Rod Stewart and Cyndi Lauper sharing a stage? It’s the kind of pairing that sparks excitement and just a little confusion. But here they are, out on the road together, making magic happen. Lauper sums it up: “I never thought I’d be touring with him.” Stewart nods along, the feeling mutual. “Same here.”
Their chemistry is palpable, even if their schedules keep them from hanging out much. Touring, as Lauper puts it, is a grind: “You’re working. Everything is for the show. Prepare your body, prepare your voice, pack, unpack, soundcheck, warm up. There’s not a lot of time to sit around talking about the old days.”
Still, they’re finding ways to connect with their audiences. Stewart tosses out a curveball: “We were just talking—what if we let the fans pick a song for us to duet? Something out of the blue, like an old Motown or R&B track. Not one of our own songs. Something they want to hear.” It’s a bold move, and one that underscores their willingness to take risks, even with decades of hits between them.
For Lauper, taking risks has always been part of the game. “From the start, I had to fight like hell to do my own thing. Everyone wanted the same song over and over, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to grow. I wanted to contribute something bigger than me,” she says, reflecting on her career-long battle to avoid being boxed in by early pop success.
Stewart, ever the consummate showman, is gearing up for the release of Blood Red Roses, his next album, which he calls “absolutely fantastic.” He’s candid about the challenge of getting audiences to embrace new music alongside classics. “It’s tough to convince people to listen to something new when they’re there for the hits,” he admits, but he’s not shying away from the challenge.
And then there’s the fashion. Lauper and Stewart are icons in their own right, but who’s rocked the most outlandish looks? Stewart doesn’t miss a beat: “I did. Didn’t you notice?” He even pokes fun at his signature hair, comparing its consistency to Queen Elizabeth’s reign. “Same haircut for 50 years,” he jokes.
With these two, it's always expect the unexpected. After all, when legends like these hit the stage, anything can happen.
Listen to the interview above and then check out some classics below!
