Cyndi Lauper is a widely popular American singer, songwriter, actress, and LGBT rights activist. Lauper’s success began with the release of her debut album She’s So Unusual in 1983. The record made history as the first debut by a female artist to score four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100: ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’, ‘Time After Time’, ‘She Bop’, and ‘All Through The Night’. Lauper was awarded the MTV VMA for Best Female Video in 1984 for ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’, now praised as one of the greatest of the era by Rolling Stone, MTV, and VH1. The success of Lauper’s debut earned her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1985. Lauper’s sophomore album, True Colors, further legitimized her superstar status, including the iconic No. 1 single ‘True Colors’ and the romantic ballad ‘Change of Heart’.
Lauper has sold over 50 million albums and 20 million singles over an incredible career that’s seen the release of nine studio albums, including a blues album entitled Memphis Blues, which remained at the top spot on the Billboard Blues Albums Chart for thirteen consecutive weeks. She is the first woman to take home a Tony Award for Best Original Score, recognized for her contributions to the Broadway musical Kinky Boots. Lauper has achieved legend status in the music industry, having been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Hollywood Walk of Fame. Not only a talented musician, she’s also an actress and an activist, having appeared in various films throughout her career. Her tireless work as an LGBT-rights activist earned her recognition from President Barack Obama in 2013, as she was invited to perform at his second-term inauguration.
