Cher's embarrassment, Miley Cyrus "humiliated" Lady Gaga, and "grumpy" Justin Bieber became a meme: 4 key moments of the 2026 Grammys
The 68th Grammy Awards ceremony took place in Los Angeles, and the show was memorable for more than just the dazzling array of star-studded guests and the list of winners. Spletnik has compiled four highlights from the 2026 Grammys.
1. Cher's embarrassment
79-year-old Cher sparked online controversy after her appearance on the Grammys stage. After a lengthy speech about her career, the "Believe" singer turned and headed backstage, even though she was still scheduled to present the award for Track of the Year. Host Trevor Noah quickly reminded her of this, after which the singer returned to the stage. But she immediately made a mistake when announcing the winner's name.
At first, Cher hesitated and began searching for a name on the teleprompter screen. Realizing there was no clue, she finally managed to open the envelope she was holding, but mistakenly announced that the winner was Luther Vandross, a soul singer who died 20 years ago. In fact, the award went to Kendrick Lamar and SZA's track "Luther," named after the late star.
Afterward, some on social media expressed concern for Cher's well-being. Others lashed out at the ceremony's producers, claiming they hadn't properly instructed the singer.
2. "Weird" Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber's first major performance in four years took place at the Grammys (amid rumors of his mental health and marital problems). Online, the singer's behavior at the ceremony was called "strange, to put it mildly." First, fans of the couple noted that he acted "indifferent" next to his wife, Hailie Bieber, on the red carpet. Second, many noted his "awkward" reaction to the host's innocuous jokes, which immediately became a meme on social media.
Approaching the Biebers' table, Trevor Noah declared that although the singer's album "Swag" had received four nominations, Justin's greatest achievement of the past year was becoming a father. The host also jokingly called Bieber a "hero" for allegedly convincing Apple to move the dictation button on the iPhone keyboard. Hailey laughed throughout, but Justin maintained an extremely tense, stony expression, which viewers interpreted as a sign of hidden irritation.
At the end, Noah jokingly asked Hailey for a "promo code" for her Rhode cosmetics brand, to which Justin only gave a forced smile. Viewers at X commented that Justin looked like he "wanted to kill Trevor" or "hide under the table."
Finally, during his performance, Bieber wore only gray boxer shorts and matching socks, and at the end of his number, he went backstage without waiting for the musicians to finish playing. The singer's outfit and onstage demeanor also raised eyebrows.
3. Miley Cyrus "humiliated" Lady Gaga
Miley Cyrus "ignored" Lady Gaga after losing the Best Pop Album award, according to Western tabloids. Online commentators noted that the 31-year-old "Flowers" singer didn't even stand up or clap when 39-year-old Gaga took the stage to accept the award for her release of "Mayhem."
Cyrus, wearing a black leather jacket and matching pants, remained seated during Gaga's triumphant performance, unlike other nominees, including Sabrina Carpenter.
According to one theory, Cyrus had a conflict with Gaga's producer, Andrew Watt, with whom she collaborated on the song "Plastic Hearts" in 2020 (and was rumored to be dating at the time). Watt was present on stage during Gaga's awards ceremony. Interestingly, Cyrus herself was sitting in the audience with her boyfriend, Max Morando.
4. "The Naked Dress" by Ron Chappell
One of the most shocking and talked-about moments of the ceremony was Chappelle Ron's appearance. The 27-year-old singer appeared in a custom Mugler look, inspired by Thierry Mugler's archival 1998 collection. The sheer fabric of her dress was literally held together by her nipple piercings (which turned out to be fake). Her body was covered in temporary tattoos.
On social media, Chappelle has already been dubbed "Bianca 2.0," a reference to Kanye West's wife, Bianca Censori, who appeared practically naked on the Grammys red carpet last year. However, unlike Bianca, whose look was considered simply scandalous, critics called Chappelle's appearance "high art."
As a reminder, the 2026 Grammy winners include: Bad Bunny (for Album of the Year), Kendrick Lamar & SZA (for Record of the Year - "Luther"), Billie Eilish (for Song of the Year - "Wildflower"), Lady Gaga (for Best Pop Vocal Album - "Mayhem"), and Olivia Dean (for Best New Artist).
Фото: кадз изинини/CBSFRazer Harrison/Getty ImagesKevin Winter/Getty ImagesAmy Sussman/Getty ImagesMatt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images