Cyndi Lauper
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times

December 28, 2006

In the 80’s she was “The girl who wanted to have fun.” Today, she’s a “Hockey mom.” Pop star Cyndi Lauper headlines “CN8 Presents:  Celebrate 07,” from Universal Orlando New Year’s Eve from 9 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Here are a few questions I posed to Lauper.

LN - You seem to have a great connection to Philadelphia musicians - Robert
Hazard, the Hooters, and Patti LaBelle, who is the godmother to your
son. Do you consider yourself an honorary Philadelphia?

CL - I really love Philadelphia and have spent a lot of time there making
music so I know the city well.  It's a happening city and there have always
been great music to come out of there -- always and forever.   If the folks
from Philadelphia consider me an honorary Philadelphian I would be happy....

LN - You were fantastic on the VH1 "Divas" special a couple of years ago. How
do you prepare for a live show?

CL - I always do Yoga and run to keep my body in shape.  When you are a
singer, your body is your instrument, so you need to keep it healthy.  Before a
performance I do several vocal exercises to warm up my voice as well.

LN - You and Madonna came out around the same time, but ended up with very
different careers. Do you ever wonder what it would be like to live in
an English castle and have the tabloid notoriety?

CL - I'm a New Yorker, so for me it would feel very different. But I am sure
I would love to look out my window and see the English countryside. I love
to travel and spend time in other countries, but NYC will always be my
home. England is a beautiful country with great people, great music, so
Madonna picked a great place to live. The fact the tabloid's wont give her a
break here and that In UK the press there seem to respect one's privacy
a bit more probably had something to do with her decision -- but we can't
forget she is happily married to an Englishman.  That probably had a lot
to do with it.    I am glad to live a semi-private life, it's very hard to be constantly
in the public eye so I feel for Madonna and all the celebrities that have
to deal with that day to day. 

LN - Has becoming a mother changed your perspective on life?

CL - Of course. My son means the world to me, and life as you know it before
your child is born and after is so different.  You have to stop being
selfish for one, you worry more about the state of the world, both
environmentally and politically because you want a safe and happy future
for your kid.  I love spending my time with Declyn. He is 9 years old now
and we have great conversations. He is also a great hockey player so I spend my
weekends as a hockey mom when not working. 

LN - Who are your favorite artists?

CL - Bill Withers, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, and Marvin Gaye were early
inspirations for me.  I have a huge record collection and like so many
different genres of music it's hard to say who my favorites are –it’s a
very long list.

LN - Do you think if you were coming up today you could compete in the
"American Idolization" of the music industry?

CL - Hey it's the way some artists are discovered by the major labels.   Back
when I started you could be discovered in a small club, if you had a
small following...major labels now think in terms of million selling records,
they don't develop talent they way they used to twenty years ago.   Short of one
million albums sold, the majors lose money on a release.  So to find a
rock band starting out that is only good for a few thousand albums and
to want to take that and develop it over time, just is not a biz model for
them.   So that is where the internet comes in.....
 
LN - On the other hand, with the rise of the internet and “My Space,” do you
think it's easier for beginning artists to be discovered?

CL - I think it’s a great way for anyone, an upcoming artist or an established
artist, to get their music out to so many people. I think that it is a
very important tool, since radio no longer really exploits new upcoming
talent.

Cyndi Lauper’s official web site is www.cyndilauper.com.