Cyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper, a multi-faceted artist with an extraordinary four-decade-long career, is known for her accomplishments as a singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. From her debut album, "She's So Unusual" in 1983, which was the first by a female artist to achieve four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100, to her notable success with the soundtrack for the motion picture The Goonies and her second album "True Colors," Lauper's influence in the music industry has been profound. Her distinctive image and powerful four-octave singing range have not only sold over 50 million records worldwide but also won her awards at the Grammys, Emmys, Tonys, MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard Awards, and American Music Awards.

Lauper's foray into theatre has been equally successful. In 2013, she won the Tony Award for Best Original Score for composing the Broadway musical "Kinky Boots," making her the first woman to claim the category solo. This achievement and her honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from Northern Vermont University-Johnson speak volumes about her creative prowess. Her appearances on the covers of Rolling Stone magazine, Time, and Newsweek in 1984-85 and her participation in USA for Africa's famine-relief fund-raising single "We Are the World" further testify to her wide range of talents and commitments.

Lauper's activism, particularly for LGBTQ rights, is another distinguishing facet of her career. She co-founded the True Colors Tour for Human Rights, advocating equal rights for LGBTQ individuals, and started True Colors United to end youth homelessness, focusing on LGBTQ youth. She performed her song "True Colors" at the ceremony where U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law and launched the Girls Just Want To Have Fundamental Rights Fund in 2022.