Cher's Festive Performance Marks a Memorable Finale at the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Cher mesmerizes the crowd as she captivates the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with a dazzling performance, spreading festive cheer and ushering in the joyous holiday season
Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage
Cher brought down the house when she gave the final performance of the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
At 77 years old, the pop icon performed "DJ Play a Christmas Song" on NBC's Thursday, November 23 telecast, just before Santa's arrival. Dressed in a white button-down and black pants, she stood on a round platform surrounded by silver-clad dancers. Cher announced her first holiday album, "Christmas," in September, promising "It's not your mother's Christmas album" on Good Morning Britain.
Cher, known for her reluctance to collaborate with other artists, surprised fans by enlisting Stevie Wonder, Michael Bublé, Cyndi Lauper, Tyga and Darlene Love to join her on the album. "I've never had duets. I've never had people on any of my records. This was a last-minute thing," she noted. "But they're special: all of them."
The holiday record was uncharted territory for Cher, who initially had no plans to explore it. "I had no intention of doing a Christmas album," she told Billboard in October. "But [Warner Records] said, 'Why don't you do a Christmas album, Cher?' and I said, 'If I can do my version, I'll do it,' and they were very pleasant."
One of Cher’s requests was to avoid the overdone Christmas classics. “Everyone has done 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town' and 'Jingle Bells',” she said. “I want to choose Christmas songs that feel right to me.”
Deal of the Day
The Best Amazon Thanksgiving Deals Include Dyson Airwraps and Beats Headphones
View Deal
Cher admitted that she is often critical of her own work, but even she was excited about her first studio album with original material in 10 years. "They're not 'Christmas Christmas' songs, okay, they're just great songs," she said. "And I never say that because I almost never like what I do. But, I mean, people love it and I'm happy. I'm so particular, but I love the songs and everyone who hears them loves them."
In addition to her Christmas record, Cher released a deluxe edition of her 1998 album, Believe, on November 3 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The new version includes the same songs plus 13 remastered remixes. The original album sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, with the title track becoming a timeless hit.
