Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton, better known as Cyndi Lauper, is a famous American singer, lyricist, and actress as well as an LGBTQ activist. Lauper started her career in 1977 and has completed three decades in the industry. She made her debut with a solo album titled ‘She’s So Unusual’ in 1983. The album also earned Lauper her first Grammy Award, winning in the ‘Best New Artist Category’.
Lauper is recognized as an icon of pop culture. One of the highest selling artists of her time Lauper has sold more than 20 million singles and 50 million records. She is an award-winning artist having won two Grammys, 1 Tony and 1 Emmy. She has also been felicitated with numerous Billboard Awards, and 1 MTV Music Award. She has been inducted in both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Song Writers Hall of fame. Lauper has been ranked 58th in the VH1 list of 100 Greatest Women in Rock & Roll.
Early Life and Education
Lauper was born on 22 June 1953 in Astoria, Queens, New York City and raised in Ozone Park, Queens. She is the daughter of Fred and Catrine Gallo. She is of German and Swiss descent on her father’s side and Italian descent on her mother’s side and was raised as a Catholic. Lauper has two siblings, an elder sister named Ellen and a younger brother named Fred. Lauper’s parents divorced when she turned five.
Although Lauper was enrolled into Richmond Hill High School, she was expelled. She later went on to earn her GED. At age 17, Lauper left her mother’s second husband’s home in order to escape her step-father who abused her. After a brief period in Canada, Lauper reached Vermont and enrolled into Johnson State College to study art. She did a series of odd jobs and even performed in the capacity of a vocalist for several cover bands.
Career Rise
Lauper became an overnight sensation in 1983 with the release of her debut album titled ‘She’s so unusual’ which became the first debut album by a female artist that charted four out of the top-five hits on Billboard Hot 100 with the singles “Time After Time”, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, “All Through the Night” and “She Bop”. The album is included in the list of 500 Greatest Albums of all time by Rolling Stones Magazine, while the single “Time After Time” has made to VH1’s list of 100 best songs in the past 25 years.
‘She’s so unusual’ also won Lauper the ‘Best New Artist’ Grammy Award. Lauper then composed the soundtrack of the 1985 motion picture titled ‘Goonies’. She released her next album ‘True Colors’ in 1986 which included the hit singles “Change of Heart” and “True Colors” both of which reached the number 3 spot on various musical charts.
Lauper has released 9 studio albums since 1989 including the Grammy Award nominated ‘A Night to Remember’ in 1989, the critically acclaimed ‘Hat Full Of Stars’ in 1993, ‘Sisters of Avalon’ in 1996, ‘Shine’ in 2001, ‘Bring Ya To The Brink’ in 2008 etc. Her 2010 album ‘Memphis Blues’ was rated as the most successful blues album by Billboard for the year. The album remained on the Number 1 spot of billboards chart for 13 weeks consecutively. Lauper won a Tony Award in the category ‘Best Original Score’ for composing the music of ‘Kinky Boots’, a Broadway musical and became the first woman to ever win in the category by herself. She also won a Grammy for the same.
Cyndi Lauper – Best Songs
The top 5 best songs of Cyndi Lauper are
- Time after Time
- Change of Heart
- I drove all Night
- True Colors
- Girls Just Want to Have Fun.
Cyndi Lauper – Husband
Lauper met actor David Thronton while filming ‘Off and Running’ in early 1991 and the couple tied the knot in the November of the same year. Together, they have one child, a son named Declyn Wallace Thornton born in 1997.
Throughout her career, Lauper has been a supporter of the LGBT community and has participated in various gay pride events and charities, campaigning for equality. She first voiced her support for the community after her sister Ellen came out as gay.
Cyndi Lauper – Young Pictures
Cyndi Lauper – Net Worth (2021)
Lauper has an estimated net worth of approximately $30 Million.