Cher made headlines as she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during last night’s prestigious ceremony, with Dua Lipa joining her for a memorable performance of the iconic hit “Believe.” The event also featured Cher’s induction speech, introduced by Zendaya, along with her stunning rendition of “If I Could Turn Back Time.”
“Where do I even begin?” prompted Zendaya at the start of her speech. “There is not one person in this room, across the nation, or globally who doesn’t recognize the incredible talent I’m here to honor tonight. So iconic, she only needs one name… She does it all—and does it exceptionally well.”
During her acceptance speech, Cher humorously reflected on her long-awaited induction, quipping that it was easier to get divorced from two husbands than to gain entry to the Hall of Fame. “I want to thank my guardian David Geffen for his support, as he wrote a letter to the directors—and here I am,” she shared with a laugh. Cher empowered the audience with her message, stating, “The one thing I have never done is give up. To all the women out there, we may have faced struggles, but we continue to thrive and embrace who we are. We are special.”
Cher first rose to fame in 1965 as part of the folk-rock duo Sonny and Cher alongside her then-husband Sonny Bono. The duo gained acclaim for hits like “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” and “You Better Sit Down Kids.” Additionally, Cher became a household name through her television variety show, which aired from 1971 to 1974, and welcomed her only child, Chaz, in 1969 before her divorce in 1975.
In the 1970s, Cher achieved remarkable success with three number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: “Gypsys, Tramps, and Thieves,” “Half-Breed,” and “Dark Lady,” setting a record as the female solo artist with the most No. 1 singles in U.S. history. She transitioned into disco with the 1979 album Take Me Home, and later ventured into acting, winning an Academy Award for her role in Moonstruck.
Cher holds the unique honor of being the only solo artist with Billboard No. 1 singles across seven consecutive decades, from the 1960s to the 2020s. “Believe,” released in 1998, became a defining song of the 1990s and the best-selling single by a female artist in the UK, popularizing the use of AutoTune. Cher continues to captivate audiences, starring in films like Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again in 2018, performing at major events, and generating buzz with her vibrant social media presence.
