Cher accidentally calls Kendrick Lamar Luther Vandross in record of the year win

By Casey Cooper-Fiske, Press Association Senior Entertainment Reporter

Singer Cher accidentally called Kendrick Lamar “Luther Vandross” while announcing the winner of Record of the Year at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Lamar, 38, scooped the gong for GNX track Luther, which features R&B singer SZA and samples late soul star Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 version of If This World Were Mine.

After originally thinking she would be reading from a prompter rather than the envelope, Cher, who earlier took home a lifetime achievement award, said: “And the Grammy goes to, oh, they told me it was going to be on the prompter, oh, and the Grammy goes to Luther Vandross, no Kendrick Lamar.”

Lamar and SZA arrived on stage laughing and joking with Cher.

He said with a smile, “This is what music is about. Luther Vandross.

“This is special for me, I gotta take my time, because it’s one of my favourite artists of all time, and they granted us the privilege to do our version of it.

“When we got that clearance, I promise you, we definitely all dropped a tear because we know how muchhem and Cheryl Lynn put into that record, and being able to put our vocals on it proves that we were somewhat worthy to be just as great as them individuals, and they granted us that.

“They said no cursing, though, can’t curse on it, that was the only thing right, and we say, ‘you know what we’re gonna do, just that no cursing, and we’re gonna make sure that this song represents love’.

“So I want to appreciate and give thanks to SZA.”

SZA thanked Lamar for “lifting mp” and added: “I just am a small part of this record, but what I really wanted to say is, please don’t fall into despair.

“I know that right now is a scary time, I know the algorithms tell us that it’s so scary and all is lost.

“There’s been world wars, there’s been plagues, and we have gone on, we can go on, we need each other, we need to trust each other, trust ourselves, trust your heart.

“We’re not governed by the government, we’re governed by God, and I thank you so much.”

Lamar, who is the most nominated artist at the awards with nine, has also won best rap album for GNX; best rap song for TV Off, featuring Lefty Gunplay; best melodic rap performance for Luther; and best rap performance for Chains And Whips with Clipse, Pusha T, Malic,e and Pharrell Williams.