Cyndi Lauper wishes she had been friends with Madonna in the 80s.

The ‘Time After Time’ hitmaker lamented that it was a shame that she and ‘Material Girl’ singer Madonna - who both debuted their first albums in 1983 - were made into each other’s competition when they were starting out and couldn’t be pals during their rise to superstardom.

The 70-year-old legend told the New York Times newspaper: “It was a shame. I would have liked to have a friend.”

She also quipped: “It was like apples and oranges,” in reference to people being made to ‘choose’ one.

Cyndi also reflected on her most well-known song ‘Girls Just To Have Fun’ - which was written by Robert Hazard - and how she worked to make the video “inclusive” so it was reflective of the scene was operating in.

She told the paper: “That video was what you call ‘inclusive. I was sick of the segregation” of the music industry. It’s people together that create a style.”

The ‘True Colours’ singer explained how she first began channeling other artists like Janis Joplin.

Cyndi said: “I was stuck inside her body, and she didn’t like it, and I didn’t like it.”

Cyndi - who has created the LGBT homeless charity The True Colours United and the abortion campaign Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights - admitted that her being vocal about the injustice of the AIDS crisis caused her to lose “business” but felt it was important to speak out for the people she loved.

She said: “I know that I probably lost business because I talked about AIDS a lot. I ought to stand up like any good Italian and stick up for my family, you know?”