Cher Turns Back Time for Surprise 2019 Met Gala Performance

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:

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