Cyndi Lauper Says She “Broke Down in Tears” After Hearing This Gracie Abrams Song

Joyful pop and quiet heartbreak can coexist in the same song — and that’s exactly what happened when Cyndi Lauper heard Gracie Abrams’ music. In a new sit-down for Rolling Stone’s “Musicians on Musicians” series, Lauper admitted one of Abrams’ tracks moved her to tears.

The interview, published October 17, 2025, began with mutual admiration. Lauper singled out “I Know It Won’t Work,” saying the song’s first listen brought on an emotional reaction.

“When I listened to ‘I Know It Won’t Work,’ I started crying,” Lauper said, prompting a surprised response from Abrams — who protested with disbelief that Lauper had even been listening to her work. Lauper then clarified she had listened to the full record.

For her part, Abrams confessed she grew up immersed in Lauper’s catalog and admired how decisively Lauper steered her own career from the start. She described discovering new meanings in Lauper’s songs as she matured: the more she grew into adulthood, the more she appreciated their depth.

“I Know It Won’t Work” appears on Abrams’ debut album, Good Riddance — a song Lauper praised for its phrasing and the brisk, conversational cadence Abrams brings to her writing. Lauper noted the distinctive rhythm in Abrams’ delivery as one of the things that stood out.

The conversation arrives after Abrams concluded an extensive touring cycle behind her breakthrough sophomore record, The Secret of Us, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Abrams is now back in the studio crafting new material, and she admitted she doesn’t yet know what direction her next era will take.

“Now that the album cycle is over, the next album isn’t made — I don’t know what I want to say yet,” Abrams said. Lauper, drawing on a career’s worth of perspective, reassured her: there’s plenty of time and inspiration ahead. “You’ve got your whole life now,” Lauper told her. “You’re going to make it. You are going to write the book.”

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