Cher is accused of lip-syncing during her performance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
As always, the seasonal spectacle was held in Manhattan, but was briefly stopped by pro-Palestinian protesters clinging to Sixth Avenue.
Ultimately, the festivities were able to go ahead, with Cher, 77, appearing at the end to give a rendition of her new single DJ Play A Christmas Song.
However, a few viewers quickly jumped on social media and claimed they could tell Cher was merely miming the words.
Some eagle-eyed observers pointed out a moment when she moved her microphone away from her face, but the sound of her voice remained unaffected.
Hard at work: Cher, 77, has been accused of lip-syncing during her performance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York
Allegations: Cher appeared at the end of the festivities to perform a rendition of her new single DJ Play A Christmas Song
One wrote, “Cher looks great but she’s lip-syncing and it’s awful LOL,” and another vamped, “Cher almost forgot she was lip-syncing while taking off her jacket.”
On the other hand, some Cher fans came to her defense, arguing that lip syncing is de rigueur during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“Each of them lip-syncing for the parade,” wrote one user of X, formerly Twitter. “Cher’s outfit and overall Cher-ness trumps the lip sync.”
“Every artist has been lip-syncing for years. I don’t enjoy it, but I get it for the sake of the parade,” another observer tweeted, adding that in his opinion, “Cher, at her age, still performing is still amazing.”
“I’m certainly shocked that Cher is lip-syncing during the parade,” someone else wrote sarcastically. “I’m just stunned by this revelation. What now, are you telling me that pro wrestling is scripted???”
One fan snapped, “I DON’T WANT TO HEAR A WORD ABOUT CHER LIP SYNCING BECAUSE EVERY PERFORMANCE ON THE PARADE IS LIP SYNCING.”
The parade began in 1924 and has been held annually since, with the exception of three years during World War II, when the helium and rubber were diverted for defense purposes.
Cher’s entry into the Thanksgiving tradition comes about a month after the release of her very first Christmas album, titled Simply Christmas.
Don’t have: However, a few viewers quickly jumped on social media and claimed they could tell Cher was just miming the words
On the other hand, some Cher fans jumped to her defense and argued that lip syncing is de rigueur at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The record contains original material as well as a few older seasonal songs, including Santa Baby, Run Rudolph Run and Please Come Home For Christmas.
She teamed up with Stevie Wonder for a duet of his old Motown song What Christmas Means To Me, and with Michael Buble to re-record his 2005 song Home.
The artists on the album range from older acts like Darlene Love and Cyndi Lauper to Kylie Jenner’s ex-boyfriend Tyga.
“They’re not Christmas songs, okay, they’re just great songs,” Cher assured Billboard. “And I never say that, because I almost never like what I do.”
In a Paper in a magazine interview to promote the album, she candidly revealed, “I just never really liked my voice.” If I had the choice I would probably have another one, but I didn’t get my choice. I have my mother’s voice.’
Details: Cher’s participation in the Thanksgiving tradition comes about a month after the release of her very first Christmas album, titled Simply Christmas
She elaborated on the characteristics of her ‘weird’ voice quality, saying: ‘It doesn’t sound like a man, it doesn’t sound like a woman. I’m more in between.’
The Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves singer reflected: “I have a strange style. I do what you do when you can’t hold a note: I don’t spend my Rs. I think some consonants are hard to sing, so I just have to leave them open.”
She admitted that “people seem to like it and I’m happy as a clam, but I wouldn’t have chosen it. I liked it with my mom and it’s definitely my mom’s voice.”
Cher, who famously shared with her late mother, added: “My mother’s is softer, mine is sharper – different but the same, but I don’t think I would have chosen it.”