{"id":148541,"date":"2025-11-10T13:54:26","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T13:54:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/?p=148541"},"modified":"2025-11-10T13:55:34","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T13:55:34","slug":"true-colors-finally-flying-cyndi-lauper-the-newest-and-funniest-member-of-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/10\/true-colors-finally-flying-cyndi-lauper-the-newest-and-funniest-member-of-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame\/","title":{"rendered":"True Colors, Finally Flying: Cyndi Lauper, the Newest (and Funniest) Member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After 17 years of waiting, the queen of quirky pop finally takes her throne with a speech and performance that was equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, proving that girls just wanna have fun… and make rock and roll history.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0ShowbizzToday.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a night that often takes itself too seriously, CYNDI LAUPER<\/a><\/strong> burst into the ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME<\/a><\/strong> like a glitter bomb in a library. This past Saturday, the iconic singer, whose four-octave voice powered anthems for the weird and wonderful, was finally inducted after appearing on the ballot three times over 17 years <\/a>. The ceremony at Los Angeles’ PEACOCK THEATRE<\/a><\/strong> was a vibrant, technicolor tribute to a woman who never compromised her vision or her wardrobe, a stark contrast to the sometimes-stodgy institution she now joyfully infiltrates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The evening was a masterclass in Lauper-ness. Kicked off with a fittingly eccentric and heartfelt induction speech from pop’s new “it” girl, CHAPPELL ROAN<\/a><\/strong>, the night culminated in Lauper pausing her own performance of the LGBTQ+ anthem “TRUE COLORS”<\/strong> to unfurl a massive Progress Pride flag, a powerful, silent statement that brought the audience to its feet <\/a><\/a>. It was a moment of profound sincerity, perfectly balanced by her opening joke to the black-tie crowd: “See what happens when you let the riff-raff in?”<\/strong> <\/a><\/a>. This is the Cyndi Lauper doctrine: change the world, but make them laugh while you do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Midwest Princess Crowns a Queens Queen<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The task of inducting her hero fell to Chappell Roan, who admitted she “messed up so bad by refusing to get contacts”<\/strong> as she squinted at the teleprompter, nearly dropping an F-bomb on the Disney+ livestream before charmingly recovering <\/a>. Roan, wearing a replica of the skirt from the “True Colors” video, didn’t just list Lauper’s achievements; she testified to her cultural impact <\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Cyndi embodies every quality of an artist that I admire,”<\/strong> Roan declared. “She\u2019s a born performer and a revolutionary songwriter, a forever fashion icon, and a fierce advocate and ally”<\/strong> <\/a>. She shared a personal story about performing “True Colors” at a Missouri talent show at 14, which marked her first-ever win for singing <\/a><\/a>. Roan perfectly captured the essence of Lauper’s legacy, stating, “Cyndi Lauper has shown us that you can be bold, quirky, loud, glamorous and have any hair color you want”<\/strong> <\/a>. It was a passing of the torch, from one authentic voice to another, proving that the fun is in very good hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Performance: A Triumphant, Tuneful Family Reunion<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Lauper’s performance segment was less of a tribute and more of a riotous family reunion. She began with a moving “True Colors,” using the moment to make a visual stand for love and acceptance with the giant pride flag <\/a><\/a>. She then launched into “TIME AFTER TIME,”<\/strong> trading lines with British singer RAYE<\/a><\/strong>, their voices blending in a beautiful, haunting harmony <\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But true to form, she ended not with a ballad, but with a party. The opening chords of “GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN”<\/strong> brought pop-punker AVRIL LAVIGNE<\/a><\/strong> sprinting to the stage, followed by fellow inductees SALT-N-PEPA<\/a><\/strong> <\/a><\/a><\/a>. The stage was suddenly packed with generations of female artists, screaming the lyrics into the same microphone, a joyful, chaotic, and perfect embodiment of Lauper’s inclusive, life-affirming spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Acceptance Speech for the Ages: Riff-Raff and Rock & Roll<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Lauper’s acceptance speech was a masterwork of her unique comedic timing and deep-seated wisdom. After her “riff-raff” opener, she grew serious, acknowledging the women who paved the way for her. “I know that I stand on the shoulders of the women in the industry that came before me,”<\/strong> she said, “and my shoulders are broad enough to have the women that come after me stand on mine”<\/strong> <\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She thanked a typically Lauper-esque assortment of people, including her band, her road crew, and “the people that helped me string my dulcimer, which nobody was happy I was playing”<\/strong> <\/a>. But she brought it all home with a message that only she could deliver with such conviction. “The little kid in me still believes that rock \u2018n\u2019 roll can save the world,”<\/strong> she proclaimed, bringing a wave of applause from the room. “I just want to say, now of all times, let\u2019s come together again and do good in the world because it needs us”<\/strong> <\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Than Fun: A Legacy of Activism and Unusualness<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

While the night was a celebration, it’s crucial to remember that Lauper’s career was never just about fun. Her 1983 debut album, “SHE’S SO UNUSUAL,”<\/strong> wasn’t just a title; it was a battle cry <\/a><\/a>. The album, which won her a Grammy for Best New Artist, marked a “cultural shift” by unapologetically centering a female perspective that was both strong and vulnerable, quirky and profound <\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the studio, Lauper co-founded the nonprofit TRUE COLORS UNITED<\/a><\/strong> to fight homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth and has advocated for gay rights before the U.S. Senate <\/a>. She even took her talents to Broadway, winning a Tony Award for her score for Kinky Boots<\/em> <\/a>. Her induction into the Hall alongside acts like OUTKAST<\/a><\/strong>, THE WHITE STRIPES<\/a><\/strong>, and SOUNDGARDEN<\/a><\/strong> finally acknowledges what her fans have known for decades: Cyndi Lauper didn’t just make hits; she built a world where everyone is welcome to sing along <\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, welcome to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cyndi. They kept you waiting, but something tells us you were having fun the whole time. The riff-raff is officially in charge, and rock and roll is all the better for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned to ShowbizzToday.com<\/a> for more coverage of the Hall of Fame class and all the latest in music news.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After 17 years of waiting, the queen of quirky pop finally takes her throne with a speech and performance that was equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, proving that girls just wanna have fun… and make rock and roll history. \u00a0ShowbizzToday.com In a night that often takes itself too seriously, CYNDI LAUPER burst into the ROCK & ROLL HALL […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":148543,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[12978],"class_list":{"0":"post-148541","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-cyndi-lauper"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148541"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148541\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}