Cher’s unexpected mix up at the 2026 Grammy Awards was not the result of poor preparation, according to the show’s executive producer, who says the legendary performer had been fully briefed before her now viral moment.
Executive producer Ben Winston told Rolling Stone on Monday that Cher had clear instructions ahead of her appearance, including the correct information displayed on the teleprompter. While announcing the winner, Cher read out “Luther” before momentarily adding “Luther Vandross,” then quickly correcting herself to name Kendrick Lamar, who won the award alongside SZA for their song titled Luther. Despite that, the 79-year-old entertainer accidentally named the late singer Luther Vandross while announcing Record of the Year.
“I promise you, we had briefed her and I promise you, what she had to do was in the prompter,” he told the outlet. Still, he described the slip up as a highlight rather than a problem, adding that the mixup made the moment memorable. “If I could go back in time, I’d want that to happen again,” he said, paraphrasing one of Cher’s most famous songs.
Winston explained that moments like these are part of what makes live television compelling. “You want a bit of anarchy,” he said adding that Cher- who was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys ceremony was “happy with how everything went” and “had a great time.”