Cher

Cher(/ʃɛər/SHAIR; bornCheryl Sarkisian;May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Goddess of Pop", she is known for herandrogynouscontraltovoice,multifaceted careerand bold visual presentation, while cultivating a screen persona that mirrors her public image by often portraying strong-willed, independent and outspoken women. Her adaptability has fueled multiplecomebacks, cementing her status as acultural icon. She is the only solo artist withBillboardnumber-one singles in seven consecutive decades, from the 1960s to the 2020s.Her accoladesinclude anAcademy Award, aPrimetime Emmy Award, aGrammy Award, threeGolden Globe Awards, theBillboardIcon Award, theKennedy Center Honorand aninductioninto theRock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cher is one of thebest-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 100 million records worldwide.
Cher gained fame in 1965 as part of thefolk rockhusband-wife duoSonny & Cher, while also achieving solo success with top-ten singles including "All I Really Want to Do" and "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)". In the 1970s, she divorced fromSonny Bonoand topped the USBillboardHot 100with "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves", "Half-Breed" and "Dark Lady", becoming the female solo artist with the most number-one singles in US history at the time. Following a hiatus to focus on acting, she returned to music with therock-inflected albumsCher(1987),Heart of Stone(1989) andLove Hurts(1991), earning international number-one singles with "If I Could Turn Back Time" and "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)".
Cher reached a commercial peak with thedance-popalbumBelieve(1998), which introduced the "Cher effect", an extreme, stylistic use ofAuto-Tuneto distort vocals. Thetitle trackbecame1999's number-one song in the USand theUK's best-selling single by a female artist. 21st-century releases includeCloser to the Truth(2013) andDancing Queen(2018), both debuting at number three on theBillboard200and becoming her highest-charting solo albums in the US. Her 2002–2005Living Proof: The Farewell Tourwas thehighest-grossing concert tour by a female artistat the time, earning $250 million (about $390 million in 2025).
Cher became a television star in the 1970s withThe Sonny & Cher Comedy Hourand her solo showCher, both onCBS, attracting over 30 million weekly viewers. She earned critical acclaim after debuting onBroadwayand starring in thefilm adaptationofCome Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean(1982). Transitioning to film, Cher received two Academy Award nominations forSilkwood(1983) andMoonstruck(1987), winningBest Actressfor the latter, and won theCannes Film Festival Award for Best ActressforMask(1985). Her other starring roles includeThe Witches of Eastwick(1987),Mermaids(1990),If These Walls Could Talk(1996, her directorial debut),Tea with Mussolini(1999),Burlesque(2010) andMamma Mia! Here We Go Again(2018). Her life and career inspired the 2018jukebox musicalThe Cher Show. Cher is vocal about herprogressivepolitical views, and has advocated and fundraised for causes includingLGBTQ rightsandHIV/AIDSprevention.
Cheryl Sarkisianwas born inEl Centro, California, on May 20, 1946. Her father, John Sarkisian, an Armenian-American truck driver with drug and gambling problems, was rarely present during her early life.Her mother,Georgia Holt(born Jackie Jean Crouch), was a model and actress of Irish, English, German andCherokeedescent.Cher's paternal grandparents were survivors of theArmenian Genocide.Her parents divorced when she was ten months old,and Holt later married actor John Southall, with whom she had Cher's half-sister, Georganne.Holt's marriage to Southall ended when Cher was nine. Cher later described Southall as her "real father", calling him a "good-natured man who turned belligerent when he drank too much".
Holt remarried and divorced several times, frequently moving the family across states, including New York, Texas and California.They often struggled financially, and Cher recalled using rubber bands to hold her shoes together.At one point, Holt left Cher at an orphanage for several weeks;although they met every day, both found the experience traumatic.While living in Los Angeles, Holt pursued acting while working as a waitress, occasionally securing minor television roles for her daughters in shows such asThe Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
By fifth grade, Cher organized a class performance of the musicalOklahoma!, taking on male roles when boys refused to participate. Even at age nine, her voice was unusually low.Fascinated by film stars, Cher idolizedAudrey Hepburn, particularly inBreakfast at Tiffany's(1961), emulating Hepburn's character's unconventional outfits and demeanor.She also admiredMarlene Dietrich,Bette DavisandKatharine Hepburn,but felt discouraged by the lack of dark-haired actresses in Hollywood.As a child, she dreamed of fame but struggled with feelings of inadequacy, describing herself as "unattractive" and "untalented".Reflecting on her ambitions, she later said, "I couldn't think of anything that I could do ... I just thought, 'I'll be famous'. That was my goal."
In 1961, Holt married bank manager Gilbert LaPiere, who adopted Cher (under the name Cheryl LaPiere)and Georganne and enrolled them atMontclair College Preparatory School, a private school inEncino. Coming from a modest background, Cher faced challenges in the upper-class environment, where, as biographer Connie Berman wrote, her "striking appearance" and "outgoing personality" set her apart.A former classmate recalled, "I'll never forget seeing Cher for the first time. She was so special ... like a movie star, right then and there ... She said she was going to be a movie star and we knew she would."Known for her creativity and wit, Cher excelled in French and English but struggled with other subjects, later discovering she hasdyslexia. Her unconventional behavior also stood out: she performed songs for students during lunch and surprised peers when she wore amidriff-baring top.Cher later reflected, "I was never really in school. I was always thinking about when I was grown up and famous."
At 16, Cher left school and moved out of her mother's house to live with a friend. She took acting classes and supported herself by dancing innightclubsalong Hollywood'sSunset Strip, where she introduced herself to performers, managers and agents.According to Berman, "[Cher] did not hesitate to approach anyone she thought could help her get a break".Cher met performerSonny Bonoin November 1962 when he was working for record producerPhil Spector.Cher's friend moved out and Cher accepted Sonny's offer to be hishousekeeper.Sonny introduced Cher to Spector, who used her as a backup singer on many recordings, includingthe Ronettes' "Be My Baby" andthe Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'".Spector produced her first single, "Ringo, I Love You", which Cher recorded under the name Bonnie Jo Mason.Many radio programmers rejected the song, mistaking Cher's deepcontraltofor a man's voice and assuming it was a male homosexual singing a love song tothe BeatlesdrummerRingo Starr.
Cher and Sonny became close friends, eventual lovers and performed their own unofficial wedding ceremony in a hotel room inTijuana, Mexico, on October 27, 1964.Although Sonny had wanted to launch Cher as a solo artist, she encouraged him to perform with her because she suffered fromstage frightand he began joining her onstage, singing the harmonies. Cher disguised her nervousness by looking at Sonny; she later commented that she sang to the people through him.In late 1964, they emerged as a duo called Caesar & Cleo, releasing the poorly received singles "Do You Wanna Dance?", "Love Is Strange" and "Let the Good Times Roll".
Cher signed withLiberty Records'Imperialimprint in the end of 1964 and Sonny became her producer. The single "Dream Baby", released under the name "Cherilyn", received airplay in Los Angeles.Imperial encouraged Cher to work with Sonny on her second solo single for the label, a cover ofBob Dylan's "All I Really Want to Do".It peaked at number 15 on the USBillboardHot 100and number nine on theUK Singles Chartin 1965.Meanwhile,the Byrdshad released their own version of the same song. When competition on the singles charts started between Cher and the Byrds, the group's record label began to promote theB-sideof the Byrds' single.Roger McGuinnof the Byrds commented, "We loved the Cher version ... We didn't want to hassle. So we just turned our record over."Cher's debut album,All I Really Want to Do(1965), reached number 16 on theBillboard200;it was later described byAllMusic's Tim Sendra as "one of the stronger folk-pop records of the era".
In early 1965, Caesar and Cleo began calling themselvesSonny & Cher.Following the recording of "I Got You Babe", they traveled to England in July 1965 atthe Rolling Stones' advice; Cher recalled, "[they] had told us ... that Americans just didn't get us and that if we were going to make it big, we were going to have to go to England."According to writerCintra Wilson,
"I Got You Babe" reached number one on theBillboardHot 100 chartand became, according to AllMusic's Bruce Eder, "one of the biggest-selling and most beloved pop/rock hits of the mid-'60s";Rolling Stonelisted it among "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2003.As the song knocked the Beatles off the top of the British charts, English teenagers began to emulate Sonny and Cher's fashion style, such asbell-bottoms, striped pants and fur vests.Upon their return to the US, the duo made several appearances on the teen-pop showcasesHullabalooandShindig!and completed a tour of some of the largest arenas in the US.Their shows attracted Cher look-alikes, with girls straightening and dyeing their hair black to emulate her style, often pairing it with vests and bell-bottoms.
Sonny and Cher's first album,Look at Us(1965), released for theAtco Recordsdivision ofAtlantic Records,spent eight weeks at number two on theBillboard200, behind the Beatles'Help!.The duo successfully competed with the dominantBritish InvasionandMotownsounds of the era.Author Joseph Murrells described Sonny and Cher as "leading exponents of the rock-folk-message type of song", blending rock instrumentation withfolk themesandprotest lyrics.They charted tenBillboardtop 40 singles between 1965 and 1972, including five top-ten singles: "I Got You Babe", "Baby Don't Go", "The Beat Goes On", "All I Ever Need Is You" and "A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done".At one point, they had five songs in the top 50 at the same time, a feat equaled only by the Beatles andElvis Presley.Together they had become, according toTimemagazine'sGinia Bellafante, rock's "it" couple.
Cher's subsequent releases kept her solo career competitive with her work with Sonny.The Sonny Side of Chér(1966) features "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)", which reached number two in the US and number three in the UK and became her first million-seller solo single.Chér, also released in 1966, contains theBurt BacharachandHal Davidcomposition "Alfie", which was added to the credits of the American version of the 1966film of the same nameand became the first stateside version of the popular song.With Love, Chér(1967) includes songs described by biographerMark Begoas "little soap-opera stories set to rock music" such as the US top-ten single "You Better Sit Down Kids".
By the late 1960s, Sonny and Cher's music stopped charting. Berman observed that the "heavy, loud sound" of bands such asJefferson AirplaneandCreammade their folk-rock feel "too bland."Cher later said she "loved" the newelectric-guitar-driven sound ofLed ZeppelinandEric Claptonand wanted to adapt, but Sonny refused.Their monogamous lifestyle during thesexual revolutionand anti-drug stance at the height of widespread drug use alienated American youths.According to Bego, "in spite of their revolutionary unisex clothes, Sonny and Cher were quite 'square' when it came to sex and drugs."In an attempt to recapture their young audience, the duo produced and starred in the filmGood Times(1967), which was commercially unsuccessful.
Cher's albumBackstage(1968), in which she explores diverse musical genres includingBrazilian jazzand anti-war protest settings, was not a commercial success.In 1969, Cher was dropped from Imperial Records, while Sonny and Cher were dropped from Atco. However, Atco offered her a solo album deal.3614 Jackson Highway(1969) was recorded without the guidance of Sonny and incorporates experiments inR&Bandsoul music. AllMusic's Mark Deming proclaimed it "arguably the finest album of her career" and still "a revelation" decades later.Displeased with the album, Sonny prevented Cher from releasing more recordings for Atco.
Meanwhile, Sonny dated others and by the end of the 1960s their relationship had begun to unravel. According toPeoplemagazine, "[Sonny] tried desperately to win her back, telling her he wanted to marry and start a family."They officially married after she gave birth toChaz Bonoon March 4, 1969.The duo spent $500,000 and mortgaged their home to make the filmChastity(1969). Written and produced by Sonny, it tells the story of a young woman, played by Cher, searching for the meaning of life.The art film failed commercially, putting the couple $190,000 in debt with back taxes. However, some critics noted that Cher showed acting potential;Cuemagazine wrote, "Cher has a marvelous quality that often makes you forget the lines you are hearing."
At the lowest point of their career, the duo put together a nightclub routine that relied on a more adult approach to sound and style.According to writer Cintra Wilson, "Their lounge act was so depressing, people started heckling them. Then Cher started heckling back. Sonny ... reprimanded her; then she'd heckle Sonny".The heckling became a highlight of the act and attracted viewers.Television executives took note and the couple began making guest appearances on prime-time shows, in which they presented a "new, sophisticated and mature" image.Cher adopted alluring, low-cut gowns that became her signature outfits.
CBShead of programmingFred Silvermanoffered Sonny and Cher their own television program after he noticed them as guest-hosts onThe Merv Griffin Showin 1971.The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hourpremiered as a summer replacement series on August 1, 1971 and had six episodes. Because it was a ratings success, the couple returned that December with a full-time show.
Watched by more than 30 million viewers weekly during its three-year run,The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hourwas praised for the comedic timing, as a deadpan Cher mocked Sonny about his looks and short stature. According to Berman, they "exuded an aura of warmth, playfulness and caring that only enhanced their appeal. Viewers were further enchanted when a young [Chaz] appeared on the show. They seemed like a perfect family."Cher honed her acting skills throughcomedy sketches,including her original character Laverne, a brash and over-the-top housewife,while herBob Mackie-designed outfits set1970s fashion trends.
In 1971, Sonny and Cher signed with theKapp Recordsdivision ofMCA Recordsand Cher released the single "Classified 1A", in which she sings from the point of view of a soldier who bleeds to death in Vietnam. Written by Sonny, who felt that her first solo single on the label had to be poignant and topical, the song was rejected by radio station programmers as uncommercial.
Since Sonny's first attempts at reviving their recording career as a duo had also been unsuccessful, Kapp Records recruitedSnuff Garrettto work with them. He produced Cher's second US number-one single, "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves", which "proved that ... Garrett knew more about Cher's voice and her persona as a singer than Sonny did", writes Bego."Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" was the first single by a solo artist to rank number one on the USBillboardHot 100 chart at the same time as on theCanadian Singles Chart.Billboardcalled it "one of the 20th century's greatest songs".It was featured on the 1971 albumChér(eventually reissued under the titleGypsys, Tramps & Thieves), which was certifiedgoldby theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA).Its second single, "The Way of Love", reached number seven on theBillboardHot 100 chartand established Cher's more confident image as a recording artist.
In 1972, Cher released the all-ballad setFoxy Lady, demonstrating the evolution of her vocal abilities, according to Bego.Following the release, Garrett quit as producer after disagreeing with Sonny about the kind of material Cher should record.At Sonny's insistence, in 1973 Cher released an album ofstandardscalledBittersweet White Light, which was commercially unsuccessful.That year, lyricist Mary Dean brought Garrett "Half-Breed", a song about the daughter of a Cherokee mother and a white father, which she had written especially for Cher. Although Garrett did not have Cher as a client at the time, he was convinced that "it's a smash for Cher and for nobody else", so he held the song for months until he got Cher back."Half-Breed" was featured on thealbum of the same nameand became Cher's third US number-one single.Both the album and the single were certified gold by the RIAA.
In 1974, Cher released the song "Dark Lady" as the lead single from thenamesake album.It reached the top position on theBillboardHot 100, becoming Cher's fourth number-one single and making her the female artist with the most number-one singles in United States history at the time.Later that year, she released aGreatest Hitsalbum that, according toBillboardmagazine, proved her to be "one of the most consistent hitmakers of the past five years", as well as a "proven superstar who always sells records".Between 1971 and 1973, Sonny and Cher's recording career was revived with four albums released under Kapp Records and MCA Records:Sonny & Cher Live(1971),All I Ever Need Is You(1972),Mama Was a Rock and Roll Singer, Papa Used to Write All Her Songs(1973) andLive in Las Vegas Vol. 2(1973).Cher later commented that her tight schedule during this period required her to record entire albums in just a few days while also touring and filmingThe Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.
Cher and Sonny had had marital problems since late 1972, but appearances were maintained until 1974. "The public still thinks we are married," Sonny wrote in his diary at the time, "[and] that's the way it has to be."In February 1974, Sonny filed for separation, citing "irreconcilable differences".A week later, Cher countered with a divorce suit and charged Sonny with "involuntary servitude", claiming that he withheld her rightful share of their earnings.The couple battled in court over finances and the custody of Chaz, which was eventually granted to Cher.Their divorce was finalized on June 26, 1975.
During the divorce proceedings, Cher had a two-year romantic relationship with record executiveDavid Geffen, who helped free her from a restrictive business arrangement with Sonny.Under the terms of this arrangement, Cher was required to work exclusively for Cher Enterprises, a company 95% owned by Sonny and 5% by his lawyer. She was considered an employee of the company, with no control over her career and finances.Cher won theGolden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or ComedyforThe Sonny & Cher Comedy Hourin 1974.That year, Sonny premiered a solo show,The Sonny Comedy Revue, which carried the creative team behind the Sonny and Cher show. It was canceled after 13 weeks.
In 1975, Cher signed a $2.5 million deal withWarner Bros. Recordsand began work on her first album with the label.According to Bego, "it was their intention that [this album] was going to make millions of fans around the world take her seriously as a rock star and not just a pop singer."Despite Cher's efforts to expand her musical range by drawing inspiration from artists such asStevie Wonder,Elton John,James Taylor,Carly Simon,Joni Mitchelland Bob Dylan, the resulting album,Stars,was commercially and critically unsuccessful.Janet MaslinofThe Village Voicewrote, "Cher is just no rock and roller ... Image, not music, is Cher Bono's main ingredient for both records and TV."Despite its initial failure, the album later gainedcult statusand is considered among her best work.
On February 16, 1975, Cher debuted her solo CBS show,Cher. It began as a highly rated special with guestsBette Midler, Elton John andFlip Wilson.Produced by Geffen, the show showcased Cher's music, comedy, monologues, and an extensive wardrobe—the largest for a weekly TV series.Critics praised it, with theLos Angeles Timesstating, "Sonny without Cher was a disaster. Cher without Sonny, on the other hand, could be the best thing that's happened to weekly television this season."Despite high ratings, the show ended within a year, replaced by a new show reuniting her with ex-husband Sonny.The Ringer's Lindsay Zoladz commented thatnetwork censorswere stricter with Cher as a single woman, viewing her as more provocative alone than as Sonny's wife.Reflecting later, Cher said, "Doing a show alone was more than I could handle."
On June 30, 1975, four days after finalizing her divorce from Sonny, Cher married rock musicianGregg Allman, co-founder ofthe Allman Brothers Band.She filed for divorce nine days later because of his heroin and liquor problems, but they reconciled within a month.They had one son,Elijah Blue, on July 10, 1976.Sonny and Cher's TV reunion,The Sonny and Cher Show, debuted on CBS in February 1976—the first show ever to star a divorced couple. Although the show was a ratings success on its premiere,Cher and Sonny's insulting onscreen banter about their divorce,her reportedly extravagant lifestyle and her troubled relationship with Allman caused a public backlashthat contributed to the show's cancellation in August 1977.
In 1976,Mego Toysreleased a line ofSonny & Cher dolls. The Cher doll became the year's best-selling doll, surpassingBarbie.Cher's next albums,I'd Rather Believe in You(1976) andCherished(1977)—the latter marking a return to her earlier pop storyteller style at Warner's producers' insistence—were commercial failures.Orange Coastmagazine's Keith Tuber commented that Cher's weekly TV shows may have hurt her record sales, as audiences could see and hear her without needing to buy her music.
In 1977, under the rubric "Allman and Woman", Cher and Allman recorded the duet albumTwo the Hard Way.The couple toured Europe to support the album,though audience reception was mixed.With a combination of Cher fans and Allman Brothers fans in attendance, fights frequently broke out at venues, prompting Cher to cancel the tour.Their relationship ended soon after the tour's cancellation,and their divorce was finalized in 1979.In 1978, Cher began a two-yearlive-in relationshipwithKissmemberGene Simmons.She briefly returned to prime time television with the specialsCher... Special(1978)—featuring a segment in which she performs all of the roles in her version ofWest Side Story—andCher... and Other Fantasies(1979).
In 1979, Cherlegally adoptedhermononym.Facing financial pressures as a single mother of two, she decided to steer her singing career toward greater commercial success. Temporarily setting aside her desire to be a rock singer, she signed withCasablanca Recordsand launched a comeback with the single "Take Me Home" and thealbum of the same name, both of which capitalized on thediscocraze.The album and single became instant successes, remained bestsellers for more than half of 1979 and were certified gold by the RIAA.The album's sales were likely enhanced by the image of a scantily clad Cher in aVikingoutfit on its cover.Although initially reluctant to embrace disco music, she changed her mind after the success, saying, "I never thought I would want to do disco ... [but] it's terrific! It's great music to dance to. I think that danceable music is what everybody wants."
Encouraged by the popularity ofTake Me Home, Cher sought a return to rock withPrisoner(1979).The album cover, showing her naked and draped in chains, symbolized her struggle as a "prisoner of the press" amid intensetabloidscrutiny.The imagery drew criticism fromfeminist groupsfor her perceived portrayal of asex slave, while critics found the album's mix of rock and disco tracks inconsistent, contributing to its commercial failure.The single "Hell on Wheels", featured on the soundtrack of the filmRoller Boogie, reflected Cher's personal embrace of the late 1970sroller-skatingcraze, which she had helped popularize.Cher collaborated withGiorgio Moroderto write "Bad Love", her final Casablanca disco track, for the filmFoxes(1980).
In 1980, Cher formed the rock band Black Rose with guitarist and then-partnerLes Dudek. To blend in and avoid overshadowing the group with her celebrity status, she adopted apunk-inspired look, cutting her signature long hair. Although she was the lead singer, she chose not to take top billing to present the band as equal. Despite television appearances, the band struggled to book concerts.Their album,Black Rose, received poor reviews; Cher toldRolling Stone, "[Critics] didn't attack the record, they attacked me. It was like, 'How dare Cher sing rock & roll?'"Black Rose disbanded in 1981.
During Black Rose's run, Cher was also performing a residency atCaesars Palace, Las Vegas, with two shows nightly, seven days a week,earning $300,000 weekly.Beginning in June 1979 and running until 1982, the residency evolved into Cher's first solo tour, theTake Me Home Tour, with dates in North America, Europe, South Africa and Australia.Described byThe Press of Atlantic Cityas "the biggestcabaretact ever seen on any stage",the concert series yielded two television specials:Standing Room Only: Cher in Concert(1981)andCher... A Celebration at Caesars(1983),the latter earning her theCableACE Award for Best Actress in a Variety Program.In 1981, Cher collaborated withMeat Loafon the duet "Dead Ringer for Love", which peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart and was praised by AllMusic's Donald A. Guarisco as "one of the more inspired rock duets of the 1980s".The following year, Cher released thenew wavealbumI Paralyze, a commercial failure and her only album underColumbia Records.
With declining record sales and radio airplay, Cher shifted her focus to acting.Despite earlier aspirations, her only film credits,Good TimesandChastity, were critical and commercial failures, and Hollywood did not take her seriously as an actress.Reflecting on this period, Cher said, "I was dropped by my [label] and couldn't get a job ... [so] I went to Las Vegas", which she likened to an "elephant's graveyard" for fading stars.Despite her success performing there, she felt unfulfilled: "I was making a fortune ... but I was dying inside."In 1982, she moved to New York to study acting withLee Strasbergat theActors Studio, but never enrolled.She auditioned for and was cast byRobert Altmanin the Broadway productionCome Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. She played aJames Deanfan club member at a 20-year reunion. That year, Altman cast her again in thefilm adaptationof the same title.
DirectorMike Nichols, who had seen Cher onstage inJimmy Dean, offered her the part ofDolly Pelliker,Meryl Streep's lesbian roommate in the filmSilkwood.When it premiered in 1983, audiences questioned Cher's ability as an actress. She recalls attending a film preview during which the audience laughed when they saw her name in the credits.For her performance, Cher was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actressand won theGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.
Cher's next film,Mask(1985), reached number two at the box officeand was Cher's first critical and commercial success as a leading actress.For her role as a drug addict biker with a disfigured teenage son, she won theCannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress.During the making of the film, however, she clashed with directorPeter Bogdanovichand was ultimately omitted from the Oscar nomination list. She attended the58th Academy Awardsin a tarantula-like costume, later deemed byVanity Fair'sEsther Zuckerman as Cher's "Oscar revenge dress"."As you can see, I did receive my Academy booklet on how to dress like a serious actress," Cher declared before presenting the nominees forBest Supporting Actor.The incident garnered her much publicity.
Cher's May 1986 guest appearance on talk showLate Night with David Letterman, during which she calledLetterman"an asshole", attracted much media coverage; Letterman later recalled, "It did hurt my feelings. Cher was one of the few people I've really wanted to have on the show ... I felt like a total fool, especially since I say all kinds of things to people."She returned to the show in 1987, reuniting with Sonny for the last time before his death to sing an impromptu version of "I Got You Babe". According toRolling Stone'sAndy Greene, "they weren't exactly the best of friends at this point, but both of them knew it would make for unforgettable television. Had YouTube existed back then, this would have gone insanely viral the next morning."
Cher starred in three films in 1987.InSuspect, she portrayed a public defender aided and romanced by a juror (Dennis Quaid) in a homicide case. InGeorge Miller'scomedy horrorThe Witches of Eastwick, she was one of three small-town divorcees, alongsideMichelle PfeifferandSusan Sarandon, who become involved with a mysterious and wealthy visitor (Jack Nicholson). InNorman Jewison's romantic comedyMoonstruck, she played an Italian widow who falls for her fiancé's younger brother (Nicolas Cage).The latter two films ranked among 1987's top ten highest-grossing movies.
The New York Times'Janet Maslin wroteMoonstruck"offers further proof that Cher has evolved into the kind of larger-than-life movie star who's worth watching whatever she does."For that film, Cher won theAcademy Award for Best Actressand theGolden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.By 1988, Cher had become one of the most bankable actresses of the decade, commanding $1 million per film.That year, she released the fragrance Uninhibited, which earned about $15 million in its first year sales.
In 1987, Cher signed withGeffen Recordsand revived her musical career with what music critics Johnny Danza and Dean Ferguson describe as "her most impressive string of hits to date", establishing her as a "serious rock and roller ... a crown that she'd worked long and hard to capture".Michael Bolton,Jon Bon Jovi,Desmond ChildandRichie Samboraproduced her first Geffen album,Cher.Despite facing strong retail and radio airplay resistance upon its release,the album proved to be a commercial success, certified platinum by the RIAA.Cherfeatures the rock ballad "I Found Someone", Cher's first US top-ten single in more than eight years.
By the late 1980s, Cher had gained a reputation for her exhibitionist fashion sense, plastic surgeries and affairs with younger men.She had romantic relationships with actorsVal Kilmer,Eric StoltzandTom Cruise, hockey playerRon Duguay, film producerJosh Donen,Bon Joviguitarist Richie Sambora and Rob Camilletti, a bagel baker 18 years her junior whom she dated from 1986 to 1989.
Cher's 19th studio albumHeart of Stone(1989) was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.Its second single, "If I Could Turn Back Time",became one of her most successful songs, topping theAustralian chartsfor seven weeks and reaching number three on theBillboardHot 100.The track's music video, filmed aboard thebattleshipUSSMissouri, generated controversy for itssexually suggestiveimagery.Other US top-ten singles fromHeart of Stonewere "After All", a duet withPeter Cetera, and "Just Like Jesse James".Cher won the Favorite All-Around Female Star Award at the 1989People's Choice Awardsand launched theHeart of Stone Tourthe same year.Critics praised the tour's nostalgia and Cher's showmanship.A television special,Cher... at the Mirage(1991), was filmed during a Las Vegas concert.
InMermaids(1990), her first film in three years, Cher drew inspiration from her mother to portray a woman who moves her daughters (Winona Ryder,Christina Ricci) from town to town after failed relationships.She clashed with the film's first two directors,Lasse HallströmandFrank Oz, who were replaced byRichard Benjamin.Producers, seeing Cher as the star attraction, granted her creative control.The film was a box office success and received positive reviews.One of the two songs Cher recorded for the film'ssoundtrack, a cover ofBetty Everett's "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks.
Cher's final studio album with Geffen Records,Love Hurts(1991),spent six weeks at number one in the UK and produced the UK top-ten single "Love and Understanding".The album was certified gold by the RIAA.In later years, Cher commented that her Geffen label "hit years" had been especially significant to her, "because I was getting to do songs that I really loved ... songs that really represented me and they were popular!"In 1991, she published the exercise bookForever Fit,followed by the fitness videosCherFitness: A New AttitudeandCherFitness: Body Confidencein 1992.That same year, she embarked on theLove Hurts Tourand released the UK-onlycompilation albumGreatest Hits: 1965–1992, which topped theUK Albums Chartfor seven weeks.
According to Berman, the unexpected acclaim forMoonstruck(1987) made Cher "overly cautious" about future roles, mindful of the high expectations.Partly due to her difficult experience filmingMermaids, she turned down leading roles inThelma & LouiseandThe War of the Roses.In the early 1990s, she contracted theEpstein–Barr virusand developedMyalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, leaving her too exhausted for music or film projects.To generate income, she appeared ininfomercialsfor health, beauty and diet products, earning nearly $10 million.These skits were parodied onSaturday Night Liveand critics viewed them as a sellout,speculating her film career was over.The 1995 filmCluelessreferences this period, with protagonist Cher Horowitz joking she was named after a "great [singer] of the past who now does infomercials". Cher later remarked, "Suddenly I became the Infomercial Queen ... people stripped me of all my other things."
Cher madecameo appearancesin the Robert Altman filmsThe Player(1992) andPrêt-à-Porter(1994).In 1994, she launched a Gothic-themed mail-order catalog,Sanctuary,and contributed a rock version of "I Got You Babe" toMTV's animated sitcomBeavis and Butt-Head.In 1995, she topped the UK Singles Chart with the charity single "Love Can Build a Bridge", alongsideChrissie Hynde,Neneh Cherryand Eric Clapton.That year, she signed with Warner Music UK'sWEAlabel and releasedIt's a Man's World(1995), an album of songs originally performed by men.Critics praised its R&B influences and Cher's vocal growth,withStephen HoldenofThe New York Timescalling it a "soulful collection of grown-up pop songs" and the highlight of her recording career.The album features "Walking in Memphis", certifiedsilverby theBritish Phonographic Industry(BPI), and the UK top-ten single "One by One".It reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart.A remixed US version, shifting from rock to a more radio-friendly sound, was less successful, peaking at number 64 on theBillboard200.
In 1996, Cher starred alongsideDemi MooreandSissy SpacekinIf These Walls Could Talk(1996), a three-partanthologytelevision filmaboutabortion. This project marked Cher's directorial debut, as she was both the director and star of the film's final segment, playing a doctor targeted by ananti-abortion group.It became the highest-rated originalHBOmovie to date, attracting 6.9 million viewers.That same year, Cher appeared inPaul Mazursky'sdark comedyFaithful, playing the wife of a businessman who hires a hitman (Chazz Palminteri) to kill her. While the film received negative reviews, Cher was praised for her role,withThe New York Times'Janet Maslin noting she "does her game best to find comic potential in a victim's role."Cher refused to promote the film, claiming it was "horrible."Her music played a large role in the American TV seriesThe X-Filesepisode "The Post-Modern Prometheus" (1997).Written with her in mind,it tells the story of a scientist's grotesque creature who idolizes Cher because of her role inMask, where her character cares for her disfigured son.
Following Sonny Bono's death in a skiing accident in 1998, Cher delivered a tearfuleulogyat his funeral, calling him "the most unforgettable character" she had met.She paid tribute to him by hosting the CBS specialSonny & Me: Cher Remembers, which aired on May 20, 1998.That month, Sonny and Cher received a star on theHollywood Walk of Famefor Television.Later that year, Cher publishedThe First Time, a collection of autobiographical essays of "first-time" events in her life, which critics praised as down-to-earth and genuine.Although the manuscript was almost finished when Sonny died, she could not decide whether to include his death in the book; she feared being criticized for capitalizing on the event. She toldRolling Stone, "I couldn't ignore it, could I? I might have if I cared more about what people think than what I know is right for me."
Cher's 22nd studio album,Believe(1998), marked a departure from her previous rock sound to 1970s disco-inspireddance-pop.It sold 10 million copies worldwide,achieving quadruple platinum status in the US and gold or platinum certifications in 39 countries.Entertainment Weeklydescribed the album as "the most dramatic comeback Hollywood has seen since ... the last time Cher raised her career from the dead", emphasizing its role in introducing her to a new generation of fans who "hadn't yet been born when 'I Got You Babe' ruled the charts in 1965."
Believe'stitle trackreached number one in 23 countries and sold over 10 million copies globally.It was the best-selling single of 1998 in the UK and of 1999 in the US."Believe" debuted at number one in the UK, held the position for seven weeks and became theUK's best-selling single by a female artist.In the US, it topped theBillboardHot 100 for four weeks,making Cher, at 52, the oldest female artist to top the chart."Believe" earned Cher theGrammy Award for Best Dance Recordingand the 1999BillboardMusic AwardforHot 100 Single of the Year.Rolling Stonelisted it among "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2021.
On January 31, 1999, Cher sang "The Star-Spangled Banner", the USnational anthem, at theSuper Bowl XXXIII.She co-headlined the television specialVH1 Divas Live '99, which drew 19.4 million viewers,becoming the highest-rated program in VH1's history at the time.HerDo You Believe? Tour(1999–2000) sold out in every American city it visited,drawing a global audience of over 1.5 million.Its companion television special,Cher: Live in Concert – From the MGM Grand in Las Vegas(1999), achieved a 13.0 rating, making it HBO's highest-rated original program of 1998–1999.
Billboardnamed Cher the top dance artist of 1999.Her former label, Geffen, capitalized on her success with the US-only compilationIf I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits(1999),certified gold by the RIAA,while Cher oversawThe Greatest Hits(1999) for international markets, selling three million copies outside the US by January 2000.Cher starred inFranco Zeffirelli's critically acclaimedwar filmTea with Mussolini(1999),playing a flamboyant American socialite unwelcome among Englishwomen in Italy.Lisa SchwarzbaumofEntertainment Weeklydescribed her performance as "always likable, always soft-focus, always strange,"whileFilm Commentwrote that she proved "how sorely she's been missed from movie screens."
In 2000, Cher releasedNot Commercial, an album she wrote after attending a songwriting conference in 1994; it marked her first attempt at writing most of the tracks for an album. Rejected by her label for being uncommercial, she sold it exclusively on her website. The song "Sisters of Mercy", which criticizes as "cruel, heartless and wicked" the nuns who had prevented her mother from retrieving her from a Catholic orphanage, drew condemnation from the Catholic Church.Her dance-focused follow-up toBelieve,Living Proof(2001), debuted at number nine on theBillboard200and was certified gold by the RIAA.It features the UK top-ten single "The Music's No Good Without You"and "Song for the Lonely", a tribute to "the courageous people of New York" following theSeptember 11 attacks.NamedBillboard's top dance artist of 2002, Cher received the Artist Achievement Award fromSteven Tylerat the2002BillboardMusic Awardsfor having "helped redefine popular music with massive success on theBillboardcharts."That year, her wealth was estimated at $600 million.
In June 2002, Cher launched theLiving Proof: The Farewell Tour,promoted as herfinal concert tour, though she planned to keep recording and acting.Jon ParelesofThe New York Timespraised it as a celebration of Cher's resilience, highlighting her ability to "triumph over restraint, aging and gravity" and calling her "a hit machine immune to sagging flesh".Initially set for 49 shows, the tour was repeatedly extended.By October 2003, it had become the most successful tour by a female artist, grossing $145 million from 200 shows with 2.2 million attendees.TheNBCspecialCher: The Farewell Tourdrew 17 million viewers,becoming the highest-rated network concert special of 2003 and earning Cher thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded).
After leaving Warner UK in 2002, Cher signed a global deal with Warner Bros. Records in September 2003.Forbesnamed her thehighest-paid female musicianof 2003, earning $33.1 million.The compilation albumThe Very Best of Cher(2003) peaked at number four on theBillboard200and was certified double platinum by the RIAA.In theFarrelly brothers'comedyStuck on You(2003), Cher played a satirical version of herself in a relationship with a high schooler (Frankie Muniz), referencing media scrutiny of her relationships with younger men.Cher's Farewell Tour concluded in April 2005 after 325 shows, drawing over 3.5 million attendees and grossing $250 million, ranking among thetop-ten highest-grossing tours of the 2000s.
After three years of retirement,Cher began a three-year, 200-show residency in 2008 atthe Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, earning a reported $60 million.TitledCher, the production featured advanced stage effects and over 20 costume changes.InBurlesque(2010), her firstmusical filmsinceGood Times(1967), she played a nightclub owner mentoring a Hollywood hopeful (Christina Aguilera). Her song "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me", from the film'ssoundtrack,topped theBillboardDance Club Songschart in January 2011, making Cher the only artist withBillboardnumber-one singles in six consecutive decades (1960s–2010s).
In 2011, Cher lent her voice to Janet the Lioness in the comedyZookeeper.Dear Mom, Love Cher, a documentary she produced about her mother Georgia Holt, aired on Lifetime in May 2013.Closer to the Truth(2013), Cher's 25th studio album and the first since 2001'sLiving Proof, entered theBillboard200 at number three, her highest position on that chart to date.The Boston Globe's Michael Andor Brodeur commented that "Cher's 'Goddess of Pop' sash remains in little danger of undue snatching; at 67, she sounds more convincing thanJ-LoorMadonnareporting from 'the club'".Cher premiered the lead single "Woman's World" on theseason fourfinale of the talent showThe Voice, her first live TV performance in over a decade.She later joined the show'sseason fiveas judgeBlake Shelton's team adviser.
In June 2013, Cher headlined the annualDance on the Pierbenefit, celebrating LGBTQ Pride Day, achieving the event's first full-capacity crowd in five years.She embarked on the Dressed to Kill Tour in March 2014, nearly a decade after announcing her "farewell tour",joking during shows that this would actually be her last farewell tour whilecrossing fingers.The tour's first leg, comprising 49 sold-out shows in North America, grossed $54.9 million.Later that year, she canceled all remaining dates due to a kidney infection.Cher collaborated with Americanhip hopgroupWu-Tang Clanon their 2015 albumOnce Upon a Time in Shaolin, credited under her 1964alias, Bonnie Jo Mason.The album, produced as a single copy and sold via online auction,became the most expensive album ever sold.
After attending the 2015Met GalaasMarc Jacobs's guest, Cher became the face of his Fall/Winter campaign.In February 2017, she launchedClassic Cher, a three-year concert residency at thePark Theaterin Las Vegas andThe Theater at MGM National Harborin Washington, D.C.At the2017BillboardMusic Awards, Cher performed "Believe" and "If I Could Turn Back Time", her first awards show performance in over 15 years.Gwen Stefanipresented Cher with theBillboardIcon Award, calling her the "definition of the word Icon" and a role model of strength and authenticity.In March 2018, Cher headlined the 40thSydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, with tickets selling out in three hours after she hinted at her involvement onTwitter.
Cher returned to film after nearly a decade inMamma Mia! Here We Go Again(2018), ajukebox musicalromantic comedy based on the songs ofABBA. The film serves as both a prequel and a sequel to the 2008 filmMamma Mia!and features Cher as Ruby Sheridan, the mother of Donna (Meryl Streep) and grandmother of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried).Critics praised Cher's performance as a highlight of the movie, withNew Yorkmagazine commenting, "Every single movie—no matter how flawless—would be infinitely better if it included Cher."For thefilm's soundtrack, she recorded two ABBA songs, "Fernando" and "Super Trouper".Björn Ulvaeusof ABBA stated, "She makes 'Fernando' her own. It's her song now."
While promotingMamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Cher announced she was working on an album of ABBA covers.Released in September 2018,Dancing Queendebuted at number three on theBillboard200, tying with 2013'sCloser to the Truthas Cher's highest-charting solo album in the US.With first-week sales of 153,000 units, it achieved the year's biggest sales week for a pop album by a female artist and marked Cher's largest sales week since 1991.The album also toppedBillboard'sTop Album Saleschart.Dancing Queenreceived widespread critical acclaim;Rolling Stonecommented that Cher makes the ABBA songs sound as if they were written for her,whileEntertainment Weeklypraised it as her "most significant release since 1998'sBelieve."
Cher embarked on theHere We Go Again Tourin 2018,which continued until 2020, when it was indefinitely postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemiclockdowns.The Cher Show, a biographical jukebox musical based on Cher's life and music, premiered in Chicago in June 2018.Featuring three actresses portraying Cher at different stages of her life,it ran onBroadwayfrom December 2018 to August 2019.Subsequent productions toured the UK, Ireland and the US.On December 2, 2018, Cher received theKennedy Center Honorin recognition of her "extraordinary contributions to culture",with tribute performances of her songs byAdam Lambert, Cyndi Lauper andLittle Big Town.The following year, Cher launched Cher Eau de Couture, her second fragrance, which she described as a "genderless" follow-up to 1987's Uninhibited.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Cher focused on projects that could be completed from home. In May 2020, she released her first Spanish-language song, a cover of ABBA's "Chiquitita", with proceeds donated toUNICEF.Later that year, she joined thecharity supergroupBBC Radio 2 Allstars for a cover ofOasis's "Stop Crying Your Heart Out". The recording, made in support of theChildren in Needcharity,became a UK top-ten single.Chervoicedabobbleheadversion of herself in the animated filmBobbleheads: The Movie(2020).She was featured inThe New York Times Magazine's annual "Best Actors" list for 2020,becoming the first actor included without appearing in a theatrical release that year;her performance inMoonstruck(1987) was praised as "radiant" and a source of comfort duringquarantine.
In the early 2020s, Cher collaborated with major fashion brands. She starred inDsquared2's Spring/Summer 2020 campaign,MAC Cosmetics' "Challenge Accepted" campaign in January 2022 andUGG's "Feel" campaign the same month.ForPride Monthin June 2022, Cher partnered withVersaceto launch the "Chersace"capsule collection, with proceeds benefiting the LGBTQIA+ charity Gender Spectrum.In September 2022, she walked the runway atParis Fashion Week, closingBalmain's Spring/Summer 2023 show, and in November, she starred in the brand's "Balmain Blaze" campaign.That month, Cher began dating music executive Alexander Edwards, 40 years her junior. Their age gap sparked criticism online, which she addressed by tweeting, "Love doesn't know math."
Cher's first holiday album,Christmas(2023),features duets with Stevie Wonder,Darlene Love,Michael Bublé,Tygaand Cyndi Lauper. Its lead single, "DJ Play a Christmas Song", topped theBillboardAdult ContemporaryandDance/Electronic Digital Song Salescharts in December 2023, extending Cher's record as the only solo artist withBillboardnumber-one singles in seven consecutive decades (1960s–2020s).
In December 2023, Cher criticized theRock and Roll Hall of Famefor excluding her since becoming eligible in 1990, saying, "I wouldn't be in it now if they gave me a million dollars," and suggesting the institution "can just you-know-what themselves."Two months later, she received her first nomination and was inducted on October 19, 2024, becoming the first musician-actor to win an Academy Award for acting and join the Hall of Fame.Cher decided to accept the honor out of admiration for her fellow inductees.At the ceremony, she performed "If I Could Turn Back Time" and "Believe", the latter as a duet withDua Lipa.
In November 2024, Cher publishedCher: The Memoir, Part One, the first of a two-part autobiography covering her childhood, early career and marriages to Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman.Written over seven years,it debuted at number one onThe New York TimesBest Seller list, holding the position for three weeks.The second part is set for release in 2025.To celebrate 60 years in music, Cher released the greatest hits albumForever(2024), available as a 21-track standard edition and a 40-track digital edition,Forever Fan, featuring Sonny & Cher songs and lesser-known tracks curated by Cher.Rolling Stonenoted the absence of "Half-Breed", her thirdBillboardHot 100 number-one, linking it to a trend of artistsreevaluating their catalogsin light of changingcultural sensitivities.
Cher has explored diverse musical styles, includingrock(folk,punk,arenaandpopsubgenres),soul,jazz,disco,new wave,power ballads,hip hopandelectronic dance music,aiming to "remain relevant and do work that strikes a chord".Music historianAnnie Zaleskiwrote in Cher's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction essay that she sings "nearly every style of music" effortlessly.Cher's music often centers onheartbreak, independence andwomen's empowerment, making her a "brokenhearted symbol of a strong but decidedly single woman", according toOutmagazine's Judy Wieder.Goldmine's Phill Marder credits Cher's musical success to her "nearly flawless" song selection, noting that while Sonny Bono contributed to early hits, most of her solo successes came from independent songwriters she chose.Her 2000 albumNot Commercial, largely self-written, has a "1970ssinger-songwriterfeel" that highlights herstorytellingskills, according to AllMusic'sJose F. Promis.
Robert Hilburnof theLos Angeles Timeswrites, "There were a lot of great records by female singers in the early days of rock ... None, however, reflected the authority and command that we associate with rock 'n' roll today as much as [Cher's] key early hits".Some of Cher's early songs discuss subjects rarely addressed in American popular music such as divorce, prostitution, unplanned and underaged pregnancy, and racism.According to AllMusic's Joe Viglione, the 1972 single "The Way of Love" is "either about a woman expressing her love for another woman or a woman saying au revoir to a gay male she loved". Her ability to carry both male and female ranges allowed her to sing solo inandrogynousand gender-neutral songs.
Cher'scontraltovoice has been widely praised for its distinctiveness.Ann PowersofThe New York Timesdescribed it as "a quintessential rock voice: impure, quirky [and] a fine vehicle for projecting personality."Zaleski called hertimbre"recognizable, dusky and sultry, like exquisite black velvet," with awide rangeand "warbling"vibrato.AllMusic's Bruce Eder stated that her voice's "intensity and passion" are amplified by her acting skills, creating "an incredibly powerful experience for the listener."The Guardian'sLaura Snapes called her voice "miraculous", capable of expressing "vulnerability, vengeance and pain" simultaneously.Zaleski added that her vocal delivery feels like "a direct line to her soul",while author Paul Simpson observed that "she spits out the words ... with such conviction you'd think she was delivering an eternal truth about the human condition".
Writing about Cher's musical output during the 1960s, Hilburn stated that "no one matched the pure, seductive wallop of Cher".By contrast, her vocal performances during the 1970s were described by Eder as "dramatic, highly intense ... [and] almost as much 'acted' as sung".First heard in the 1980 recordBlack Rose,Cher employed sharper, more aggressive vocals on her hard rock-oriented albums, establishing her sexually confident image.For the 1995 albumIt's a Man's World, she restrained her vocals, singing in higher registers and without vibrato.
Cher's 1998 song "Believe" was the first commercial recording to useAuto-Tune—anaudio processorfor correctingoff-keyvocals—as a stylistic effect, creating a robotic, futuristic sound.Cher, who proposed the effect,faced resistance from her label but insisted it remain, saying, "You can change [the song] over my dead body".Dubbed the "Cher effect",the technique was later described byPitchfork'sSimon Reynoldsas having "revolutionized the sound of popular music" and as "the sound of the 21st century."Cher used Auto-Tune extensively onLiving Proof(2001) and subsequent albums.In 2023, the Cher Fan Club'sYouTube channelreleased a cover of Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" usingartificial intelligence (AI)to replicate Cher's voice.Calling it "shocking", Cher expressed concern: "I've spent my entire life trying to be myself and now ... they'll do my singing? ... it's out of control."
Maclean'smagazine's Barbara Wickens described Cher as "probably the most fascinatingmovie starof her generation", highlighting her "magnetic" screen presence and her ability to be both "boldlyshocking" and "ultimately enigmatic."Film Commentstated, "For Cher is a star. That is, she manages the movie star trick of being at once a character and at the same time never allowing you to forget: that's Cher."New York PostcriticDavid Edelsteinattributed Cher's "top-rankingstar quality" to her capacity for projecting "honesty, rawness and emotionality", adding that she "wears her vulnerability on her sleeve."David DenbyofNew Yorkmagazine pointed to her distinctive appearance as a key factor in her appeal, describing her look as "odd, a bit oriental and snaky" and suggesting that it aligns with "the traditional definition of a Hollywood star—that you always want to see more."
AuthorYvonne Taskernotes that Cher's film roles often mirror her public image as a rebellious, sexually autonomous andself-madewoman.In her films, she recurrently serves as a social intermediary tomarginalizedmale characters.Film criticKathleen Rowewrote ofMoonstruckthat the depiction of Cher's character as "a 'woman on top' [is] enhanced by the unruly star persona Cher brings to the part'".ForMoonstruck, Cher was ranked 1st onBillboard's list of "The 100 Best Acting Performances by Musicians in Movies" and her performance was described as "the standard by which you mentally check all others".Moonstruckwas acknowledged by theAmerican Film Instituteas the eighth bestromantic comedyfilm of all time.
Cher's public image is also reflected in her music videos and live performances, where she explores themes of self-construction, thepursuit of perfectionandfemale sexuality, according to Tasker.Tony Spilde ofThe Bismarck Tribunefelt that "[Cher's] lavish concerts have become bigger than the music they're meant to promote."In her 1991Cher... at the Mirageconcert video, she stood apart from contemporary female pop singers by featuring amale dancer impersonating herinstead of female backup dancers mirroring her movements.Author Diane Negra described this as Cher embracing her identity as a "fictionalized production", offering audiences a "pleasurable plurality."James Sullivan of theSan Francisco Chroniclehighlighted Cher's impact on the era of stadium-sized shows, stating, "She's comfortable enough to see such imitation as flattery, not theft."
Cher was ranked 17th on VH1's list of the "50 Greatest Women of the Video Era".The 1980 video for "Hell on Wheels" involves cinematic techniquesand was described by film historianLawrence J. Quirkas one of the earliest examples of a modernmusic video.Deemed "controversial" for her performance on the battleshipUSSMissouri, straddling a cannon,and wearing a leather thong that revealed her tattooed buttocks,the 1989 music video for "If I Could Turn Back Time" was the first ever to be banned by MTV.
Timemagazine's Cady Lang described Cher as a "cultural phenomenon [who] has forever changed the way we see celebrity fashion."Cher emerged as afashion trendsetterin the 1960s, popularizing "hippie fashion withbell-bottoms, bandanas and Cherokee-inspired tunics".She began working as a model in 1967 for photographerRichard Avedonafter then-Voguemagazine editorDiana Vreelanddiscovered her at a party forJacqueline Kennedy.Avedon took the controversial photo of Cher in a beaded and feathered nude gown designed byBob Mackiefor the cover ofTimemagazine in 1975;Billboardmagazine's Brooke Mazurek described it as "one of the most recreated and monumental looks of all time."Cher first wore the gown to the 1974Met Gala. According toVogue'sAndré Leon Talley, "it was really the first time a Hollywood celebrity attended and it changed everything. We are still seeing versions of that look on The Met red carpet 40 years later."Billboardwrote that Cher has "transformed fashion and [become] one of the most influential style icons in red carpet history".
The Hamilton Spectatordeclared Cher "theIt Girlof the '70s".Through her television shows, she became asex symbolwith her inventive and revealing Mackie-designed outfits, and successfully fought the network censors to bare hernavel.Cher has been erroneously identified as the first woman to expose her navel on television after the 1951 AmericanCode of Practices for Television Broadcasters,and her frequent exposed midriff earned her the moniker "pioneer of the belly beautiful" fromPeople.In 1972, after she was featured on the annual "Best Dressed Women" lists, Mackie stated: "There hasn't been a girl like Cher since Dietrich andGarbo. She's a high-fashion star who appeals to people of all ages."
In May 1999, after theCouncil of Fashion Designers of Americarecognized Cher with an award for her influence on fashion,Robin Givhanof theLos Angeles Timescalled her a "fashion visionary" for "striking just the right note of contemporary wretched excess".Givhan referencedTom Ford,Anna SuiandDolce & Gabbanaas "[i]nfluential designers [who] have evoked her name as a source of inspiration and guidance."She concluded that "Cher's Native American showgirl sexpot persona now seems to epitomize the fashion industry's rush to celebrate ethnicity, adornment and sex appeal."Vogueproclaimed Cher "[their] favorite fashion trendsetter", describing her as "[e]ternally relevant [and] the ruler of outré reinvention".Alexander Fury ofThe Independentlauded Cher as "the ultimate fashion icon" and traced her influence among female celebrities such asBeyoncé, Jennifer Lopez andKim Kardashian, stating that "[t]hey all graduated from the Cher school of never sharing the stage, with anyone or anything ... They're trying to share the spotlight, to have Cher's success."
Cher has attracted media attention for her physical appearance—particularly her youthful looks and her tattoos. Paddy Calistro of theLos Angeles Timeswrote that during Cher's rise as a movie star in the 1980s, her "highly articulated bone structure captured audience attention", which led to an increased number of medical requests for "surgically inserted 'cheekbones'".Journalists have often called Cher the "poster girl" of plastic surgery.Author Caroline Ramazanoglu wrote that "Cher's operations have gradually replaced a strong, decidedly 'ethnic' look with a more symmetrical, delicate, 'conventional' ... and ever-youthful version of female beauty ... Her normalised image ... now acts as a standard against which other women will measure, judge, discipline and 'correct' themselves."In 1992,Madame Tussaudswax museum honored Cher as one of the five "most beautiful women of history" by creating a life-size statue.She was ranked 26th on VH1's list of the "100 Sexiest Artists" in 2002.
Cher has six tattoos.The Baltimore Suncalled her the "Ms. Original Rose Tattoo".She got her first tattoo in 1972.According to Sonny Bono, "Calling her butterfly tattoos nothing was like ignoring a sandstorm in the Mojave. That was exactly the effect Cher wanted to create. She liked to do things for the shock they created."In the late 1990s, she began having laser treatments to remove her tattoos.The process was still underway in the 2000s. She commented, "When I got tattooed, only bad girls did it: me andJanis Joplinandbiker chicks. Now it doesn't mean anything. No one's surprised."
Cher was the inspiration forMother Gothel, a fictional character who appears inWalt Disney Pictures' animated feature filmTangled(2010). DirectorByron Howardstated that Gothel's exotic appearance was based on Cher's "exotic and Gothic looking" appearance, continuing that the singer "definitely was one of the people we looked at visually, as far as what gives you a striking character".
Cher's social media presence has been noted for its unconventional and candid style.Timenamed Cher "Twitter's most outspoken (and beloved) commentator",whileThe New York Times'J Worthamhighlighted her authenticity, contrasting it with the heavily curatedonline personastypical of celebrity accounts. Wortham described Cher as "an outlier, perhaps the last unreconstructed high-profile Twitter user", whose posts combine "nakedness and honesty" that is "rarely celebrated" in mainstream culture.Similarly,The Guardian'sMonica Heiseydescribed Cher's Twitter account as "a jewel in the bizarro crown of the internet", noting, "While many celebrities use Twitter for carefully crafted self-promotion, Cher just lets it all hang out."Journalists have also remarked on her frequent use ofemojis, which Cher has linked to herdyslexia, describing them as intuitive tools for visualizing emotions.
Cher is revered by theLGBTQ community, a status attributed to her career accomplishments, distinctive sense of style and enduring longevity.She is regarded as agay iconand is frequently imitated bydrag queens.According toSalonwriter Thomas Rogers, drag queens emulate figures likeJudy Garland,Dolly Partonand Cher because they "overcame insult and hardship on their path to success"—narratives that resonate with the challenges many gay men face when coming out.
Maclean'sjournalist Elio Iannacci stated that Cher was "one of the first to bring drag to the masses", hiring two drag queens to perform with her during herLas Vegas residencyin 1979.The Advocate's Jeff Yarbrough described Cher as "one of the first superstars to 'play gay' with compassion and without a hint ofstereotyping", as she portrays a lesbian in the 1983 filmSilkwood.Cher's transition todance musicand her social activism have further solidified her status as a gay icon.As the mother of atrans man, Chaz Bono, Cher has advocated for visibility and support for trans families.
Cher's influence onLGBTQ culturewas highlighted in the NBC sitcomWill & Grace, where she was the idol of the gay characterJack McFarland. She appeared as herself in two episodes, including the 2000 episode "Gypsies, Tramps and Weed"—referencing her 1971 song "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves"—which became the show's second-highest-rated episode.Cher's impact on the drag community is also evident in the reality competitionRuPaul's Drag Race, which has honored Cher through challenges like the musical performance "Cher: The Unauthorized Rusical" inseason 10and the runway theme "Everything Every-Cher All at Once" inseason 16.
Cher's philanthropic work is channeled through the Cher Charitable Foundation, which focuses oncombating poverty, advancingmedical research, improvinghealth careand supporting the rights ofvulnerable groupssuch asveterans,children,LGBTQ individuals,eldersandanimals.
Cher has been a vocal advocate for American soldiers, returning veterans and communities affected by war. In 1993, she joined a humanitarian mission to Armenia, delivering food and medical supplies to thewar-tornregion.She has supported Operation Helmet, which provides free helmet upgrade kits to troops inIraqandAfghanistan, and contributed to theIntrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, aiding military personnel severely injured in war-related operations.
Beginning in 1990, Cher served as a donor and as the National Chairperson and Honorary Spokesperson for theChildren's Craniofacial Association, whose mission is to "empower and give hope to facially disfigured children and their families".The annual Cher's Family Retreat is held each June to provide craniofacial patients and their families an opportunity to interact with others with similar experiences. She supports the Get A-Head Charitable Trust, which aims to improve the quality of life for people with head and neck diseases.
Cher is a donor, fundraiser and international spokesperson forKeep a Child Alive, which seeks to combatAIDS, including providingantiretroviral medicineto children and their families.In 1996, she hosted theAmerican Foundation for AIDS Research(amfAR) Benefit alongsideElizabeth Taylorat the Cannes Film Festival.In 2015, she received the amfAR Award of Inspiration for "her willingness and ability to use her fame for the greater good" and for being "one of the great champions in the fight against AIDS".
Cher has served as the Honorary National Chair ofHabitat for Humanity's "Raise the Roof" fundraising initiative, aimed at supporting the construction and repair of affordable homes for families in need.In 2007, Cher became the primary supporter of the Peace Village School (PVS) inUkunda, Kenya, which "provides nutritious food, medical care, education and extracurricular activities for more than 300 orphans and vulnerable children."Her support enabled the school to acquire land and build permanent housing and school facilities and in partnership withMalaria No Moreand other organizations, she piloted an effort to eliminatemalariamortality and morbidity for the children, their caregivers and the surrounding community.
In 2016, after the discovery oflead contamination in the drinking water of Flint, Michigan, Cher donated more than 180,000 bottles of water to the city.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cher launched the CherCares Pandemic Resource and Response Initiative (CCPRRI) alongsideDr. Irwin Redlener, the head ofColumbia University's Pandemic Resource and Response Center, to distribute $1 million to "chronically neglected and forgotten people" through theEntertainment Industry Foundation(EIF). Cher toldBillboard, "There are rural areas where people of color and Latinos and Native Americans were getting no services. It's not a lot of money—$1 million goes in the blink of an eyelash!—so now I'm trying to get my friends to make it a lot more so we can do something that will really meet people's needs."
In 2017, Cher weighed in on the need to protect elder rights as she executive producedEdith+Eddie, a documentary about a nonagenarian interracial couple, which was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).That same year, she co-founded Free the Wild, an international charity dedicated to protecting wild animals in captivity.In 2020, Free the Wild partnered withFour Paws International, prompting Cher to travel toPakistanto advocate for and work with the country's government for the transfer ofKaavan, an elephant confined to a zoo for 35 years, to a wildlife sanctuary inCambodia.This effort was chronicled in the documentaryCher & the Loneliest Elephant, released onParamount+in 2021, which detailed her collaboration with animal aid groups and veterinarians to free Kaavan.
Cher's older child,Chaz Bono, first came out as a lesbian at age 17, which reportedly caused Cher to feel "guilt, fear and pain".However, she soon came to accept Chaz's sexual orientation and came to the conclusion that LGBTQ people "didn't have the same rights as everyone else, [and she] thought that was unfair".Cher was the keynote speaker for the 1997 national Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) convention and has since become one of the LGBTQ community's most vocal advocates.In May 1998, she received theGLAAD Vanguard Awardfor having "made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for lesbians and gay men".On June 11, 2009, Chaz came out as atransgenderman and his transition from female to male was legally finalized on May 6, 2010.
Cher has said that she is not a registered Democrat, but has attended manyDemocraticevents.Herprogressivepolitical views have attracted media attention and she has been an outspoken critic of theconservative movement.She has commented that she did not understand why anyone would be a Republican because eight years under theadministration of George W. Bush"almost killed [her]".
During the2000 United States presidential election,ABC Newswrote that she was determined to do "whatever possible to keep him [Bush] out of office".She said, "If you're black in this country, if you're a woman in this country, if you are any minority in this country at all, what could possibly possess you to vote Republican? ... You won't have one fucking right left."She added, "I don't like Bush. I don't trust him. I don't like his record. He's stupid. He's lazy."
On October 27, 2003, Cher anonymously called aC-SPANphone-in program to recount a visit she made to maimed soldiers at theWalter Reed Army Medical Centerand criticized the lack of media coverage and government attention given to injured servicemen. Although she identified herself as an unnamed entertainer, she was recognized by the C-SPAN host, who subsequently questioned her about her 1992 support for independent presidential candidateRoss Perot. She said:
In a 2006Stars and Stripesinterview, Cher elaborated on her "against thewar in Iraqbutfor the troops" position: "I don't have to be for this war to support the troops because these men and women do what ... they're told to do ... They do the best they can. They don't ask for anything."
Cher supportedHillary Clintonin her 2008 presidential campaign.After Obama won the Democratic nomination, she supported his candidacy.However, in a 2010 interview withVanity Fair, she commented that she "still thinks Hillary would have done a better job", although she "accepts the fact that Barack Obama inherited insurmountable problems".During the2012 United States presidential election, Cher and comedianKathy Griffinreleased apublic service announcementtitled "Don't Let Mitt Turn Back Time on Women's Rights", criticizingRepublicanpresidential nomineeMitt Romneyfor his support ofRichard Mourdock, the US Senate candidate who suggested that pregnancies resulting from rape were "part of God's plan".
In September 2013, Cher declined an invitation to perform at the2014 Winter Olympicsopening ceremony in Russia due to the country'scontroversial anti-LGBTQ legislationthat overshadowed preparations for the event.In June 2015, afterDonald Trumpannounced his candidacy for president, she made critical comments on Twitter, stating that "Donald Trump's punishment is being Donald Trump".In 2018, after the victory in Brazil's presidential election ofright-wing populistJair Bolsonaro, Cher called him a "pig" and "a politician from hell", before declaring that Bolsonaro should be "locked in prison for the rest of his life".
Cher has advocated for awareness of theArmenian Genocide. At the 2016 premiere ofThe Promise, a war film depicting the genocide, she criticized Turkey's refusal to recognize the events as genocide and highlighted the general public's lack of awareness. She referenced theObersalzberg Speechand the line, "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" She also discussed her Armenian heritage and her grandparents' survival of the genocide.In 2021, she congratulatedJoe Bidenon Twitter for being the first US President to formally acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.
In September 2020, Cher raised nearly $2 million for Biden's presidential campaign at a virtual, LGBTQ-themed fundraiser.In October, she traveled to Nevada and Arizona to campaign on behalf of Biden,and released a cover version of "Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe", a song conceived for the 1943 musical filmCabin in the Sky, with lyrics updated to be about Biden.The same month, Cher posted messages on Twitter in support of Armenia andArtsakhregarding theNagorno-Karabakh war.
In 2022, following theRussian invasion of Ukraine, Cher expressed her support for Ukraine and called for aid to Ukrainians through her Twitter account.She referred to Russian PresidentVladimir Putinas adespotintent onrestoring the Soviet Union,and announced plans to provide shelter forUkrainian refugeesin her home.
Cher is commonly referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop".Rolling Stone'sRob Sheffieldstated, "there are no other careers remotely like hers, [particularly] in the history of pop music", and referred to Cher as "the one-woman embodiment of the whole gaudy story of pop music."According toGoldminemagazine's Phill Marder, Cher "has been and remains today one of the Rock Era's most dominant figures".He described her as the leader of an effort in the 1960s to "advance feminine rebellion in the rock world [and] the prototype of the female rock star ... the perfect female punk long before punk even was a rock term."Billboard'sJoe Lynch described Cher as "a woman who pioneered an androgynous musical identity in the mid '60s" and who by doing so "teed things up for people likeBowieandPatti Smith".
Billboard'sKeith Caulfield wrote that "there's divas and then there's Cher."The New York Times'Matthew Schneier stated, "[Cher] has earned hermononym. Her star power is such that she has spored an entire industry of imitators, both figurative and literal."Dazedmagazine'sShon Fayeelaborates: "If Madonna andLady GagaandKylieand Cyndi Lauper were playing football, Cher would be the stadium they played on and the sun that shone down on them."According to Jeff Miers fromThe Buffalo News, "Her music has changed with the times over the decades, rather than changing those times through groundbreaking work"; however, he felt that subsequent female pop singers were heavily inspired by Cher's abilities to combine "showmanship with deep musicality ... to make valid statements in a wide variety of trend-driven idioms ... to ease effortlessly between pop subgenres [and] to shock without alienating her fans", as well as by her charismatic stage presence and the strong LGBTQ support among her fan base.
Cher has repeatedly reinvented herself by adopting a series of personas,for which Professor Richard Aquila fromBall State Universitycalled her "the ultimate pop chameleon".According toEntertainment Weekly'sMarc Snetiker, "Cher has floated through generation after generation, scooping up new fans, thrilling old ones, reinventing her own myth and glittering splendidly through it all."Billboardmagazine's Brooke Mazurek credited Cher as having "revolutionized the idea of what a pop star could visually accomplish, the way they could create multiple personas that live on and off-stage."James Reed fromThe Boston Globeelaborates: "Along with David Bowie, she is one of the original chameleons in pop music, constantly in flux and challenging our perceptions of her".
The New York Timesdeclared Cher the "Queen of theComeback".According to authorLucy O'Brien, "Cher adheres to the American Dream of reinvention of self: 'Getting old does not have to mean getting obsolete.'"AuthorCraig Crawforddescribes Cher as "a model of flexible career management" and relates her career successes to a constant reshaping of her image according to the evolving trends of popular culture.He further comments that she billed "each dramatic turnaround of style as another example of rebellion—an image that allowed her to make calculated changes while appearing to be consistent."
Cher's "ability to forge an immensely successful and lengthy career as a woman in a male-dominated entertainment world"has drawn attention from feminist critics.Billboard's Lauren Tom described Cher as "a pioneer of female autonomy during a male-driven era [who] paved a way in a sexist industry with her music".According to author Diane Negra, Cher was presented in the beginning of her career as a product of male creativity;Cher remembers, "It was a time when girl singers were patted on the head for being good and told not to think".However, her image eventually changed due to her "refusal of dependence on a man and the determination not only to forge [an acting career] on her own terms but to refuse the conventional role assigned to women over forty years old in an industry that fetishises youth", wrote author Yvonne Tasker.She was featured in the 16th-anniversary edition ofMs.magazine as an "authentic feminist hero" and a 1980s role model for women: "Cher, the straightforward, tattooed, dyslexic single mother, the first Oscar winner to have entered into matrimony with a known heroin addict and to have admitted to being a fashion victim by choice, has finally landed in an era that's not afraid to applaud real women."
Following Cher's 1988 Oscar win,The New York Times'Stephanie Brush highlighted her impact on women moviegoers, comparing her toJack Nicholsonfor men. Brush wrote that Cher represents women in "revenge fantasies", unapologetically telling off those who underestimate her, and concluded, "You need to be more than beautiful to get away with this. You need to have been Cher for 40 years."Cher's 1996 interview forDateline NBC'sJane Pauleybecame aviral videoin 2016; in it, Cher tells the story of her mother asking her to "settle down and marry a rich man", to which Cher replies, "Mom, I am a rich man."Cher's "Mom, I am a rich man" quote was included inTaylor Swift's 2019 music video "You Need to Calm Down".Bustlemagazine's Erica Kam commented, "[Cher's quote] puts a spin on typical gender norms ... It would make sense, then, that Swift would want to follow Cher's example."
Alec MapaofThe Advocateelaborates: "While the rest of us were sleeping, Cher's been out there for the last four decades living out every single one of our childhood fantasies ... Cher embodies an unapologetic freedom and fearlessness that some of us can only aspire to."Rolling Stone'sJancee Dunnwrote, "Cher is the coolest woman who ever stood in shoes. Why? Because her motto is, 'I don't give a shit what you think, I'm going to wear this multicolored wig.' There are folks all over America who would, in their heart of hearts, love to date people half their age, get multiple tattoos and wear feathered headdresses. Cher does it for us."Alexander Fury ofThe Independentwrote that Cher "represents a seemingly immortal, omnipotent, uni-monikered level of fame."Bego stated: "No one in the history of show business has had a career of the magnitude and scope of Cher's. She has been a teenage pop star, a television hostess, a fashion magazine model, a rock star, a pop singer, a Broadway actress, an Academy Award-winning movie star, a disco sensation and the subject of a mountain of press coverage."Lynch wrote that "the world would certainly be different if she hadn't stayed so irrevocably Cher from the start."
As a solo artist, Cher has sold 100 million records worldwide, making her one of thebest-selling music artistsof all time.She is among the few entertainers to have won an Emmy, Grammy and Oscar,and one of five actor-singers to have had a US number-one single and won an acting Academy Award.Her breakthrough single, Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe", is aGrammy Hall of Fameinducteeand was featured onRolling Stone's"500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list in 2003.Her 1971 single "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" was called "one of the 20th century's greatest songs" byBillboard.Her 1998 song "Believe" is the biggest-selling single of all time by a female artist in the UK.It was voted the world's eighth favorite song in a poll conducted byBBCin 2003—the only American song on the list."Believe" appeared on the 2021 revised list ofRolling Stone's"500 Greatest Songs of All Time".In 1988, Cher became the first performer to receive an Academy Award for acting and a RIAA-certified gold album in the same year.
Cher is the only solo artist to have a number-one single on aBillboardchart in seven consecutive decades, from the 1960s to the 2020s.She held the previous US record forBillboardHot 100 number-one singles over the longest period of time: 33 years, seven months and three weeks between "I Got You Babe", which topped the chart for the first time on August 14, 1965, and "Believe", whose last week at number one was April 3, 1999.With "Believe", she became the oldest female artist at the time to have a US number-one song in the rock era, at the age of 52.Billboardranked her at number 43 on their "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time" list.In 2014, the magazine listed her as the 23rd highest-grossing touring act since 1990, with total earned revenue of $351.6 million and 4.5 million attendance.
Cher has received numerouslifetime achievement awards, including theVanguard Awardat the 1998GLAAD Media Awards,the Legend Award at the1999 World Music Awards,a special award for influence on fashion at the 1999CFDA Fashion Awards,the Lucy Award for Innovation in Television at the 2000Women in Film Awards,the Artist Achievement Award at the2002BillboardMusic Awards,the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010GlamourAwards,the Legend Award at the 2013AttitudeAwards,the Award of Inspiration at the 2015amfAR Gala,theIcon Awardat the2017BillboardMusic Awards,the Ambassador for the Arts Award at the 2019Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography,and the 2020Spirit of Katharine Hepburn Award.
In 2010, Cher received the honor of placing her handprints and footprints in cement in front ofGrauman's Chinese Theatrein Hollywood.Her name is on a star on theHollywood Walk of Fameas part of the duo Sonny & Cher.She had also been selected for the honor as a solo artist in 1983, but declined to schedule the mandatory personal appearance.In 2018,Whoopi Goldbergpresented herKennedy Center Honor, the highest recognition of cultural achievement in the US.In 2024, Cher was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2003, Cher appeared at number 41 on VH1's list of "The 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons", which recognizes "the folks that have significantly inspired and impacted American society".She was ranked 31st on VH1's list of "The 100 Greatest Women in Music" for the period 1992–2012.Esquiremagazine placed her at number 44 on their list of "The 75 Greatest Women of All Time".She was featured on the "100 Greatest Movie Stars of our Time" list compiled byPeople.In a 2001 poll,Biographymagazine ranked her as their third favorite leading actress of all time.