Cher remains pleased with her Grammys presenting appearance despite an onstage slip-up, with the producer noting that a touch of unpredictability adds to the moment.
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Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
Grammys executive producer Ben Winston said in an interview that, given the chance, he would want the moment to happen again.
Cher stayed unfazed following her unexpected onstage moment at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
The 79-year-old music icon drew widespread attention after a brief mix-up during the Feb. 1 ceremony, when she momentarily forgot to present the Record of the Year award after receiving her Lifetime Achievement honor.
Born Cheryl Sarkisian, Cher began exiting the stage before host Trevor Noah stepped in to remind her that she still needed to introduce the next category. A teleprompter error then led to further confusion, and Cher mistakenly named the late Luther Vandross as the winner instead of Kendrick Lamar and SZA, who ultimately took home the award for their collaboration “Luther” from Lamar’s GNX album.
Grammys executive producer Ben Winston addressed the now-viral incident on the Feb. 2 episode of the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, explaining that Cher had been fully prepared and that the correct instructions had appeared on the teleprompter. He emphasized that no one involved was dwelling on the slip.
According to Winston, both the show and Cher embraced the moment. He shared that he wouldn’t undo what happened, noting that Cher enjoyed herself and that a little unpredictability can make live television more memorable.
The moment has also been met with humor by Vandross’ team. The legendary singer’s official X account posted an edited video combining Cher’s announcement with Vandross’ actual 1992 Grammy acceptance speech, playfully suggesting he had received the award. The post was captioned with a nod to Cher’s hit song, reading, “If only we could turn back time, @Cher.”
SZA later commented on the situation in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, admitting she was initially confused by what was happening onstage. Still, she took it in stride, saying she understood that a music legend was speaking and praised Cher’s commanding presence.
