Cher on SNL 2025: Lip-Syncing, Legacy, and Why the Internet Can’t Let Icons Age in Peace

 

Cher, Christmas, and the Internet’s Short Memory

Cher is trending, and not quietly.

If you searched Cher, Cher SNL 2025, all I want for Christmas is you, or even what time is SNL tonight, you probably didn’t expect to land in a full-blown cultural debate about legacy, lip-syncing, and whether icons are allowed to be human.

But here we are.

On Saturday Night Live’s 2025 Christmas episode, hosted by Ariana Grande, Cher appeared as the musical guest for the first time since 1987. That alone should’ve been a moment. Instead, the internet did what it does best: paused the clip, zoomed in on the mic, and turned nostalgia into a tribunal.

The Performance That Started It All

Cher, 79, opened with her 2023 holiday track, “DJ Play a Christmas Song.” Within minutes, social media clocked what many called “extremely obvious lip-syncing.” The mic drifted far from her mouth. The vocals stayed perfect. Twitter did the math.

Comparisons flew. The Ashlee Simpson SNL moment resurfaced like a ghost everyone pretends not to enjoy revisiting.

And suddenly, Cher wasn’t just performing; now she was on trial.

The Internet Split (As It Always Does)

The reaction fell into three familiar camps:

• The Defenders:
  “She’s 79.”
  “She’s earned it.”
  “She’s Cher.”

• The Critics:
  Calling it one of the most obvious lip-syncs SNL has aired in years.

• The Conflicted:
  Not mad... just confused.

Because here’s the thing: Cher didn’t stop there.

The Redemption Moment

Her second performance, Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run,” was unmistakably live, and it was good. Strong. Confident. Real.

Which somehow made the first performance more confusing.

If she could sing live… Why not just do that from the start?

That’s where the conversation shifted. This wasn’t just about lip-syncing. It became about standards, expectations, and how we treat legacy artists in a culture obsessed with perfection.

Ariana Grande, SNL, and the Timing

It didn’t help (or maybe it did) that the episode was hosted by Ariana Grande, whose net worth, vocal ability, and pop dominance were also trending that night.

The contrast was sharp:

• Ariana: youth, polished, vocal gymnastics

• Cher: history, presence, myth

Two different eras sharing the same stage, and the internet comparing them... of course, that was always going to get messy.

Why Cher Is Really Trending

This isn’t just about a mic.

It’s about whether icons are allowed to age publicly.
Whether live performance is still what it used to be.
Whether nostalgia buys grace or just higher expectations.

We want legends to stay legendary, but only if they meet today’s impossible standards. We say “respect your elders,” then scrutinize them in HD, frame by frame.

Cher didn’t fall off.
She reminded everyone she’s human.

My Thoughts 

Cher lip-syncing on SNL isn’t the scandal people want it to be. It’s a mirror.

A mirror showing how uncomfortable we are with aging women in pop culture. How quickly admiration turns into entitlement. How we demand authenticity but only on our terms.

And maybe the real question isn’t “Did Cher lip-sync?”
It’s “Why are we shocked that she didn’t need to prove anything?”

Because if legacy means anything, it should mean choice.

And Cher has always chosen herself.

xoxo,

Ashley Adeniran