Cher is the only person on the planet who can make a decade look like a weekend. Seriously. Think about it. Most stars have a "run." They get five, maybe ten years where they’re the center of the universe, and then they settle into the nostalgia circuit. Not Cher. If you look at Cher then and now, you aren’t just looking at a career; you’re looking at a blueprint for survival in an industry that usually chews women up by the time they hit thirty.
She’s seventy-nine now. Let that sink in for a second. While most of her peers are long retired or playing the same three hits at county fairs, she’s still out here moving the needle.
It started with that deep, contra-alto voice that people initially thought was a man. Then came the bell-bottoms. Then the Oscar. Then the Auto-Tune revolution. Honestly, it’s kind of ridiculous how many times she has fundamentally shifted the culture. She’s survived disco, the death of variety TV, rock-and-roll snobbery, and a million "where are they now" articles that she proved wrong every single time.
The Sonny and Cher Days: Where it All Began
Back in the mid-sixties, Cherilyn Sarkisian was basically a shy teenager with a massive voice and even bigger hair. Sonny Bono saw something, though. He was the savvy hustler, but she was the instrument. When they released "I Got You Babe" in 1965, the world wasn't ready for them. They looked like hippies, but they sounded like pop royalty.
The aesthetic was everything.
People forget how radical they were. They weren't the polished, clean-cut stars the labels wanted. They were wearing fur vests and striped pants on national television. It was the first iteration of the Cher then and now evolution—the "rebel icon." But by the late sixties, the flower power vibe was dying. They were broke. They were considered "has-beens" before Cher was even twenty-five.
The Variety Show Pivot
They didn't quit. They went to Vegas. They honed a lounge act that was half singing and half Cher roasting Sonny’s height and hairline. It worked so well that CBS gave them The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. This is where the "Goddess of Pop" persona really started to crystallize. Working with designer Bob Mackie, Cher began wearing outfits that were basically legal-limit-pushing pieces of art.
She wasn't just a singer anymore. She was a visual event.
The Reinvention Nobody Saw Coming: The 80s Movie Star
The divorce from Sonny in 1975 should have been the end. Historically, women in duos didn't survive the split. But Cher isn't "most women." After a brief, somewhat rocky solo music start and a high-profile marriage to Gregg Allman, she decided to do the one thing everyone told her she couldn't do: act.
And I don't mean "pop star in a cameo" acting. I mean real, grit-under-the-fingernails acting.
She moved to New York. She took a massive pay cut to do Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean on Broadway. Critics were ready to pounce. They wanted her to fail because she was "too famous" or "too much of a personality." Instead, she was brilliant. Mike Nichols cast her in Silkwood (1983) alongside Meryl Streep.
She got an Oscar nomination.
Then came Mask. Then The Witches of Eastwick. And then, the big one. Moonstruck. When she stood on that stage in 1988 and took home the Academy Award for Best Actress, she effectively ended the argument that she was just a "glamour girl." She was an artist.
The Cher then and now narrative usually focuses on her looks, but the mid-eighties proved her staying power was built on genuine, undeniable talent. She was relatable as Loretta Castorini while being untouchable as a fashion icon. That’s a tightrope walk very few people can pull off.
Turning Back Time and the "Believe" Revolution
Just when you thought she was settling into her "Legend" phase, she went and changed the music industry again. In 1989, she filmed a music video on the USS Missouri wearing a sheer bodysuit that caused a literal national scandal. "If I Could Turn Back Time" became a massive hit. She was forty-three. At the time, forty-three was considered "ancient" for MTV.
She didn't care.
Ten years later, when she was fifty-two, she released "Believe." This is a crucial moment in the Cher then and now timeline. Most people don't realize that "Believe" was the first major hit to use Auto-Tune as a deliberate vocal effect. The producers, Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling, were actually nervous about it. They thought people would think she couldn't sing.
Cher told them to leave it in.
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It became the biggest-selling single by a solo female artist in UK history. It topped the charts in 23 countries. She became the oldest woman to have a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, a record she held for years. She proved that age wasn't a barrier to innovation. She was using technology that teenagers would eventually build entire genres around, and she did it first.
Cher in 2026: The Social Media Queen and Modern Icon
So, where is she now? Honestly, she’s exactly where she’s always been: right in the middle of the conversation.
In the last few years, Cher has become a social media powerhouse. Her X (formerly Twitter) presence is legendary for its chaotic energy, all-caps typing, and liberal use of emojis. It’s authentic. You know it’s her. There’s no PR team filtering her thoughts. Whether she’s talking about politics, her gelato brand (Cherlato!), or her relationship with Alexander "A.E." Edwards, she’s 100% herself.
Staying Power in the Digital Age
The fascination with Cher then and now hasn't faded because she refuses to be a museum piece.
- The Music: Her 2023 Christmas album was a surprise hit, proving she can still sell records without chasing every single trend.
- The Memoirs: She finally released her long-awaited autobiography, Cher: The Memoir, Part One, in late 2024. It humanized the legend, detailing the dyslexia, the stage fright, and the sheer work it took to stay on top.
- The Style: She still works with Bob Mackie. She still shuts down red carpets. She’s currently leaning into a high-fashion, rock-chic vibe that makes women half her age look boring.
The "now" part of her story is about legacy, but it’s also about refusal. She refuses to "age gracefully" by society’s boring standards. If she wants to date a man forty years younger, she does. If she wants to wear a sheer gown, she does.
What We Get Wrong About the Cher Legacy
People often point to plastic surgery when they talk about her longevity. It’s the easy, lazy take. Sure, she’s been open about it. "I’ve had my breasts done, my nose done, my teeth done," she famously said years ago. But surgery doesn't give you a sixty-year career. Surgery doesn't make you funny. It doesn't give you the timing to nail a comedic line in a movie or the soul to sing a ballad that breaks people’s hearts.
The real secret to the Cher then and now phenomenon is resilience.
She has been broke multiple times. She’s been mocked by the press. She’s been told she was "over" in 1968, 1974, 1982, and 1991. Every time, she just worked harder. She went to Vegas when Vegas was considered a graveyard for careers. She did infomercials in the early 90s when she couldn't get a movie deal. She did whatever it took to keep the lights on and the art moving forward.
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That’s the nuance people miss. She isn't a survivor; she's a warrior.
Actionable Insights: Lessons from the School of Cher
If you’re looking at Cher’s life and wondering how to apply that kind of "forever energy" to your own life or career, here’s the breakdown.
Don’t be afraid to pivot. Cher didn't stay in the "hippie" box. When music stalled, she did TV. When TV stalled, she did theater. When theater worked, she did movies. If you feel stuck, it’s probably because you’re trying to be the "then" version of yourself instead of the "now" version.
Own your narrative. Cher doesn't wait for people to tell her story. She writes the book. She sends the tweet. In 2026, personal branding is everything, and Cher is the original architect of the "Authentic Brand." Be loud about what you believe in.
Value your "Mackie." Find the people who help you shine. Her 50-year partnership with Bob Mackie taught her the power of visual identity. Surround yourself with collaborators who understand your vision and push it further than you could on your own.
Ignore the "Expiration Date." The world loves to tell people—especially women—when they are done. Cher has been "done" more times than a Thanksgiving turkey, yet here she is. The only person who gets to decide when you’re finished is you.
Cher's journey from a shy girl in El Centro to a global mononym isn't just about fame. It's a masterclass in staying curious. She’s still learning, still recording, and still surprising us. That’s why we’re still talking about her. Not because of who she was in 1965, but because of who she chooses to be today.
Check out her latest memoir or listen to her newer tracks with fresh ears. You’ll find that the "now" is just as compelling as the "then."