Cyndi Lauper is forever pushing the musical envelope

"I refuse to do anything mediocre," the Brooklyn native said during an interview from Fresno. "I like to do things that are revolutionary. My best work isn't really the songs that sold the biggest. They had a different texture, and all had different styles."Lauper will take the Delta Center stage on Thursday, May 29, when she opens the evening for Tina Turner at 7:30 p.m.

"The tour is going well," Lauper said in her trademark Brooklyn tone. "It was interesting because for the first few shows, I don't think anyone knew I was on the bill, and they were surprised."

But, Lauper said, being an opening performer in a show with Turner is exactly what she wants.

"I'm a huge fan of Tina's, and I get to do a shorter show," Lauper said. "That especially fares well when you take my condition into consideration."

Lauper is four months pregnant.

"This isn't the dark ages," the singer quipped with a laugh. "These days women work through their pregnancies. And I'm not about to lay in bed for nine months. Your life doesn't come to a stop when you have a child. That's a fact of life.

"Besides, the kid is getting to hear the music," Lauper said. "It's getting to hear Tina sing. I think the kid is going to have a wonderful background. My husband's an artist as well. I think I'd be starving my child's brain if I were to stop doing because I'm pregnant."

Lauper has good reason for her philosophy.

"I began playing guitar and singing with my sister when I was 11," Lauper remembered. "And like most musicians, I did my time in cover-band purgatory."

Lauper sang backups in various cover bands in New York. When one of her bands was trying to find a manager, everyone agreed the hyper kid with the big voice should become the lead singer.

"We played a bunch of (Janis) Joplin, Grace Slick, things like that," Lauper said. "We did a bunch of Led Zeppelin and the blues. But remember, I lived in Brooklyn. And Brooklyn blues is way different than the real thing."

Lauper lost her voice because of the belting "Brooklyn Blues."

View Comments

"I had to do some vocal therapy," Lauper said. "Then I learned `natural singing,' which is a free-form jazz style. Once my voice was strong enough, I'd incorporate the natural singing, which comes from the whole body rather than just the chest or throat, into the songs I was writing. That's why there are different textures in all my songs."

Lauper hit the big time with her solo debut, "She's So Unusual," back in 1983. With a truckload of awards, including Grammys and MTV Music, Lauper hit No. 1 with the single, "Time After Time," and again in 1986 with "True Colors."

The singer also landed a few acting roles - "Vibes," "Off & Running" and most recently, "Life with Mickey."

"I love acting and directing," said Lauper, who has directed all of her videos since 1983. "I'm interested in doing more TV when something revolutionary comes along. I don't want to be corporatized."

Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.