No.7: Dionne Warwick
Legendary soul singer Dionne Warwick, known for classics like Walk On By, ran into serious tax trouble later in her career. Years of mismanaged taxes from the ’80s and ’90s snowballed into over $10 million in unpaid debt.
In 2013, Warwick filed for bankruptcy, with court documents revealing a razor-thin monthly budget—around $20,000 in income against nearly the same in expenses. Fortunately, after years of negotiations with tax authorities, her bankruptcy was resolved in 2019. Still performing today, she remains a cherished figure in the music industry.
No.6: Cyndi Lauper
Before her breakout hit Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper was struggling to make ends meet. In 1980, her band Blue Angel released an album that flopped, and their manager sued them for $80,000 in damages.
Lauper filed for bankruptcy in 1981 and took odd jobs—singing in restaurants dressed in kimono and working retail—to survive. But in 1983, her solo debut album became a worldwide sensation, catapulting her to pop superstardom just a few years after she had hit rock bottom.
.jpg){kind=link}
