Why Cyndi Lauper And Madonna Were Never Friends

At 63 years old, Madonna is just as successful as she ever was. Not only is she headlining a special on Paramount+ called "Madame X Presents," but she also appeared on the cover of V Magazine in October, where she honored the late Marilyn Monroe. To date, Madonna has sold over 300 million records and is the highest-grossing touring artist of all time. She has also won seven Grammys. 

In a 2003 interview with Oprah, Madonna opened up about her celebrity status. She shared of her life at home, "We don't talk about fame, we don't have magazines in the house, and we don't watch TV." When Oprah asked if she can believe the life she's created for herself, Madonna replied, "It happens when other people remind me of it. If someone shows me a retrospective of all the videos I've done, I go, 'Wow, that's me? I did that?'"

Yet, while most singers would be overjoyed to be compared to someone like Madonna, the comparison was not one that Cindy Lauper seemed to be excited by. Why not? What did Lauper have against Madonna?

In 2019, Cindy Lauper was interviewed by Q104.3's Shelli Sonstein. When asked about being compared to Madonna earlier in her career, she replied, "I think she has different chops [than me]. I think everybody's different." She then agreed with the statement that men and women are treated differently in the music industry, adding, "They pit women against women, unfortunately. I felt very bad at that time."

Lauper continued by saying while Madonna, like many other singers, has forayed into other areas of entertainment, she wants to remain solely focused on singing and her health. "I just want to be able to do things that I love and be healthy enough to do them," she told Sonstein. 

Like Madonna, Lauper has taken home a number of accolades for her work. She has won Grammys, Emmys, Tonys, and a slew of honors from the Billboard Awards and American Music Awards. 

Despite the fact that Cindy Lauper felt she and Madonna were "pitted" against one another, she never denied how much she looked up to her. When asked if she ever felt threatened by other artists, namely Madonna, she said, "No! I thought of them with pretty great regard" (per Drowned Madonna).  She added of the "Material Girl" singer, "I got to say, I fool around and say she was my evil cousin, but when she did 'Like A Prayer,' my Catholic schoolgirl heart was... I loved her! She was a hero, right? She got everyone upset. That was so good. Right?"

Today, both artists are still riding their respective waves of success. In November 2020, Lauper performed a duet of "Eve of Destruction" with former "American Idol" finalist Casey Abrams. And, in January 2020, she sang a portion of the song, "I Sing the Body Electric" at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. In 2017, Lauper sold her Connecticut home. These days, she is living a full and busy life in New York City.