Her hits with worldwide success have made her a punk and feminist icon: now aged 71, Cyndi Lauper, the interpreter of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (1983), decided that it was time to Saying goodbye.
She plans to say her goodbyes in music, with a world tour which will begin in North America from October, before reaching Europe in February, she announced to AFP . She will be in Paris on February 28.
For generations of men and women, she remained the woman with the long blonde mane and irreverent attitude. In total, she has sold more than 50 million albums thanks to hits like “Time After Time” and “True Colors.”
More discreet in recent years, in 2013 she won the Tony Award (rewarding American theater) for the soundtrack of the Broadway musical “Kinky Boots”.
QUESTION: You were expelled from two schools when you were a young girl. Where does this spirit of rebellion come from?
ANSWER: It wasn’t me: it was them! I stood up to a priest who said my mother would go to hell. Who can tell an eight year old that his mother is going to hell? The second time, I asked a nun if she still had her period, and they threw me out. I wanted to go home because in this school… some people shouldn’t be taking care of children.
Q: Do your hits still seem up-to-date when you play them live?
A: Every time it’s a little different, but what people really come for is a taste of the past. They want to hear what they remember. If you can add a little something, that’s great.
Between the rhythm and the sound, you can sometimes completely lose control. This is what I find to be the spice of the performance because, in my opinion, people sing to escape.
When I was a child, the lady who lived a few meters from me made a sauce every Sunday, cleaned the whole house and sat down in the afternoon to play the accordion, and she always played “Volare” . As a teenager, I said to myself: +Kill me now! How many times will I have to be reminded that I’m Italian?!+ But now I realize what she was really playing: +My heart has wings+. When singers reach their peak, I believe they fly within themselves.
Q: What inspired you to become an advocate for gay rights?
A: I am a friend and family member of this community. We do not stand idly by in the face of discrimination against our family members. A lot of progress has been made but there has also been a lot of setbacks, fear and anger. I stand next to my sister Ellen, who is part of this community. I could never have done anything without her.
Q: What is the fondest memory of your career?
A: I had to fight to get what I wanted, because it wasn’t given to me. I didn’t take certain opportunities because I wanted things to happen a certain way. I always kept in mind the reason I started making music: to feel free.
The award that meant the most to me was probably the 1984 Woman of the Year award from Ms. magazine, started by (feminist icon) Gloria Steinem. Growing up, she was an important figure to me.
I haven’t won many Grammys, probably because I never counted to 10 before speaking – maybe that would have been a good idea.
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