Cher's Grammy Gaffe: Announcing Luther Vandross as Winner Despite Passing in 2005

To say that Cher is iconic and a legend is an understatement. The Recording Academy seemed to agree, as she was the recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She, however, made headlines for a confusing string of events onstage, exiting it before presenting an award and then announcing a singer who died 20 years ago as the winner.

The lighthearted onstage fumbles took place after Cher was presented with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award during the 68th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony. With many visibly emotional after seeing the "Believe" star walk the Grammys stage after 18 years, host and comedian Trevor Noah handed the award to Cher.

The 79-year-old singer thanked The Recording Academy for such an honor, joking, "It's a good thing that they did it now, because I have good genes and I wouldn't have been here that much longer." After going through her decades-long career, remembering the ups and downs, Cher encouraged others to follow their dreams, prompting the audience to clap even harder for her.

Once she was done with her speech, it appeared that Cher thought she was done for good. After saying that she was "supposed to walk off now," she began exiting the Grammy Awards stage, causing universal confusion. After all, she was also onstage to announce the nominees and winner of Record of the Year. Noah interjected masterfully, making what would otherwise be a tense moment into a whimsical one:

Cher, before you go, could we get you to announce the nominees? I could do it, but it's not the same. I don't have the track record. Welcome back Cher, everybody.

Cher laughed off the message and proceeded to introduce the nominees. With the envelope in hand, she was ready to announce the winner. However, the chaos wouldn't subside, as she didn't open it and instead looked around, disoriented. Turns out, she thought that the winner's name was to appear on the teleprompter. Again, the audience laughed out loud.

Finally, the "If I Could Turn Back Time" singer announced the winner: Luther Vandross! Cheers filled the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The only problem was that Luther Vandross, an R&B and soul singer-songwriter, had died on July 1, 2005. He, however, was the inspiration for Kendrick Lamar and SZA's single "Luther," as his 1982 duet with Cheryl Lynn, "If This World Were Mine," served as a sample for the GNX song.

Lamar and SZA, the actual winners, were laughing about the honest mistake, and when they stepped on the stage, Cher appeared to apologize to both of them. While some mocked her online, the overwhelming majority got behind her, finding the moment hilarious and endearing.