Cyndi Lauper, Sam Smith Light Up MSG With ‘Time After Time’ Duet
The duo previously performed at the White House in 2022 when Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law
Cyndi Lauper reunited with Sam Smith at Madison Square Garden in New York on Wednesday evening. As the “Stay With Me” singer took the stage, the historic arena glowed as thousands of fans turned on their cellphone lights for the occasion and the star duo performed her massive 1984 hit, “Time After Time.”
Lauper kicked off her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour at MSG, and will embark on her 23-city headlining trek across America with opening acts including Aly and AJ, Amanda Shires, Elle King, Tones and I, Gayle, and Trixie Mattel.
The Eighties pop icon and Smith previously performed in 2022 at the White House to celebrate President Joe Biden and his administration successfully passing the Respect for Marriage Act. The legislation fortified marriage rights across the country, particularly for same-sex and interracial couples.
During the ceremony at Washington, D.C. Lauper, who has been a LGBTQ+ rights advocate for much of her career, delivered a special performance of “True Colors,” a track from her sophomore album of the same name. Smith, who sang “Stay With Me,” wrote in a social media post at the time: “I felt inspired to change the lyrics of ‘Stay With Me’ from, ‘this ain’t love, it’s clear to see’ to ‘this is love, it’s clear to see’ to mark the historic occasion.”
In 2021, Smith released a cover of Lauper’s “Time After Time” from their live album, Love Goes: Live at Abbey Road Studios, which released that year. Along with their rendition of the Lauper classic, Smith also shared a 20-minute conversation with the singer, during which Smith says that while the song has always filled them with melancholy and longing, “It just made me so happy to sing.”
