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She's one of the biggest pop superstars in the world, but at home Cyndi Lauper is just mom.
The Grammy winner and her husband David Thornton share one child together, a son named Declyn.
Lauper and Thornton first met on the set of the 1991 film Off and Running and tied the knot shortly after on Nov. 24, 1991. They welcomed their son in 1997.
Though Lauper tends to keep her personal and professional life separate (for example, she did not include them in her documentary Let the Canary Sing), they have stepped out with her on various occasions.
“The documentary is my life and [director Alison Ellwood’s] work; it’s her interpretation of my work,” Lauper told Vanity Fair about her new film. “There were certain things I didn’t want to talk about, my husband and my son, because that was really private. The documentary is about my career, and let the canary sing.”
Most recently, Declyn supported his mother at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival as she premiered her new documentary.
Here’s everything to know about Lauper’s only son.
He was born in November 1997
On Nov. 19, 1997, just ahead of their sixth wedding anniversary, Lauper and Thornton welcomed their first and only child together, a son named Declyn Wallace Thornton Lauper.
He’s a musician too
Bruce Glikas/Getty
Declyn has taken after his mother in the musical department. “It’s more underground,” Lauper told Vanity Fair of her son’s music. “He’s on SoundCloud and he’s a terrific artist.”
He has released a handful of songs under the name Dex Lauper, including a collaboration with G-Eazy, and keeps his 2.2 million followers updated on his musical happenings on social media. In June 2023, he teased that he was “releasing new music soon.”
He previously appeared on Cyndi’s show Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual
In 2013, Lauper had a reality series on WE tv titled Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual, which focused on how she balances her work and family life. Both Declyn and Lauper’s husband made appearances on the series, which ran for one season.
He’s had a few scrapes with the law
In July 2022, Declyn was arrested in New York City after police allegedly found him sitting in a stolen 2014 Mercedes Benz C350, PEOPLE confirmed at the time. The then-24-year-old was taken into custody and charged with felony unauthorized use of a vehicle.
That October, he appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty and was ordered to complete five days of private community service and “stay out of trouble for one year,” the New York Post reported at the time.
“It’s definitely a blessing the case is over,” he told The Post as he left the courtroom with his father.
He’s supported his mom at various events
James Devaney/FilmMagic
Over the years, Declyn has made various appearances with his mom as he supports her at events. One of his first red carpets was in May 2010 as he attended the afterparty for The Celebrity Apprentice season 3, in which Lauper starred.
Additionally, he was by his mom’s side for the 2011 Grammy Awards, the Broadway opening night of Kinky Boots and the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards.
Most recently, he was photographed with his mother at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere afterparty for her documentary, Let the Canary Sing, on June 14.
Cyndi Lauper has been candid about her son growing up in the spotlight
Over the years, Lauper has spoken about balancing her work and motherhood, as well as the affects it's had on her son. "It's hard for him,” Lauper previously told The Guardian about how her son deals with her fame.
“People look at him, and he feels the pressure of being my son," she said. "Someone came up to me in the street and kept talking and talking. Declyn said afterward, 'Who are you?' And I said, 'I'm a mommy.' And he said, 'No, you're not - you're Cyndi Lauper!'"
She has also praised Thornton for being such a great father while she was on the road. “My son went to good schools, but I missed out on a few things when I was on the road,” she told Vanity Fair.
“People said I was so career-driven, but once the kid came, I looked at how I can support everything: make a record, tour—and my husband would say, ‘Go to Europe, I’ve got him.’ I took my son on tour sometimes, but he needed his own space.”
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