Once upon a time, Cyndi Lauper was on top of the world. She was one of the fiercest pop music queens of the ‘80s thanks to killer songs like “Time After Time” and “Girls Just Want To Have Fun.” Thanks to her infectiously fun beats and wildly clever lyrics, you might think that Lauper has always had a relatively easy life. That’s not really true, though: like far too many pop queens, Lauper led a very tragic life before she became famous.
Sadly, even fame wasn’t enough to protect the singer from tragedy. From her earliest career moments to a devastating health diagnosis later in life, Lauper has had more trauma than most of her pop star colleagues combined. Just what made Cyndi Lauper’s life so not-so-beautifully tragic? Keep reading to find out!
Surviving a traumatic childhood
Many musicians are what the kids call “nepo babies.” In other words, they had famous parents and never had to worry about money. Moreover, they were almost certain to follow in their parents’ footsteps and become rich and famous in their own right. However, Cyndi Lauper’s childhood was anything but privileged. She didn’t have the blessing of famous parents, and she underwent tragic abuse on a regular basis.
Growing up in the perfectly normal, working-class neighborhood of Ozone Park in Queens, Lauper seemed like she’d have a relatively normal childhood. Unfortunately, her dad left when she was only 10 years old, leaving the singer to face abandonment issues at a very young age. Her mother married another man, one who was reportedly described as a “violent bully.” All of this tragedy came to a head when her stepfather allegedly tried to sexually assault both Lauper and her sister; when the creep peeped on a young Lauper in the shower, she left home at the tender age of 17.
Cyndi Lauper’s Tragic Life Will Break Your Heart
