CYNDI LAUPER

Over the last three decades music legend Cyndi Lauper has sold over 30 million records worldwide. On top of writing music for an upcoming Broadway adaptation of Brit-flick, Kinky Boots, Lauper this month releases an album of Blues covers on September 27th.

Obviously there is a big difference between your last album, Bring Ya To The Brink, and the new album, Memphis Blues.
It was completely like day and night. Bring Ya To The Brink, as you know, was dance music and was pretty high-tech and I was sitting at a computer all the time. Whereas for Memphis Blues I was working out of Memphis with these old guys and it was recorded totally live.

Did you enjoy recording the album in Memphis?
It’s a great little city. The first thing I did was go to the Human Rights Museum because that’s very much a part of the music because the original artists were oppressed but they still wrote uplifting music.

How long have you wanted to make the album for? 
I had a dream when I was on the road a long time ago in 1988 or ‘87 that Oscar Peterson came to me and started playing on the piano and said he really liked my version of What’s Going On and that I should re-do the old songs and make them new.

So what made you decide to make this record now? 
The songs that I chose reminded me of the times in which we live – it’s pretty much you read the news it looks like the Blues so I felt it was the right time.

What music are you listening to at the moment? 
There’s a lot of great things on the charts.  I like The Clicks, I like Beth Ditto – I like women singers a lot. I started listening to a lot of Gospel too – it’s been inspiring for writing for Kinky Boots.

How is that going? 
That is a blast! I don’t have to worry about anybody saying “you’re singing dance music, I don’t know about this” because it doesn’t freakin’ matter. You’re writing for the spirit of the play and each character has their own style which is exciting for me because I get to use all of  my voice, not just half.

You’re touring North America as we speak, will you be bringing the Memphis Blues Tour to the UK?
Yes, but I don’t know when. I don’t know where I am right now – I swear. I’m somewhere in Nevada.

We’ll look forward to your arrival.  As a last question – we have to ask – do girls still just wanna have fun? 
Well, honey, I’m having it! I think this record proves it.

[Originally published in Wonderland Issue 23, September 2010.]