Before there was a self-proclaimed Midwestern princess, New York had a queen of queens. On Saturday night, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, Chapel Lawn officially inducted Cyndi Lauper, and they came together in a glittering cosmic fusion, delivering an earnest speech that touched on her own teenage admiration for the honoree and her continued respect for her as one of pop’s longest-standing allies for the LGBTQ community.
Hall of Fame inductees Cyndi Lauper and Chapel Lawn speak on stage during the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Peacock Theater on November 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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“Cindy embodies all the qualities of artists I admire,” Roan said from the stage at LA’s Peacock Theater. “She’s a natural performer, a revolutionary songwriter, an eternal fashion icon, and a fierce advocate and ally. And from the beginning, she was all of herself: manic, panicked hair, flashy fingerless gloves, and incredibly layered, dynamic, one-of-a-kind vocals… Can you hear me fussing a little bit for the vocals?”
Roan reflected on Roper’s influence during the early stages of his career. “One of Cindy’s most inspirational songs for me personally is ‘True Colors.’ When I was 14, I performed ‘True Colors’ at a talent show in my home state of Missouri. This was the first time I won a singing contest and it has been very important to me ever since. “True Colors” became an anthem synonymous with love and acceptance in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, and its message continues to stand the test of time. ”
Lauper was as truly colorful as ever in that regard when she sang “True Colors” as part of a multi-artist performance in her honor. The song paused as a vertical rainbow/Pride flag was unfurled from behind her, from the top of the stage, with a dramatic, pointed camera angle.
In her acceptance speech, Lauper thanked “the greatest female band I’ve ever dreamed of” (this time featuring Go-Go’s drummer Gina Schock) and positioned herself as part of the middle generation in the history of women in rock.
“So, to make a long story short…” she quipped. “Oh, it’s too late for that. But what I’m trying to say is that I know that I’m standing on the shoulders of the women who came before me in this industry, and my shoulders are broad enough that the women who come after me can also stand on my shoulders. And the other thing that I thought was really important, and that’s why I really came here tonight, is that the little child in me still believes that rock and roll can save the world.”
Chapel Lawn and Cyndi Lauper arrive at the backstage lounge of GBK Brand Bar & Meals on Me at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the Peacock Theater on November 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Getty Images of GBK Brand Bar L
Roan began his speech by saying: “I think we can all agree that the best art comes from the most authentic people. When artists stay true to themselves, even if some people say they’re too loud, too eccentric, or all of the above, that honesty becomes their greatest strength.”
In an awkward yet fascinating moment, Roan finds himself losing his place and comes close to dropping the F-bomb on Disney+. “I…” she stopped herself and explained, “I did a terrible thing by refusing contact. Oh my god.”
Amid laughter from the audience that won’t be heard when the edited version airs on ABC New Year’s Day, Roan quickly regained his composure and continued:
“It’s that courage that not only creates great art, but also gives everyone who experiences it permission to be who they are. Courage opens hearts, changes minds, and that’s courage. Tonight, we’re celebrating what a pop star is like. We celebrate the woman who redefined what we could sound like, how we could sing, and what we could be: the incredible Cyndi Lauper, a musical legend whose four-octave range has inspired us for the past 40 years.”
Chapel Lawn attends the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Peacock Theater on November 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Gilbert Flores
After praising the heroine’s singing ability, Roan said, “Before her voice was known around the world, Cindy spent years singing in cover bands and taking random jobs to find her own path. Then people in the industry started taking notice of her. It wasn’t until her band Blue Angel. Although the band eventually disbanded, Cindy released her debut solo album, She’s Saw, in 1983 that she finally got her much-needed, well-earned break.” “Unusual” “sparked a cultural shift and earned Cindy an award for Best New Artist. The song became more than just a hit song, it became a global feminist anthem. And the video, “She Bop,” and her iconic rendition of “All Through the Night,” which became arguably a touchstone for her unmistakable style. It further cemented Cindy’s status as a global superstar. ”
Roan continued, “Through 12 album releases and more, Cindy spread her magical musical wings, expanding beyond pop to blues, country, jazz, and even Tony Award-winning Broadway. Some of her greatest accomplishments also occur outside the studio, when she championed gay rights in the U.S. Senate. They are part of her nonprofit organization that will fight to the end. It happens through our bodies, True Colors United. We’re fighting to end LGBTQ+ homelessness.” Cyndi Lauper paved the way for artists like me to express ourselves freely, taught us that we can be free with any hair color, opened our hearts and minds, and conveyed a beautiful message that we have the power to be our true selves. ”
Roper began his speech in a more irreverent tone. “Do you know what would happen if we let the bad guys in?”
Cyndi Lauper attends the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Peacock Theater on November 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Gilbert Flores/Variety
Among the people Lauper thanked were: “My mother would have loved to have been here because she didn’t have to worry about whether I would win or not,” and “all the record company executives and producers I worked with and who probably went crazy, ask them, how many of them? “They believed in me and worked with me to create it.” Her praise extended to “all the bands, including the cover bands,” the road crew, and “the people who helped me string the dulcimer that no one liked that I was playing.”
She said that when she uses the term R&R for herself, she thinks in terms of the same big tent that the hall itself has used for years to bring in acts from a variety of genres under its Attitude umbrella.
“Rock and roll is a big, wonderful quilt of different styles of music, thank God,” she said. “And all of that music has influenced me and my work. And without that music, I don’t know what kind of music I would be making. So now I want to say, let’s come together again and do good in the world, because the world needs us…
“You know, I’ve always been a part of the rock and roll community. They didn’t want to talk to me anyway because they thought I was a little crazy. I don’t know why. Anyway, all kidding aside, I love you. Thank you Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I’m so glad you’re bringing back women. We have so many. And long live rock and roll.”
Lauper’s performance, which took place near the end of the more than four-hour show, included the aforementioned rendition of “True Colors,” a duet with Ray on “Time After Time,” and the climactic rendition of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” with Avril Lavigne sharing a verse and a group cameo from Salt-N-Pepa at the end.
Cyndi Lauper and Brandi Carlile attend the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Peacock Theater on November 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Gilbert Flores/Variety
Chapel Lawn attends the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Peacock Theater on November 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Gilbert Flores/Variety
