Cher at the Grammys 2026 sparks a Luther Vandross moment for Kendrick Lamar and SZA

A split-second mix-up became one of the defining live-TV moments of the 2026 Grammy Awards: Cher went to announce Record of the Year, said Luther Vandross instead, then quickly corrected herself as Kendrick Lamar and SZA won for their duet “Luther.” The stumble landed as both comedy and tribute, tying a modern hit to an R&B legacy that still shapes pop and hip-hop production.

The ceremony aired Sunday night, February 1, 2026, with the Record of the Year reveal arriving deep into the broadcast and instantly ricocheting across social media clips and morning-after chatter.

Cher at the Grammys 2026: the flub and the fix

Onstage, Cher appeared to follow the prompter, hesitated, and read out “Luther” in a way that sounded like a winner’s name rather than a song title. She briefly landed on “Luther Vandross,” then pivoted—smiling, regrouping, and finishing the announcement with the actual recipients: Kendrick Lamar and SZA for “Luther.”

What made the moment feel less like a derailment and more like a live, human beat: the correction was immediate, the room laughed with her rather than at her, and the winners embraced the accidental shoutout to the artist whose voice and style echo through the track’s backbone.

What Cher said at the Grammys

Cher’s on-mic tone stayed light. She acknowledged the confusion in real time, leaned into the chaos with a grin, and offered a quick apology before moving the show forward. The segment also included a surprise recognition for Cher herself—an in-the-moment honor that left her visibly touched and slightly thrown off her timing.

The host helped steer the moment back onto the rails, prompting her to complete the presentation after she initially started to exit the stage early. The result was a rare awards-show combination: a genuine laugh, a clean recovery, and a reminder that not everything on a big broadcast is scripted to perfection.

Why “Luther” points to Luther Vandross

The confusion didn’t come out of nowhere. “Luther” is built around a well-known musical touchstone: it samples Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s version of “If This World Were Mine.” That connection is central to the song’s emotional pull—warm, romantic, and unmistakably classic in its phrasing—while the modern vocal interplay and production frame it for today’s radio and playlists.

In their acceptance remarks, the winners highlighted the weight of working with Vandross’s legacy, emphasizing how meaningful it felt to secure permission for a sample so closely associated with a beloved voice. The track’s title effectively signals that lineage, even for listeners who don’t immediately recognize the original recording.

Who is Luther Vandross?

Luther Vandross (1951–2005) was one of the most influential R&B vocalists of his era—known for pristine tone, meticulous arrangements, and ballads that became staples at weddings, slow jams, and adult contemporary radio. He was also a songwriter and producer whose approach to harmony and phrasing helped define late-20th-century soul-pop.

His career includes major hits across multiple decades, and he earned numerous top-tier industry honors, including multiple Grammy wins. Among his most celebrated late-career works is “Dance with My Father,” a deeply personal song that expanded his audience and became part of his lasting public legacy.

The reason his name still lands with force on a modern awards stage is simple: his sound is instantly identifiable, and his influence continues to travel through samples, covers, and vocal styles that borrow from his blueprint.

What this means for Kendrick Lamar and SZA

Winning Record of the Year for “Luther” adds a prestige layer to a collaboration that already carried cultural weight: two generational voices meeting on a track that intentionally nods to a cornerstone of R&B history. It also reinforces a broader pattern in today’s biggest records—where sampling isn’t just a production trick, but a storytelling device that links eras and audiences.

The next steps for both artists remain unclear at this time, but the awards-stage spotlight tends to accelerate everything around a hit: streaming spikes, renewed radio rotation, and heightened attention on catalog tracks connected to the moment—especially the older recording that inspired the title.

Key takeaways

• Cher’s brief misannouncement turned into a warm, widely shared live moment rather than a meltdown.

• “Luther” won Record of the Year and directly ties to Vandross through its sample and title.

• The moment spotlighted Luther Vandross’s long-running influence on modern pop and hip-hop.

Sources consulted: The Recording Academy; Associated Press; Encyclopaedia Britannica; National Museum of African American History and Culture