There is only one Goddess of Pop — and she needs just one name: Cher.
The legendary singer (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) is more than six decades into her mega-successful career, which has spanned the worlds of music, TV, film and fashion. She is just a Tony Award away from becoming an EGOT winner, with an Emmy, a Grammy and an Oscar already under her belt.
Cher rose to stardom in 1965 as half of the duo Sonny & Cher with Sonny Bono, her future husband and Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour costar. Together, they recorded hit singles including “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On.” The couple welcomed a child named Chaz Bono in 1969, the same year they divorced. Sonny died at the age of 62 in a tragic skiing accident in January 1998. Cher later welcomed her second son, Elijah Blue Allman, in 1976 with then-husband Gregg Allman, from whom she ultimately split in 1979.
Though Cher made some solo material in the ‘60s, she did not find worldwide success on her own until the 1971 release of her album Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves. By the mid-‘70s, her discography boasted hits such as “Half-Breed” and “Dark Lady.” The following decade, she embraced more of a rock vibe in her music with songs including “I Found Someone” and “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Her success in the industry continued through the ‘90s, ‘00s and 2010s, thanks to “Believe,” “Strong Enough” and “Woman’s World.”
As an actress, Cher garnered critical acclaim for her roles in Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985) and Moonstruck (1987), the latter of which landed her a best actress Oscar. More recently, she starred alongside Christina Aguilera in Burlesque (2010) and had a cameo in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018).
“I’m shocked, but she’s really good. The other day, we were hamming it up so badly, so old, like vaudevillian,” Aguilera gushed to Entertainment Tonight in 2010 of her legendary costar. “She was keeping up! She was hot. Her game is good!”
Cher’s personal life has also made headlines throughout her years in the spotlight. After her well-known romances with Sonny and Gregg, she found love again in 2022 with Alexander “AE” Edwards. Despite their 40-year age gap, the Grammy winner frequently defends their connection.
“Cher knows full well that there’s a lot of skepticism about this romance, but she couldn’t care less,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly. “She’s reveling in the attention and saying that she and AE have something very special going on that’s made her feel more alive and sexier than ever.”
Scroll down to see photos of the global icon through the years:
