Cher had an awkward moment onstage after stumbling during the announcement of this year’s Record of the Year. The music legend was presenting one of the night’s biggest awards, but the sequence quickly went off track. After accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award, Cher briefly forgot she also needed to announce Record of the Year and started to leave the stage. When she returned, confusion followed as she looked to the teleprompter, then realized the winner’s name was inside the envelope she was holding.
As the audience laughed, Cher opened the envelope and mistakenly announced Luther Vandross as the winner—despite the singer having passed away more than 20 years ago. “Oh! They told me it was going to be on the prompter,” she said, clearly flustered. Moments later, the camera cut to the actual winners, Kendrick Lamar and SZA, and Cher quickly corrected herself.
The mix-up stemmed from the winning song being titled “luther,” which samples Vandross’ If This World Were Mine. When Kendrick and SZA took the stage, Cher repeatedly apologized for the mistake. While the moment was undeniably awkward, reactions online were largely forgiving—and amused. Many fans called the incident “iconic,” praising Cher for turning a chaotic slip into an unforgettable TV moment.
Comments ranged from lighthearted jokes to admiration for how she handled the error with humor and grace. Despite the stumble, Kendrick Lamar and SZA walked away with one of the night’s biggest honors, while Cher added another memorable moment to Grammys history—one that fans will likely be talking about for years.