Sza Comes to Cher’s Defense Following Luther Vandross Grammys Confusion

During the 68th Grammy Awards, an unexpected moment on stage led SZA to publicly defend the legendary singer Cher. While presenting the prestigious Record of the Year award on Sunday night, Cher accidentally announced the winner as Luther Vandross instead of the actual recipients, Kendrick Lamar and SZA. The win was for their hit song titled Luther, which serves as a heartfelt tribute to the iconic R&B singer who passed away in 2005.

SZA quickly brushed off the mistake during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, explaining that the confusion actually made a lot of sense. She noted that because the song samples Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 classic If This World Were Mine, they effectively share the frequency of the song with the late legend.

SZA suggested that Cher’s brain was likely just connecting the energy they were all sharing on stage, especially since Cher is from the same era and likely knew Vandross personally. She went on to say that they are mooching off of what Luther already gave them and expressed a deep wish that she could speak to him herself.

The mistake happened when Cher, who was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award that evening, mispronounced Vandross’s surname as Grandoss before quickly correcting herself to name Kendrick Lamar.

The producers and artists involved in the track remained humble throughout the night, using their acceptance speeches to keep the spotlight on the man who inspired the record. Sounwave, one of the song’s producers, made sure to give an immediate shout-out to the late and great Luther Vandross as he took the stage.

Kendrick Lamar echoed these feelings, calling Vandross one of his favorite artists of all time and describing the win as a truly special moment. He explained that getting the legal clearance to use the sample felt like a massive privilege, and the team was moved to tears when they were finally allowed to record their version.

For Lamar, being able to layer their vocals over such a legendary track was a way to prove they were somewhat worthy of the greatness that individuals like Vandross and Cheryl Lynn poured into the original music.

SZA defends Cher after she accidentally announced Luther Vandross for Record of the Year at #GRAMMYs. pic.twitter.com/6GksWmTHWV

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 2, 2026

As of this year, both SZA and Kendrick Lamar are reaching new heights in their careers. SZA recently made her highly anticipated film debut in the buddy comedy One of Them Days, starring alongside Keke Palmer.

The film, which follows two roommates in a race against time to pay their rent, has been a critical and commercial hit, earning SZA a nomination for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance at the upcoming Black Reel Awards. She is also currently riding high on her new collaboration with Doechii titled girl, Get Up, which has been praised as a powerful anthem for Black women in the industry.

Meanwhile, Cher continues to be a force in pop culture, having just received her Lifetime Achievement Grammy while rumors swirl about a potential new biopic of her life currently in development with the producers of Mamma Mia!.

Do you think SZA’s gracious response to Cher’s mistake shows a new level of maturity in how modern artists respect the legends who came before them? Share your thoughts in the comments!