Cher mistakenly presented the Grammy Award for “Record of the Year” to a legendary R&B singer who died in 2005.
Cher, 79, made the blunder as she was presenting the award to Kendrick Lamar and SZA as winners for their collaboration “Luther.” As she opened the envelope to announce the recipients, Cher named the late Luther Vandross.
Lamar and SZA, who understood that the award was meant for them, began to make their way to the stage, as Cher could be heard saying, “No! Kendrick Lamar! The Grammy goes to Kendrick Lamar.”
The singer wasn’t entirely off base with the error. Lamar and SZA sampled a rendition of “If This World Was Mine,” by Vandross and singer Cheryl Lynn. Lamar and SZA’s track, part of Lamar’s 2024 album GNX, began with a vocal sample of the song.
Lamar, 38, joked about the announcement during his acceptance speech.
“This is what music is about. Luther Vandross … ” Lamar said, eliciting laughter from the audience.
“This is special for me. I gotta take my time,” he said, calling Vandross one of his “favorite artists of all time.”
“They granted us the privilege to do our version of it. When we got that clearance, I promise you, we damn near all dropped a tear,” he said. The rapper continued to pay tribute to Vandross, saying, “We know how much him and Cheryl poured into that record, and being able to put our vocals on it, it proves that we were somewhat worthy to be just as great as them individuals.”
“Luther forever,” he said later in the speech.
For her part in the speech, SZA, 36, said, “I know that right now is a scary time. I know the algorithms tell us that it’s so scary and all is lost. There’s been world wars and there’s been plagues and we have gone on. We can go on. We need each other. We’re not governed by the government. We’re governed by God.”
Lamar became the most-awarded rapper in history at this year’s Grammys, winning five awards on Sunday night, including Best Rap Album. “Luther” also won the award for best melodic rap. With his latest wins, Lamar now has a total of 27 Grammy Awards, dethroning Jay-Z, who previously held the title with 25.
Cher made a surprise appearance at the 2026 Grammys, returning to the stage after an 18-year absence. The artist was a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, joining a cohort of icons: Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Fela Kuti, Paul Simon, and Whitney Houston.
“Never give up on your dream, no matter what happens. Live it, be it, and if it’s not happening now, it will happen soon. So that’s all I have to say. Thank you,” she said upon accepting the award.
After she made her speech, the singer walked off stage, prompting host Trevor Noah to call her back to present the Best Record award.
“Before you go, Cher, could I get you to announce the nominees? I could do it, but it’s not the same,” joked Noah. “I don’t have the track record.”
