Getty The queen of "Camp" shocked attendees at the private dinner with a show-stopping performance featuring plenty of classic hits and campy costume changes. The queen of outrageous styles was nowhere to be seen on the 2019 Met Gala pink carpet, but what would a "Camp"-themed event be without the one and only Cher. Always one of the most avant garde stylists and unique artists in the world of fashion, Cher could well have been the centerpiece of the whole event. And for a little while, she was. The singer stunned everyone during the closed dinner event with a performance of her classic hits and classic covers like "Believe" and "Waterloo" and "I Found Someone" and "If I Could Turn Back Time." Even better, she switched up her look to best represent the eras that each of those songs was released. And yes, that included her iconic mesh bodysuit/leather jacket look from 1989's "If I Could Turn Back Time." And you better believe the 72-year-old legend can still rock the look, and the stage. While the event was closed-door, that didn't stop several of the attending celebrities from sharing snippets from the surprise performance to their social media pages, allowing fans at home to join in the celebration. Lady Gaga, who co-chaired the event, took to the stage to introduce one of her musical heroes and influences. "We have some incredible performances tonight and I would ask you kindly to pay attention," she said to the audience before anyone had any idea who was about to step out onto that stage. "Are you quiet? Are you focused? Are you ready?" They didn't stay quiet long. Cher wrapped her time with a short speech about her long connection to the annual Met Gala event. Her first event came back in 1974 where she donned one of her most iconic looks, a sheer jumpsuit with feathery trim at the hems that Kim Kardashian used as inspiration for her own 2015 Met Gala look. Through the years, Cher has continued to express herself at the Met Gala, and awards show carpets and on stage and during appearances on her own shows and others. Let's just say Cher never has a problem expressing herself. "I wasn't going to say anything tonight, but then I saw the 'First Monday in May' documentary and it reminded me of when I was a little kid, and it made me kind of excited and depressed, and drama queen-ish," Cher told the 2019 Met Gal crowd. "That's who I am." She went on to talk about growing up poor, but finding inspiration in the simplest thing: color. "I had this love of color and painting and patterns and everything, fabric. When that 64 box of Crayola came out, I lost my mind." It was that box of crayons and her early passions that inspired her to never limit herself. "I wanted to be more than just a singer and when I met Sonny he'd do anything I'd want him to do, so I just lived out my dream with him, and we just kept going," she said. "I just want you to know how proud I am to be here and be a part of this." The audience couldn't get enough of Cher's surprise appearance and performance. And thankfully, so many of them chose to record the moment, so we can enjoy it, too. Below are just a few of those captured videos: CHER PERFORMED WATERLOO AT THE MET GALA 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Rl7pX7o3rU @ASHLEYWEBERR I can't think of anything campier than Cher showing up to the #MetGala in jeans and a T-shirt and performing an ABBA song pic.twitter.com/Nz1xwwrFp0 @benarmishaw Cher is wearing jeans and Katy Perry is dressed like a burger... Anna Wintour is somewhere having a mental breakdown right now #MetGala pic.twitter.com/Ybg1AiF9ia @ASHLEYWEBERR Harry singing along to Cher at the Met Gala in NYC, 6/5 via alessandro_michele. pic.twitter.com/NqgjjsMyAr @thestylespics Harry dancing along to 'Believe' by Cher at the #METGala - May 6. pic.twitter.com/AVi4XcDecQ @hsdaily Florence dancing to Cher with Saoirse Ronan at the Met Gala pic.twitter.com/RTkAQx3N6p @florencethings cher did THAT to sarah paulson. met GAYla is thriving pic.twitter.com/ize4sdzokD @queerdeliagoode Got a story or a tip for us? Email TooFab editors at tips@toofab.com.<doc-sep>Cher was the surprise musical guest at Monday night's Met Gala. The theme for this year's annual even was "camp" and Cher delivered her own, distinct brand of it with a set that included a cover of ABBA's "Waterloo," as well as her own hits “Believe” and “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Check out highlights below. ADVERTISEMENT As Vogue reports, Cher was introduced on stage by Lady Gaga. “Sit down and shut up!” is quoted as saying to the audience. “We have incredible performances tonight, and I ask you kindly to pay attention. Are you quiet? Are you focused? Are you ready? !” Cher's performance began with dancers from Ryan Murphy show Pose appearing on stage. You can see all of the best looks from the 2019 Met Gala here. ADVERTISEMENT<doc-sep>Cher delivered a surprise performance tonight at the 2019 Met Gala. She performed some of her own hits as well as a cover of ABBA’s 1974 song “Waterloo” in honor of the Met’s camp-themed night. She also performed her classics “Believe” and “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Watch it below. Tonight’s event celebrated the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Art Costume Institute exhibition “Camp: Notes on Fashion. The evening was co-chaired by Lady Gaga—who had multiple outfit reveals during her red carpet entrance—Harry Styles, Anna Wintour, and Serena Williams. See what musicians wore, including Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Cardi B, Robyn, and more.<doc-sep>Cher turned back time with a typically colorful -- and campy -- performance at the Met Gala. Showing off blue hair and a skin-tight glittery body suit, Cher shone on a high-camp night with a rendition of her 1989 hit, "If I Could Turn Back Time." Harry Styles was in the crowd and loving it.<doc-sep>
The superstar surprised the Met Gala crowd with an unexpected performance Cher Hits All the Right Notes as She Makes Surprise Performance at the 2019 Met Gala When Cher made an appearance at the 2019 Met Gala red carpet on Monday night, it was as if she had “turned back time.” The 72-year-old superstar skipped the infamous red carpet, and instead went directly inside to prep for an unexpected performance. During dinner, when the event is completely closed off from the public, Cher shocked the crowd by appearing on-stage singing some of her greatest hits. In videos posted by Gwen Stefani to her Instagram Story, the superstar performed her hit “Believe” (which left Stefani’s seatmate, Katy Perry, lip syncing and tearing up). Cher donned a sheer jumpsuit with sparkle accents and a black biker jacket with pink lining. She wore her hair curly in what appeared to be a bright blue shade under the strong stage lights. cher1 Credit: Gwen Stefani/Instagram cher2 Credit: Gwen Stefani/Instagram While Cher skipped the carpet, she is no stranger to making an entrance at the Met Gala. She made her gala debut alongside designer Bob Mackie in 1974 wearing one of her most iconic dresses to date — the designer’s completely sheer long-sleeve jumpsuit with glittery accents and long, feathery trim at the hems, later a source of inspiration for Kim Kardashian West, who wore a similar sheer design by Roberto Cavalli by Peter Dundas to the 2015 Met Gala. cher-kimk Credit: Getty; Startraks Cher arrived in 1985 wearing another Bob Mackie design; this time it was a high-collar, long-sleeve top with crystal embellishments, matching headpiece and long black skirt. She attended the Gala that year with Mackie, who has been her go-to costume designer throughout the years and who designed the on-stage looks for the new Broadway musical about the singer’s career, The Cher Show. The Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala Exhibition of "Costumes of Royal India" Credit: Ron Galella/WireImage She most recently attended the Met Gala in 2015 with designer Marc Jacobs. Later that month she starred in the ad campaign for Jacobs’ Fall/Winter 2015 collection. Cher Marc Jacobs Met Gala Credit: Lars Niki/Corbis via Getty This year, the singer abided by the Met Gala theme, “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” which is a reference to writer Susan Sontag’s famous 1964 essay Notes on Camp. “Whether it’s pop camp, queer camp, high camp or political camp — Trump is a very camp figure — I think it’s very timely,” the curator of the institute, Andrew Bolton, told the New York Times about his choice in theme. “Much of high camp is a reaction to something.”