SZA reacts to Cher’s Record of the Year snafu at 2026 Grammys

SZA has spoken out about how she felt when Cher mistakenly announced the wrong winner for Record of the Year at the Grammys on Sunday.

R&B singer, age 36, and rapper Kendrick Lamar, 38, jointly received the award for their popular song, Luther.

While giving out the award, the 79-year-old singer, known for “Believe,” mentioned the name of the late Luther Vandross.

SZA, whose full name is Solána Rowe, described the popular video to ET, saying, ‘Cher was absolutely incredible – a true icon.’

Wearing a stunning red dress adorned with floral embroidery, she smiled and gracefully accepted the award.

And the singer-songwriter extended her arms to Cher for a big hug while on stage. 

After SZA’s performance, Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier playfully suggested to her that they had assumed Luther Vandross was part of her group.

The Hit Different artist replied, ‘Me too. I didn’t know what was going on.’

R&B icon Vandross died in 2005 at age 54 due to complications from a stroke.

Cher was honored with a lifetime achievement award at a glamorous event, but she accidentally began to leave the stage before realizing she was supposed to present the next award.

She inspired the audience to hold onto their dreams, but her speech ended on an awkward note when she simply said, ‘Thank you. I guess I’m supposed to walk off now. All right.’

Host Trevor Noah hurriedly called her back.

She stumbled at the beginning of her announcement, saying ‘And the Grammy goes to…’ before stopping and staring ahead with a confused look.

I was cracking up when Cher said, ‘Oh! They told me it was gonna be on the prompter!’ The whole audience just burst out laughing – it was such a relatable moment, and she delivered it perfectly.

Finally, she opened the envelope and announced the winner: ‘Luther Gandross!’ The crowd immediately started clapping.

Lamar, now the rapper with the most Grammy Awards – surpassing Jay-Z – laughed when he realized she was referring to one of his songs.

Kendrick Lamar joined SZA and producers Sounwave, Ruchaun Akers, and Jack Antonoff on stage. Meanwhile, Cher playfully realized her mistake, exclaiming, ‘Oh, no, it’s Kendrick Lamar!’

The clip immediately became popular online, with many people laughing at the mistake and wondering if Cher was aware that Luther Vandross had passed away over two decades ago.

People started talking about Luther Vandross on X (formerly Twitter), sharing funny memes and remembering his music. Many joked that he was celebrating winning a Grammy in heaven.

Someone remarked that Luther Vandross had been gone for nearly twenty years. Another person recalled the anticipation of the crowd as they waited for him to come on stage after Cher introduced him.

People playfully celebrated Luther Vandross’s two Grammy wins, with many joking about how happy they were for him. One person even declared they would start using the phrase “The Grammy goes to Luther Vandross” in everyday conversation.

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2026-02-02 22:18