Iconic singer Cher delivered one of the most unforgettable moments of the 68th Grammy Awards on Sunday night, proving once again that live television and legends are an unpredictable combination. Fresh off receiving the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the music icon returned to the stage with another major responsibility — presenting the Grammy for Record of the Year. What followed quickly turned into a chaotic and hilarious onstage moment that instantly went viral.
As host Trevor Noah invited her back to announce the nominees, Cher approached the microphone with her trademark candour. “I guess I’m supposed to walk off now,” she said, before pausing and turning back toward the audience, already setting the tone for what was to come.
When it was time to reveal the winner, Cher hesitated. She glanced at the teleprompter, then at the screen behind her, visibly confused. “Oh,” she laughed, “they told me it was going to be on the prompter.” After a brief pause, she opened the envelope and confidently declared, “The Grammy goes to… Luther Vandross!”
The audience erupted in laughter as the slip-up sank in. Luther Vandross, the legendary singer whose work inspired the winning track, passed away in 2005. Realising her mistake, Cher quickly corrected herself, gesturing toward the winners seated in the audience. “Oh Kendrick, no! Kendrick Lamar!” she exclaimed, finally naming Kendrick Lamar and SZA as the rightful recipients.
Cher hands out Record of the Year at the #GRAMMYs to Kendrick Lamar & SZA for “luther.” pic.twitter.com/8HbDVnGT15
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 2, 2026
Social media lit up instantly. One user on X joked, “Cher is definitely allowed to ramble for 15 minutes off script, forget to present an award, then give it to Luther Vandross — who died in 2005.” Another wrote, “The universe needs to protect Cher at all costs. SNL could never write something this good.” A third added, “Cher giving the Grammy posthumously to Luther Vandross instead of Kendrick Lamar and SZA is wild.”
Kendrick Lamar, 38, took the moment in stride during his acceptance speech, laughing alongside Cher. “This is what music is about. Luther Vandross,” he said. “He’s one of my favourite artists of all time, and getting to reinterpret this song was truly special.” SZA echoed the sentiment, adding, “We need each other. Trust your heart. That’s what this music is about.”
The song Luther, from Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 album GNX, is a tribute to Vandross and samples his 1982 duet with Cheryl Lynn, If This World Were Mine. The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 and earned multiple nominations, including Song of the Year and Best Melodic Rap Performance. Kendrick Lamar ended the night with an impressive five Grammy wins.https://x.com/TheHolyGoofs/status/2018177970079203388
