Watching Chappell Roan induct Cyndi Lauper into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame felt like witnessing a musical family reunion where the cool aunt finally gets her due. The 2025 ceremony in Cleveland became less about checking another awards show box and more about understanding how artistic courage creates ripple effects across generations.
Roan delivered the kind of induction speech that reminds you why these ceremonies matter beyond industry backslapping. “Tonight, we honor a woman who redefined what a pop star could look like, sound like, sing like, and be,” she declared, sharing memories of singing “True Colors” as a child. You could feel the genuine reverence—not manufactured for cameras, but rooted in the recognition that Lauper’s fearless authenticity paved roads other artists now travel through the 80s pop landscape.
Cross-Generational Magic Takes the Stage
Performance collaborations spanning decades proved Lauper’s songs belong to everyone.
The evening’s musical sequence played out like a perfectly curated playlist bridging eras. Lauper opened solo with “True Colors,” her voice carrying the same vulnerable strength that made the song a lifeline for countless listeners.
British singer Raye joined her for “Time After Time,” creating an unexpected but perfect harmony between past and present. Then came “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” with Avril Lavigne and Salt-N-Pepa appearing for the finale—a genre-blending collaboration that would’ve seemed impossible in any other context but made perfect sense here.
Lauper encouraged the entire audience to sing along, transforming the ceremony into a massive singalong that felt more like a celebration than a stuffy industry event, proving that the best cover songs often emerge from unexpected collaborations.
A Call for Music to Matter Again
Lauper’s acceptance speech delivered a powerful message about collective responsibility.
Lauper’s acceptance speech cut through typical award show platitudes with characteristic directness. “I stand on the shoulders of women who came before me, and my shoulders are broad enough to have the women who come after me stand on mine,” she said. Her words carried the weight of someone who’s fought for space in an industry that wasn’t always welcoming.
Her closing message reached beyond music industry politics: “the little kid in me still believes that rock and roll can save the world… let’s come together again and do good in the world because it needs us.” In an era where entertainment often feels disconnected from purpose, Lauper reminded everyone present that music carries responsibility alongside its power, echoing themes of spiritual reinvention that many artists embrace.
Your handwritten “Time After Time” lyrics are now part of the Rock Hall museum’s permanent collection—tangible proof that songs this essential deserve preservation beyond streaming playlists.
