Cyndi Lauper revealed that she often gets inspired with song ideas during her cleaning routine, saying, “I don’t know why, but that’s when they come to me.”
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In a Rolling Stone “Musicians on Musicians” interview, Lauper shared with Gracie Abrams that whenever her mother told her to clean, she would instead sit down and start playing the guitar.
Cyndi Lauper has found an unexpected muse for her songwriting — household chores.
In a recent Rolling Stone Musicians on Musicians interview released on Friday, Oct. 17, the Girls Just Want to Have Fun icon told singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams that she often comes up with new musical ideas while tidying up.
“When I’m cleaning the house, melodies and lyrics just start popping into my head. I have no idea why,” said the 72-year-old artist.
Abrams, 26, suggested that perhaps Lauper’s creativity flows best when she’s physically active, saying it might be because she’s “in motion.”
Lauper reminisced about her younger years, recalling that when her mother would ask her to clean her room, she’d end up playing her guitar instead. “I had Beatles posters covering every wall,” she said. “My teachers used to tell me I needed to draw for at least an hour a day.”
She added that it’s always fascinating to hear about the different ways artists find inspiration.
When Abrams asked how her songwriting process works today, Lauper explained that composing for Broadway productions has changed her creative approach.
“These days, I’m writing for theater, and that’s a different challenge,” she said. “It’s both easier and harder because the songs aren’t meant to sound like me. You have to figure out what fits the character — their voice, their energy, their range — and make it feel authentic to them.”
Reflecting on her Broadway experience, Lauper described her time working on Kinky Boots as a relatively fast project. “We started in 2008 and it opened in 2013 — which, believe it or not, felt quick,” she said with a laugh.
By contrast, her current work on the stage adaptation of Working Girl has been a much longer process. “It’s taken over a decade, but it’s worth it,” Lauper explained. “It’s about exploring the story’s roots and what it means in today’s world.”
After more than four decades in the music industry, Lauper said she still feels like a student of her craft. “Sometimes you write something and think, ‘Wow, that’s brilliant!’ Then the next day you listen back and go, ‘What were we thinking?’” she admitted. “But that’s just part of the creative ride.”