Cyndi Lauper has clarified that she never had a real feud with Madonna in the 1980s, despite longstanding rumors.
Speculation about tension between the two pop icons began in 1983, when Cyndi released her debut album *She’s So Unusual* and Madonna dropped *The First Album*. However, in a recent interview with *People* published on Thursday, Cyndi revealed she never had any issues with Madonna.
"As soon as I saw her perform *Like a Prayer*, I thought, 'Oh my God. I love her!' And I’ve loved her ever since," Cyndi said.
She went on to explain that the feud rumors were likely stirred up by industry executives. "In the '80s, they started pitting women against each other," the 71-year-old shared. "Actually, it started back in the '60s, where women were pushed into competition, like they were supposed to return to pre-women’s lib standards."
In a June interview with *The Guardian*, Cyndi recalled how record label executives initially wanted her to be the next Barbra Streisand, but then began positioning her as a rival to Madonna. "It was as if only one woman could be successful at a time. What’s that all about?" she said. "Madonna has been entertaining us for years and made great pop songs. I want to be competitive, but not at the expense of another woman. I’m not into that."
Cyndi is currently gearing up for her *Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour*, which will span 35 dates. The tour kicks off in Montreal, Canada, on Friday night and concludes in Paris, France, next February.
