Cyndi Lauper

Part-Sicilian, part-German, part-Swiss - but mostly New York - Cyndi Lauper has made a fine art out of a wacky, kooky image built around eccentric fashion sense, an adventurous array of hair colours and a distinctively idiosyncratic vocal style. With a career that's prospered for over three decades and produced over 25 million record sales, it clearly worked. She first sang in covers bands before forming Blue Angel with sax player John Turi, releasing one unsuccessful album before splitting. Signed by Portait Records as a solo act, she released debut album She's So Unusual in 1983 and her first single Girls Just Want To Have Fun - though written by a man - became an anthem of girl power. Self-written ballad Time After Time showed her serious side, followed by a string of other hits like She Bop, I Drove All Night and True Colors. Lauper is also an actress, appearing in the sit com Mad About You and starring in various movies, notably the comedies Vibes, Off And Running and Life With Mikey.