Cyndi Lauper Looks Back on 10 Years of Her Home For the Holidays Benefit: ‘I Can’t Believe What We’ve Done’
Written by Nyah Joe on December 11, 2020
For the last 10 years, Cyndi Lauper has made it her mission to educate and entertain the masses for the holidays. With Home for the Holidays, Lauper brings together her superstar friends to help raise money to eradicate homelessness among LGBTQ youth.
But this year, for the show’s 10th anniversary, the annual concert almost didn’t come to pass. With the COVID-19 pandemic making live performance impossible, Lauper and her team were forced to improvise. Luckily, with some help from directors, producers and TikTok, the show will go on.
On Friday, Dec. 11, the 10th annual Home for the Holidays concert is taking place live on Lauper’s TikTok page, and she brought along some big names: Cher, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Dolly Parton, Adam Lambert, Bette Midler and Billy Porter are just a few of the stars set to appear during the show.
Porter tells Billboard that getting involved in Lauper’s annual show, which he has for the past few years, is never a difficult choice. “I am so very lucky to have had a supportive mother, sister and chosen family throughout my journey. But I am acutely aware that far too many young people do not have that and experience homelessness because of it,” he says. “I am always happy to lend my time and my voice to Home for the Holidays and to Miss Cyndi!”
Lambert agrees, saying it was an honor to be asked to join the lineup for this annual event. “We have a little history of collaborating now, so this was a no brainer,” he says. “I’m very flattered to share a bill with such iconic women, and for such a great cause!”
But for Lauper, having a community of artists willing to come together and rally behind a cause as important as LGBTQ youth homelessness is the real treasure of Home for the Holidays. “The people that stepped up, God bless them — or Goddess, you know, whatever you think,” she says, laughing. “I think it’s fantastic.”
Billboard chatted with Lauper ahead of her annual benefit show about how Home for the Holidays went digital this year, the continued issue of homelessness in the LGBTQ community, and her role as a queer ally.
READ FULL STORY HERE:
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/9497582/cyndi-lauper-home-for-the-holidays-10th-anniversary-interview/
via/billboard.com
