Cher fans are clutching their pearls after the venerable diva was effortlessly upstaged by the vocal prowess of Jennifer Hudson.
During the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday, the 77-year-old pop icon was presented with the Icon Award. She also performed at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and received a special tribute for her decades-long stage career.
Following a video tribute to Cher, Jennifer Hudson took the stage and performed a powerful rendition of “If I Could Turn Back Time.”
Cher later joined her on stage, initially singing “Believe” alone before transitioning into a duet with Hudson. Towards the finale, Jennifer delivered a powerful high note that concluded the classic Cher standard.
Fans React to Jennifer Hudson and Cher’s Duet at the iHeartRadio Awards
Under the YouTube comments section for the performance, many fans felt the iHeartRadio Awards did Cher dirty.
“I’m glad [Cher] still sang at least some of the song,” one bemused fan wrote. “I would have preferred Cher sing it alone. I’ve seen her a few times in concert, [and] she still is incredible,” another fan added.
Many watchers thought Jennifer Hudson was trying a bit too hard to outshine the veteran pop star. “Oh my god…I thought for a second Jennifer was going to swallow Cher through her stomach…no need to sing screaming that loud gurlll,” another YouTube comment read.
“Jennifer did ENTIRELY too much,” another fan agreed. “Jhud could’ve toned down a bit. We get it,” a third fan chimed in.
Another fan questioned why Jennifer Hudson was chosen to sing alongside Cher in the first place. “The oddest pair,” they observed. “Why didn’t they pick Kelly Clarkson?? She doesn’t show off without any reason and she complements her singing partners very well.”
However, other fans in the comments enjoyed Jennifer Hudson and threw a bit of shade at Cher in the process. “You don’t realize how limited a singer Cher is until she’s paired next to Jennifer Hudson upstaging her,” one person wrote.
“I personally enjoyed Jennifer’s vocals…too many artists rely on autotune and backing tracks,” another commented. “It’s refreshing to hear live vocals,” they added.
Meanwhile, Cher joins a distinguished list of Icon Award recipients. Last year, the honor was bestowed upon Pink, while previously renowned figures such as Bon Jovi, Elton John, and Jennifer Lopez have also been given the award.