Cher fumbles Record of the Year announcement; Kendrick Lamar and SZA win

Cher had a lighthearted onstage mishap at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 1, briefly misreading the Record of the Year before correcting herself: Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA won for their song "Luther." The music icon, who had just received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, initially said "Luther Vandross" when presenting the prize, then quickly corrected herself and named Kendrick Lamar and SZA.

"And the Grammy goes to… Oh! They told me it was going to be on a prompter," Cher, 79, said. "Oh, the Grammy goes to Luther Vandross. Oh Kendrick, no Kendrick Lamar!" The moment drew laughter in the arena; cameras cut to Kendrick in the audience, who appeared to chuckle as he realized he had won.

As Kendrick and SZA walked to the stage, Cher appeared to mouth "I'm so sorry" before stepping aside. "Luther," from Kendrick’s 2024 album GNX, samples Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 duet "If This World Were Mine," a connection several members of the creative team referenced during the acceptance speech.

The rapper, 38, thanked Vandross and described the emotional impact of securing the sample and the clearance, noting they agreed to "no cursing" so the song would "represent love." SZA, 36, thanked Kendrick and used part of her brief remarks to urge listeners not to give in to despair, saying people "need each other" and to "trust your heart" and God.

cher lifetime achievement award, cher misreads winner, kendrick lamar, kendrick lamar featuring sza, sza acceptance remarks, luther song, gnx album, luther vandross sample, if this world were mine, record of the year, 68th annual grammy awards, crypto.com arena, billboard hot 100, grammy acceptance speech