More than four decades after She’s So Unusual lit up the Billboard charts and redefined pop music, Cyndi Lauper continues to shape the sound and spirit of new generations. Now, as Lauper prepares to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on November 8, her legacy is coming full circle — with breakout pop star Chappell Roan set to honor her idol by inducting her on stage.
In a video shared by the Hall of Fame’s official Instagram, Roan expressed pure excitement and heartfelt admiration. “I’m so excited to be inducting Cyndi Lauper into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” she said, smiling through her words. “She has inspired me with her fashion, her hair, of course, her makeup, her music. I actually auditioned with ‘True Colors’ for America’s Got Talent when I was 13! I didn’t make it, but the song is still incredible.” Lauper herself dropped heart-eye emojis in the comments — a fitting response from one trailblazer to another.
Roan’s admiration for Lauper runs deeper than nostalgia. Over the past year, the Missouri-born singer has become one of pop’s most distinctive new voices, drawing comparisons to Lauper not just for her vocals, but for her boldness and theatrical edge. Her debut album Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess earned her critical acclaim and several Top 20 hits, including “Hot to Go!” which mirrors Lauper’s own 1980s synthpop energy. Both women have won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist — Lauper in 1985 and Roan exactly forty years later in 2025 — a poetic symmetry that underscores the generational bridge between them.
When Roan took the stage at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards for her now-viral Joan of Arc-themed performance of “Good Luck, Babe!”, Lauper was watching — and cheering. Appearing later on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Lauper praised Roan’s artistry and creative fearlessness. “She’s performance art,” Lauper said. “And it’s visual, it’s so visual. You know I love those visual things, obviously.”
Lauper’s own career, of course, has long been rooted in the intersection of sound and spectacle. From the neon chaos of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” to the emotional vulnerability of “Time After Time,” she carved a lane for pop artists who viewed music as an expression of identity — colorful, loud, and unapologetically individual. Roan seems to carry that same spirit, blending queer empowerment, camp visuals, and a winking defiance of genre norms.
Despite her meteoric rise, Roan remains grounded in her influences. In her Rock Hall announcement, she emphasized how Lauper’s authenticity gave her permission to embrace her own eccentricities. “She’s always been herself,” Roan said. “Her creativity and confidence showed me that being different is the best thing you can be.”
The admiration is mutual. Lauper, in a 2024 interview with Playbill, gushed about Roan’s artistry. “Such dusky, yearning keyboard pop,” Lauper said. “And that hair! That kind of reminds me of what I did on the blues record Memphis Blues.This is just incredible.”
This year has been particularly celebratory for Lauper, who also headlined a Grammy Salute special at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring tributes from Cher, John Legend, SZA, and Joni Mitchell. On October 6, she announced her first-ever Las Vegas residency, launching in April 2026 at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum — a fitting venue for a performer who’s always balanced theatrical flair with emotional truth.
As for Roan, she’ll close her Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things Tour with a final show in Mexico City just days after the induction ceremony. She’s also scored two more hits this year — the country-tinged “The Giver” (No. 5) and the sweeping ballad “The Subway” (No. 3), marking her highest-charting single yet.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 40th annual ceremony promises an all-star lineup, including The Killers, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, Elton John, Taylor Momsen, Questlove, and more. Yet for many fans, the emotional centerpiece will be Lauper’s long-awaited induction — and the moment when one pop visionary welcomes another into the spotlight.
As Lauper herself once sang, “I see your true colors shining through.” This November, the world will see hers — reflected back in the artistry of a new generation she helped inspire.
SOURCE: Billboard