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Skip to main content Chappell Roan performs on stage at the "Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things" U.S. Pop-Up Tour held at Brookside at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 10, 2025 in Pasadena, California. Christopher Polk Trending on Billboard Over 40 years since She’s So Unsual rocked the Billboard charts, Cyndi Lauper is still inspiring new generations of pop stars — take Chappell Roan‘s word for it. Chappell Roan & The Killers Added as Guests at 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony Beloved Brazilian Singer João Gomes Performs Historic Show In Rio Elmo, Cookie Monster & More ‘Sesame Street’ Pals Headed to Italy for 2026 Olympics (and Cannolis!) Ahead of inducting Lauper into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 8, Roan took a moment to reflect on the different ways the “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” singer inspired her approach to pop music and performance. “I’m so excited to be inducting Cyndi Lauper into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” Roan says in the clip, which was posted to the Hall’s official Instagram page and featured Lauper leaving heart-eye emojis in the comment section. “She has inspired me with her fashion, her hair, of course, her makeup, her music. I actually auditioned with ‘True Colors’ for America’s Got Talent when I was 13! I didn’t make it, but the song is still incredible.” Roan, who achieved a culture-shifting breakthrough in 2024, bears several musical and aesthetic similarities to Lauper. “Hot to Go,” a Hot 100 top 20 hit (No. 15) from her smash debut album Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, pulls directly from Lauper’s relentless synthpop playbook. Plus, both singers are also winners of the prestigious best new artist Grammy; Lauper won in 1985 and Roan followed four decades later in 2025. After the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, where Roan mounted a Joan of Arc-themed performance of “Good Luck, Babe,” Lauper praised the breakout star’s “performance art.” “And it’s visual, it’s so visual,” she added during her appearance on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live (Sept. 15, 2024). “You know I love those visual things, obviously.” Though Chappell has yet to release her sophomore studio album, she visited the Hot 100’s top 10 twice this year with two new songs. While the country-tinged “The Giver” reached No. 5, “The Subway,” a sweeping ballad, reached No. 3, marking the highest-peaking Hot 100 entry of her career so far. Following Lauper’s Rock Hall induction, Roan will play the final show of her Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things Tour at Mexico City’s Corona Capital Festival on Nov. 14. Earlier this month (Oct. 5), Lauper’s Hollywood Bowl-set Grammy Salute special aired on CBS and Paramount+, featuring performances from Joni Mitchell, Cher, John Legend, SZA, and, of course, Lauper herself. On Oct. 6, Lauper announced her first-ever residency, which will commence in April 2026 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Check out Chappell Roan’s sweet tribute to Cyndi Lauper here. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about? Get in the know on Visit Billboard Pro for music business news Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2025 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Powered by WordPress.com VIP optional screen reader Manage Account Billboard Hot 100™ Billboard 200™ Hits Of The World™ Songs Of The Summer Year-End Charts Decade-End Charts R&B/Hip-Hop Business News Record Labels View All Pro Songwriters & Producers Artist Index Royalty Calculator Market Watch Industry Events Calendar Billboard Español Cultura y Entretenimiento Crossword Puzzle GET ACCESS TODAY
