by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Combining thrift-shop chic and lowbrow culture with a fun-based feminist slant, Cyndi Lauper’s catchy pop ditties made her one of the ’80s most definitive and memorable figures. Touring with Cher for the second time, she’s still going strong, and has just released her new EP Shine. The Mirror got Lauper on the line for a few words on what she’s up to.

Mirror: On the new EP, the tune I like best is “It’s Hard to Be Me”—I like the message, and it’s got a punky edge to it.

Cyndi Lauper: We live in a strange world, and it’s just a reflection of the times that, after a while, we’ve all seen our profiles. It gets funny after a while, the way everything is advertised. I’ve always loved punk, and the energy that it has is what we tried to keep.

M: Then there’s “Madonna Whore,” which also has a strong message about how society perceives women.

CL: Again, sign of our times. It’s always good to break down the myth. Why is it okay to sing, “I got hos in different area codes,” but not to say the word whore? A man helped me write it—I perhaps wouldn’t even have written it otherwise. It’s ironic, even “She-Bop” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” were co-written by a man. I had strong feelings about what I wanted to do with “Madonna Whore,” though, as I do with all my work. But with this song—it’s not just one gender that feels this way.

M: The title track pops up again on the new compilation Being Out Rocks, a celebration of gayness from the rock end of things.

CL: I try to do everything I can. I think people who live in the closet get a little twisted. We always need to talk about who we are and why. Once you talk about it, you can untwist all the kinks. I think it’s a good thing—I’m a PFLAG [Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays] person, my sister is a lesbian. I grew up in a situation where I saw first hand what goes on. :

With Cher at the Bell Centre
on Monday, Oct. 21, 7:30pm, $70–90

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