Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Cyndi Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, and actress born on June 22, 1953. She is recognized for her distinctive image, which includes eccentric clothing and various hair colors, and for her vocal range spanning four octaves. Lauper has sold over 50 million records worldwide and has been referred to as the "Queen of Quirky Pop." Her debut album, She's So Unusual (1983), was the first by a female artist to produce 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." The album earned her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1985. The music video for "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" won Best Female Video at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards and has been recognized by MTV, VH1, and Rolling Stone as one of the greatest videos of the era. Her second album, True Colors (1986), included two additional top-five hits, the title track and "Change of Heart." Beyond her music career, Lauper has been active in humanitarian work, notably advocating for LGBTQ rights in the United States.