Cyndi Lauper Calls Rod Stewart A 'True Friend And Supporter' As They Mark Third Tour Together

Apr 10, 2023

Cyndi Lauper enjoyed her time on her third tour with her "true friend and supporter" Rod Stewart. The duo performed across packed venues in Australia and New Zealand for a series of shows from March 11, 2023, to April 2, 2023.  

The "True Colors" singer said in an Instagram post on Feb. 25, 2023, that she could not wait to get back on the road with Stewart. Brooklyn-born Lauper was also Stewart's guest for his summer tours in 2017 and 2018, but they first performed together at an AIDS benefit concert in Los Angeles in 1984. 

Stewart recalled that Lauper told him his choice to wear an electric blue suit for the event was "too loud" and that she didn't think the outfit represented rock and roll. Despite Lauper's direct and honest observation, Stewart said that he was a fan of the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" singer since the beginning, and he wanted to record her hit song, "Time After Time." In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked "Time After Time" number 22 on the list of the 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years. 

Long before Lauper's success as a pop music star, Stewart was already at the height of his fame in the mid-1970s. The British singer churned hits like "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" and "Hot Legs," which topped the charts in the US, Canada and Australia.  

Actively performing since 1962, Stewart has had nearly a dozen of No. 1 albums in the UK before achieving global recognition and success. But it was songs like "Maggie May" and "Reason to Believe" that made him a household name. 

In 2017, Stewart asked Lauper to perform “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” with him on the concert tour. Stewart first recorded the song in 1975 with the Isley Brothers. Lauper knew the song by heart as she used to copy Stewart's version when she sang with cover bands as a budding singer in the late '70s. 

Speaking with Westworld, Lauper said she developed a raspy voice for her debut album "She's So Unusual" because she was trying to sound like Stewart. Thus, it became a truly special privilege for her to be working with a legend in the music industry.

"To be on stage with him now, because I actually sing a song with him…honestly, I pinch myself to remember," Lauper said. 

In 2018, Lauper admitted via Smooth Radio that she had a hard time getting Stewart's British sense of humor in the beginning, and she could not keep up with him even as she was nine years younger. Yet they formed a rapport on stage when she started mimicking his movements. 

"I thought it would look good if we were both dancing the same way, like a team. He would watch me and start laughing, and he would start to do nutty moves and look at me and see if I was doing it." 

In an exclusive with People, Lauper remarked about her special relationship with Stewart over the years. 

"Rod has always been a true friend and supporter throughout my career. We've shared some incredible moments on and off the stage," the singer said.

What can you say about Cyndi Lauper and Rod Stewart’s friendship? Have you seen them perform together live or on TV? Know a fan of these two music stars? Then pass this story along and tell them all about it!