part of her charm. She can blast her voice to stratospheric heights on her version of Gene Pitney's 1964 hit, 'I'm Gonna Be Strong,' gather her band and two backup singers for a sprightly skip through 'Iko Iko' or ask the crowd to hold up their phones to 'make a community of light, in case it gets really dark' for the eternally tender 'Time After Time.' Opener Jake Wesley Rogers joined her for a vigorous rendition of 'Money Changes Everything,' the pair slinging lyrics between them and laying on the stage floor to pound out emphatic notes before an encore that, of course, included 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun.' Through it all, Lauper's mixture of street-smart philosophies delivered with candor and undiminished vocal prowess cement her standing as a hall of famer far beyond a music museum.
5 days ago
Cyndi Lauper on how her iconic hairstyles reflected her life's defining moments
Cyndi Lauper's bold, ever-changing hairstyles have always been more than just a fashion statement -- they were acts of rebellion. In an interview with "Good Morning America" Digital, Lauper revealed that her half-shaved head in the "Time After Time" music video symbolized defiance at a time when women were "haunted by the image of their mother in a life of drudgery." "Cutting my hair in that way would also be a rebellious act, one culture fighting to move away from a more oppressive culture for women," she said. Lauper said she surprised Dave Wolff -- her longtime boyfriend in the '80s and former manager -- with her haircut, revealing her new red style for the first time while the cameras were rolling in the video because she wanted his reaction to be "natural." "The hair symbolized a counterculture and rebellion, and that was significantly important to me," she said. "If you're going to color your hair, you might as well ... color it a color." Lauper also reflected on a deeply personal moment in the video: The tears she shed onscreen were real. She said it was the moment she realized she had made it as a rock star, recalling how she had once faced homelessness and was voted "most likely to die" by her peers in school. "I was either going to expire or be this artist, and I wound up being this artist," she recalled. "That's why I was crying, because I couldn't believe life had given me that gift." Nearly 40 years later, the video has amassed more than 500 million views on YouTube, proof of its lasting cultural impact. "It became a classic because I think I spoke to people," Lauper said. Lauper added that the video's message still resonates, because women today can relate to the feeling of not wanting to fit in. "From the clothing to the hair to the makeup, it symbolized one culture fighting to move away from a more oppressive culture for women," she said. Lauper told "GMA" her hair has been an outlet for her creativity over the years and a way to encourage women. Below, she described the inspiration behind some of her most memorable styles. Photo shoot, 1983 "Red hair, I just liked the way it felt," she said. "And it wasn't just regular red, it was a crazy color. I think at that point I was using fire-engine red, and sometimes it was brighter than others." American Music Awards, 1985 "For the 'Money Changes Everything' music video, that was the color. Everything was black and white except for my hair, and that was painted," she said. Performing in Chicago, 1999 "A friend of mine had done her hair in dreads, and I said, 'How do you do that?' Because it looked like once you could do it, you didn't have to mess with it," Lauper recalled. She continued, "I had done my hair blue, which I liked at the time, and it was after I had my kid, and I just did my own dreads, and I was doing my own hair on tour … it looked good." Melbourne concert, 2023 "I like mohawks, and, yeah, purple is good," Lauper said. "A lot of times, you know, if it's spring, I get it. Inspired by the flowers, you know, and tulips." Lauper has seen tremendous success over her decadeslong career, earning two Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award for co-writing "Kinky Boots," four Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her debut album from 1983, "She's So Unusual," made history as the first by a woman to score four top-five hit singles, including the iconic "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "Time After Time." She is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November. Lauper is currently on the last leg of her yearlong Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, with 21 shows left in North America this summer.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Music Legend, 72, 'Always Felt Like a Loser,' 'Angry at the World'
Music Legend, 72, 'Always Felt Like a Loser,' 'Angry at the World' originally appeared on Parade. , the iconic '80s singer behind such hits as "True Colors," "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After Time," opened up in a new interview with Women's World about her anxiety as a kid, feeling like a loser and being "angry at the world." "When I was younger, I was angry at the world. I was the oddball. Then I learned it was my job to make the world fairer. Sometimes, that's just smiling at someone. It's a tiny thing with a big impact. You must enjoy life as best as you can because hey, when you're not here anymore, you're not here!'" said the 72-year-old singer, adding, "Making people happy is important. When I was a kid, I didn't fit in. I always felt like a loser." But as an adult, she came into her own and definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. "I chose a job where I could wear whatever the hell I want. Find the kind of clothes that make you feel strong, inspired and confident. If you find a hat that makes you feel good, wear the hat! Find the shoes that make you feel comfortable, the clothes that make you feel alive. When you do things just for yourself, it will make you truly happy," said Lauper. She also said of her upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, "I'm really happy. I'm proud to stand on the shoulders of the women who came before me … I started singing when I was 2 after the lady upstairs taught me a song in Italian. Then I sang it, everybody applauded, and I was hooked. The songs tell my story — we should all share our stories in some way. That's what I focus on: bringing community together." Lauper is set to be inducted in the 2025 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her fellow 2025 classmates include Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Outkast, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes in the performers category. Other honorees include SALT-N-PEPA and Warren Zevon in the musical influence category and Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins and Carol Kaye in the musical excellence category. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Music Legend, 72, 'Always Felt Like a Loser,' 'Angry at the World' first appeared on Parade on Jul 12, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
