Australian producer CYRIL has teamed up with Tones And I to breathe life into Cyndi Lauper’s classic “Time After Time”, transforming the beloved ’80s ballad into a dreamy, dance floor-ready anthem.
Released via Spinnin’ Records, the collaboration brings together two of Australia’s biggest international music exports with one of pop’s most recognisable voices, bridging generations and genres in the process.
The new version retains the familiar melodies and emotional pull of Lauper’s 1984 hit, but trades its understated production for shimmering synths, restrained percussion and a rolling house bassline.
The result is a contemporary reimagining that keeps the song’s nostalgic heart intact while giving it a distinctly different energy.
For CYRIL, it’s familiar turf. The Australian DJ and producer scored his international breakthrough with a rework of Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman’s “Stumblin’ In”, turning the 1978 duet into a global streaming and social media sensation.
The track helped establish his reputation for finding new life in familiar songs, with his catalogue now boasting more than three billion streams. His recent releases have included collaborations with Wiz Khalifa and James Blunt, while August’s “Breathless” demonstrated another side of his production style.
Tones And I, meanwhile, continues to build on a remarkable international career that began with her 2019 breakthrough “Dance Monkey”.
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The singer-songwriter has since accumulated more than 12 billion streams, five ARIA Awards and two Australian No. 1 albums, Welcome to the Madhouse (2021) and Beautifully Ordinary (2024).
She’s also become an increasingly familiar presence in the dance world, collaborating with David Guetta and Teddy Swims on “Gone Gone Gone”, and joining forces with FISHER for “Favour”, which topped Billboard’s Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart.
Their latest collaboration draws on a song that has already stood the test of time.
Originally appearing on Lauper’s landmark 1983 debut album She’s So Unusual, “Time After Time” became one of the defining ballads of the decade, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and cementing its place in pop history.
More than four decades later, Lauper’s influence remains undeniable. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025, the Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award-winning artist has continued to celebrate her catalogue, recently wrapping up her international ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour’.
Tones joined Lauper on stage at the Melbourne stop of the tour and performed “Time After Time” with the original artist, per Rolling Stone AU/NZ‘s review:
“I remember singing this song on Molly Meldrum’s show,” Lauper recalled of “Time After Time”. Tones and I is welcomed to the stage to sing alongside Lauper for this one and looks suitably chuffed to be there – “Keep doin’ what your doin’,” Lauper encouraged.
“Time After Time” by CYRIL & Tones And I is out now via Spinnin’ Records.
