Chappell Roan opens up about how Cyndi Lauper changed her life and shaped her music. As she prepares to induct her idol into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Roan says Lauper inspired everything from her sound to her signature style. Their story proves that pop music can connect generations through color, courage, and creativity
Chappell Roan is stepping into one of the most meaningful moments of her career — introducing the legendary Cyndi Lauper into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on November 8. For Roan, this isn’t just an honor; it’s deeply personal. Lauper isn’t only a musical influence, she’s the very reason Roan makes music at all.
In a heartfelt video posted to the official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Instagram account, Roan expressed her excitement and admiration: “I’m so thrilled to be the one introducing Cyndi Lauper. She has inspired me in everything — her style, her hair, her music, her attitude. When I was 13, I auditioned for America’s Got Talent singing ‘True Colors.’ I didn’t make it through, but that song still means everything to me.”
Lauper, ever warm and gracious, responded with heart emojis and love, showing that the connection between them extends beyond music — it’s one of mutual respect and creative spirit.
More than forty years after the groundbreaking She’s So Unusual, Cyndi Lauper continues to inspire a new wave of artists. Chappell Roan is one of the brightest examples of that legacy — a pop visionary blending retro glamour with modern queer energy, carrying Lauper’s rebellious joy into a new generation.
From her chart-topping hit Hot to Go (No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100) to the fan-favorite The Subway (No. 3), Roan has shown that pop music can be theatrical, bold, and deeply emotional — a mirror of the freedom Lauper brought to the ’80s.
Roan often credits Lauper for teaching her what it means to be unapologetically authentic. “What I love most about Cyndi is that she never tried to fit in,” Roan said in an interview. “She was always herself — colorful, weird, loud, emotional — and that gave me permission to do the same.”
The admiration goes both ways. In 2024, after Roan’s dramatic Joan of Arc-inspired performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, Cyndi Lauper praised her on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen: “I love what she’s doing. It’s performance art. It’s visual, bold — and that’s exactly what I love.”
After the success of her 2024 debut The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan has become one of pop’s most magnetic new voices. Her music, packed with humor, honesty, and queer storytelling, has become the soundtrack of a generation that celebrates difference. For her fans — many of whom see themselves reflected in her lyrics — Roan is more than a singer; she’s a symbol of self-expression and belonging.
Being chosen to induct Lauper isn’t just a career milestone. For Roan, it’s full-circle — a moment where admiration becomes legacy. “It’s the greatest gift,” she said. “She showed me that music can be wild, colorful, and freeing. That’s the kind of artist I want to be.”
The upcoming Hall of Fame ceremony promises to be emotional. Cyndi Lauper, honored for her groundbreaking influence, has built a legacy that remains timeless — from Girls Just Want to Have Fun to True Colors, her music continues to champion joy, individuality, and acceptance.
Her creative fire still burns bright. In October, Lauper celebrated 40 years of her career at the Hollywood Bowl with Joni Mitchell, Cher, John Legend, and SZA, in a sold-out show broadcast on CBS and Paramount+. Days later, she announced her first-ever Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace, kicking off in April 2026.
Meanwhile, Chappell Roan shows no signs of slowing down. After the Hall of Fame event, she’ll wrap her Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things world tour with a final performance at Corona Capital Festival in Mexico City on November 14. With hits like The Giver (No. 5) and The Subway (No. 3) already under her belt, she’s established herself as a chart-topping artist even before her second album has arrived.
Roan’s rise mirrors Lauper’s early path — fearless, playful, and defiantly herself. The moment she takes the stage to honor her idol won’t just be symbolic; it will be a handoff between generations, a celebration of how art connects eras and spirits through shared rebellion and joy.
“Cyndi Lauper showed me you can be weird, bold, strong, and soft all at once,” Roan once said. “That’s what I want my music to be — a space where everyone feels they belong.”
Forty years later, Lauper’s influence still echoes in artists like Chappell Roan — loud, colorful, and fearless. Together, they prove that pop music isn’t just sound; it’s self-expression, freedom, and the bright, beautiful power of being unapologetically yourself.
