Deva Mahal Redefines “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” in Scott Jacoby’s Soulful Cantinuum Project

Deva Mahal doesn’t just sing, she transforms. In the latest release from Grammy-winning producer Scott Jacoby’s new project Cantinuum, the powerhouse vocalist reimagines Cyndi Lauper’s 1980s anthem “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” as a stirring, soul-soaked ballad. What was once a bright pop celebration becomes a slow-burning reflection on freedom, femininity, and emotional truth. Guided by Jacoby’s visionary production and Sarah Tamir’s creative direction, Mahal’s version peels back the glitter to reveal the song’s core: resilience. 

The daughter of blues legend Taj Mahal, Deva brings raw emotion and lived experience to every note, bridging past and present with stunning grace. Together, Jacoby and Mahal remind us that timeless songs never fade, they evolve. BuzzMusic caught up with both artists to discuss their collaboration, the creative process behind Cantinuum, and how reimagining the classics can uncover entirely new meanings.

Deva, what drew you to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," and what 

emotional space were you channeling while recording it?

When Scott came to me to be a part of this project and shared the concept,  I knew that the song we covered had to be one that I could deeply connect to. I needed to find a way in that felt genuine and authentic.  

We looked at so many records, and none of them were as embedded in my fibers as 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'. It seems very poignant. Women, of all types, are facing a world where our very bodies are under attack and our very existence seems to be seen as a threat to some. I think about all the women who just want to have autonomy over their lives and live in peace. To be able to dream of a future where we are not judged by how we look, who we pray to, the color of our skin, or what is between our legs. We just wanna live. 

I have been a fan of Cyndi Lauper for my entire life, and she has always embodied those themes for me. When I considered this song for the project, the pieces just fell into place, and it felt right for me, Scott, and Sarah.

Scott, what made Deva the perfect voice to reinterpret such an iconic track?

Deva is pretty much the perfect voice for just about anything. I'm a huge fan of her voice and artistry. The process for this particular track involved Sarah and me working with Deva to find the ideal song. We could have picked a song for her ahead of time, but it was very important that she feel a real connection to the message.

After considering literally about 20+ songs, we hit upon "girls just want to have fun", there was a long pause, and then… "that's it!!!" it was the perfect track in all respects: ripe for a drastic reinterpretation, cindy is forever relevant, a depth in the lyric that could benefit from a different musical and vocal approach, and of course an iconic, era-defining song. It has all the elements. And Deva brought the passion and fire.

How did the two of you approach balancing reverence for the original with creating something completely new?

Sarah and I had a concept for the music that would really flip the original. It was essentially a triple flip because we not only drastically lowered the tempo, but we also changed the feel of the rhythm from straight time to triplet-based time feel, and we reharmonized the chords. So all of the major qualities of the original song were changed.

What remained was the melody and lyric, to which we paid the ultimate reverence. We wanted to honor the original song, while at the same time doing something totally fresh. The goal of the arrangement was to create a soulful soundscape that was dreamy and sentimental, a mix of earthy grit and heavenly air.

The sound that opens the piece was meant to evoke a music box with a spinning ballerina, the kind of old toy that a little girl would have. And while there is sadness and longing at the beginning of the song, the idea was that it ends in the triumph and exultation of overcoming adversity.

Deva, your performance feels intimate and deeply personal. Was there a moment in the studio that changed how you connected to the song?

Having someone who knows your voice makes all the difference. For this recording, I had two such people.  I invited my friend, James Goldsmith, to engineer tracking my vocals in his home studio in Wellington.

It's a very intimate and humble space that allows you to just sink into it. We worked closely with Scott initially, so we could all ensure that we were part of the same vision for the sound. Once I was able to tap in, I could feel the energy of the music and find my place within it.  

Scott, how does Cantinuum reflect your philosophy as a producer, and where do you see the project evolving next?

Cantinuum is the most personal and important project I've worked on in my career. Full stop. It embodies everything I love in music and the gift of making music. There are no guardrails other than the song itself, which for me is the ultimate expression of creativity: taking something that exists - and not just exists, but is iconic - and then doing it your own way. Freedom within a structure.

It's an opportunity to work closely with Sarah, and with so many of the incredibly talented artists I've worked with over the last quarter century. The project will evolve true to the nature of a continuum. There will not be a genre of music untouched; every song will have its own sit's and inspiration, drawing from… everything. Our next release will feature the magnificent Lila Dupont singing "Don't You "Don't About Me".

It will "be profoundly different from anything else we have released so far. And the release after that will go in another entirely different direction. The link between all of this is the continuum approach and aesthetic.