For some queer folks, dueling divas is a tale as old as time. Whether it’s Barbra Streisand versus Bette Midler, Whitney Houston versus Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera versus Britney Spears, or Lady Gaga versus Ariana Grande. When it comes to Cyndi Lauper versus Madonna, the winner is clear (hint: it’s Lauper). Even if you read her marvelous and revealing 2012 memoir, there’s nothing like hearing Lauper herself telling her story in her distinctive New York accent.
In the case of “Let The Canary Sing” (Paramount+), Lauper is fortunately in the capable hands of filmmaker Alison Ellwood (who also directed the acclaimed 2020 doc about The Go-Go’s). Lauper isn’t just the subject of the doc, she’s integral to the storytelling. As with her memoir, she reveals herself to the viewer, all her failures and triumphs on full display.
Among her faults are her lateness (although she credits Cher with teaching her to be more on time) and spreading herself too thin (“too many different professions” in Lauper’s own words). Of course, her strengths outweigh her faults, beginning with her ability to overcome her troubled beginnings (including an abusive stepfather) and make her mother (to whom she was devoted) proud. To paraphrase Lauper, knowing where you came from is essential to knowing where you’re going.
For the 15 years it took her to become an overnight sensation, with her 1983 solo debut album “She’s So Unusual,” Lauper dealt with multiple obstacles including self-destructive behavior, the inability to maintain a day job, losing her voice, and record label issues, to name a few. In fact, the doc’s title comes from a judge’s quote when he ruled in her favor following a lawsuit initiated by a former manager.
As many of us know, everything changed for Lauper following the release of the album and its anthemic hit single “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” including winning a Best New Artist Grammy Award. She finally had the career where she could sing and play music, express herself through her love of fashion, and become an outspoken ally, activist, and advocate for the LGBTQ community, as well as women’s rights.
More awards followed, including an Emmy (for “Mad About You”) and a Tony (for “Kinky Boots”), leaving her one award shy of an EGOT. While she never fully achieved the kind of success she found with “…Unusual,” she continues to record and release albums, even venturing into the dance music, blues, and country genres.
Praise-filled interviews with Billy Porter, Boy George, Patti LaBelle, songwriter Rob Hyman, journalist Holly George-Warren, voice coach Katie Agresta, publicist Katie Valk, Dan Beck of Epic Records, as well as Lauper’s lesbian sister Elen and brother Fred, augment Lauper’s own words. As she embarks on her upcoming final tour, “Let The Canary Sing” serves as a Cyndi Lauper refresher course, and one that is as entertaining as it is informative.
Rating: B+
