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Cyndi Lauper - Web Exclusive Interview! |
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Written by Robbie Daw
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Sunday, 15 June 2008 |
 ANATOMY OF AN ALBUM
With the second annual True Colors Tour underway, pop icon Cyndi Lauper also gives us a little something extra this year in the form of a new, upbeat dance/pop album. From the concept of the shoes in the cover art to the many big-name producers and writers she collaborated with, Cyndi lets us in on how Bring Ya To The Brink was created.
THE SONGS: “All the new songs are a collaboration. I enjoy other artists, so I listened to different people that I like and went and wrote with them. I met Rich Morel and had a great time with him. We hung out. We ate some pizza and I sang. It seemed natural because it was more band-like. I just felt like I wanted common phrases from conversation, things that people really said and things that people really did. I wanted to take a snapshot of the time. Even in “Set Your Heart,” it was very important that the Harold Melvin song, “Where Are All My Friends,” was really prominent and prevalent because it is a call to the community. Where are all my friends? You can’t be down. You need to be empowered. Stand up! But, you know, let’s not get too disgusting and form a love circle but let’s move forward.”
THE WRITING: “I don’t care how it comes. It doesn’t matter to me. That’s why when I went and worked the Basement Jaxx, it’s their way – it’s you and them and a microphone and I’m doing stuff. In the beginning it’s a nice, fun collaboration. It was kind of great to work with all these different people. It was difficult, because everyone’s so different. I do not believe they work with a lot of singer-songwriter/producers. They’re used to working with hired singers. I look at what they’re doing and I know what I do. With the Basement Jaxx it was so much fun. I went to Brixton [in England] with Dragonette. I went to Sheperd’s Bush and we hung out there and we worked. They were all very sweet. I went to Kent with Digital Dog.”
THE RECORDING: “Everybody had their own thing. I tried to bring my Mbox but I wasn’t familiar with how I could do it with their systems. So it was kind of difficult. A lot of them use Logic. I’m not good on that at all. Pro Tools is right in front of your face. Logic is like, there are a lot of files there. Each one, technically, works differently. You know, and of course I work differently. I’ve been back seat driving most of my life, but I have the computer and I have the Mbox and I have the microphones, and I bring the shit that I need to do.”
WORKING IN SWEDEN: “And of course in Sweden – when I tell you they’re really not used to singer-writer/producers who are women – it throws them. I was in quick and I was out. It was actually a great experience, and I had the best time. Even though the Swedes speak English, there are a lot of things you say that they can’t understand. They can watch The Sopranos, but when they actually meet someone who speaks that way, it’s kinda difficult! No, it’s true! That’s how I talk! There were some things I didn’t understand, and then, in the end I felt like, “Well, I was wrong about that.” But I still had a great time, because I love other artists. I love the community and I love the fact of collaboration.”
THE COVER: “I studied art in school. I was always inspired by the Photo-Realist movement. I was gonna be a painter but, you know, I wound up being a singer and a writer. I still work in visuals because I direct and art direct. But I see what I do more as a performance art, not as a singer. I luckily had this wonderful woman in the art department at Sony BMG who I could work with. I showed her the Photo-Realist stuff. We were gonna work with this woman, Marilyn Minter, who’s a Photo-Realist, but we didn’t have time to turn it around for her to paint it. Me, I’ve been working on shoe pieces since the beginning of time. I just am fascinated with the path that people take. The way they wear their shoes, that’s their journey.”
THE ALBUM: “It’s been a long journey. Last year I was supposed to finish, but I couldn’t, because I had the tour. This year I just got it done. It’s not a quick thing. I don’t just go and sing on a track and go home, because then it’s not my work. Then I’m a hired singer. We got this guy, Jeremy Wheatley, who I heard last year – I had heard his mix of a Goldfrapp song, “Ride A White Horse,” which, I’m a big fan of them. It was just brilliant, the whole sonic picture. And also I was singing rhythmically, and I had been doing a lot of other things for the past two albums, so I wanted to go back to rhythm and energy.”
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Cyndi performs live on The View on June 16. For True Colors Tour dates, visit CyndiLauper.com
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Instinct Online 
written by Jeremy on June 19, 2008
I love Cyndi! I got to see her in Boston for the opening of the True Colors tour and she was by far the best of the night.
written by Barry on July 03, 2008
I heard her new CD recently and it's excellent, I hope she does some solo concerts to support it, I will definitely buy tickets to see that.
written by Paul Demke on July 04, 2008
She deserves much MUCH more success! Her new album is a MUST HAVE! I can't get enough of it! Great Dance Album! Great job Cyndi!!!
written by Blake R on July 07, 2008
Spectacular album! The funnest, as well as one of the more thought provoking albums, I've heard in years. Not many artists can do what she is doing here! Thanks for the interview!