NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Budget 2025
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

How Cher lost a fortune through one costly mistake

NZ Herald
4 Dec, 2023 03:20 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Cher has revealed a massive mistake she made in her career that cost her a fortune. Photo / FilmMagic
Cher has revealed a massive mistake she made in her career that cost her a fortune. Photo / FilmMagic

Cher has revealed a massive mistake she made in her career that cost her a fortune. Photo / FilmMagic

Cher, the “Goddess of Pop” and one of the most successful music artists in the world, has revealed that she holds on to a major regret regarding her hit single Believe.

Released in 1998, Believe (which is also the title for the album it features on) was a groundbreaking success, charting at number one in 23 countries and selling more than 11 million copies in the process.

Despite the single going on to become one of the best-selling singles in music history, Cher has revealed that she has some major issues with the song in this week’s episode of BBC Radio 2′s Tracks Of My Years with Vernon Kay.

Speaking to Kay about the single, Cher lamented how she was too afraid to challenge the status quo that she refrained from asking for a writing credit, despite having contributed to the song. “You can’t even image — about 30 people wrote on it. And I was so stupid. I didn’t ask. I didn’t even get a writer’s credit,” she said.

Cher has recently released "Christmas", her debut Christmas album that features her latest original work in over 10 years. Photo / Instagram
Cher has recently released "Christmas", her debut Christmas album that features her latest original work in over 10 years. Photo / Instagram
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

By failing to be credited for her contribution to the song’s development, Cher missed out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties after the single went on to become her most successful song ever.

“I wrote, ‘I’ve had time to think it through, and maybe I’m too good for you,’” Cher explained. “It sold 11 million copies. I could have got a lot of money.”

Despite fumbling over the expensive mistake, Cher seems to have done well otherwise. Current estimates put her net worth at around US$360 million ($580.3 million), according to Parade.

In the Tracks Of My Years episode, Cher explains how the studio sessions for recording the song were filled with tension and stress, highlighting how she walked out of one after receiving criticism of her vocals.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“The verse was so bad I couldn’t make it good,” Cher jokingly exclaimed. “We, the songwriters and I, got into a big fight over it. I walked out after they said I had to sing it better.

Read More

  • Cher’s Christmas album is new territory for an icon ...
  • Cher accused of kidnapping her son in court documents ...
  • Cher has announced her first-ever Christmas album — ...
  • Superstar Cher and Auckland gelato company Giapo collaborate ...
  • Cher hints at engagement to boyfriend Alexander Edwards, ...

“Then in the morning I said, ‘What, [use] a vocoder?’ and they said, ‘No, you’ve got to do it at the time.”

Yet after the single had been digitally edited, Cher was back on board with the vision and went on to promote the single and its accompanying album.

Cher recently released her debut Christmas album Christmas which features her latest original work in than 10 years.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

'Unforgettable': Popular Akl restaurant to close after 'sensational' run

23 May 08:00 AM
ReviewsUpdated

'One of the best comedians in NZ today': Highlights from the International Comedy Festival

23 May 05:00 AM
Entertainment

Sir Rod Stewart eyes sprinting record at 80

23 May 12:13 AM

Sponsored: How much is too much?

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Hurricanes v Reds: 'Canes eye top four
Super Rugby

Hurricanes v Reds: 'Canes eye top four

23 May 09:25 AM
How two rugby stars are reshaping the women's game
Rugby

How two rugby stars are reshaping the women's game

23 May 08:37 AM
'Can't stop our motion': Run It Straight CEO on cancelled events
New Zealand

'Can't stop our motion': Run It Straight CEO on cancelled events

23 May 08:25 AM
'No other persons sought': Homicide probe continues over 77yo man's death
New Zealand

'No other persons sought': Homicide probe continues over 77yo man's death

23 May 08:00 AM
'Unforgettable': Popular Akl restaurant to close after 'sensational' run
Entertainment

'Unforgettable': Popular Akl restaurant to close after 'sensational' run

23 May 08:00 AM

Latest from Entertainment

'Unforgettable': Popular Akl restaurant to close after 'sensational' run

'Unforgettable': Popular Akl restaurant to close after 'sensational' run

23 May 08:00 AM

Tokki was praised for its refined Korean cuisine and standout wine list.

'One of the best comedians in NZ today': Highlights from the International Comedy Festival

'One of the best comedians in NZ today': Highlights from the International Comedy Festival

23 May 05:00 AM
Sir Rod Stewart eyes sprinting record at 80

Sir Rod Stewart eyes sprinting record at 80

23 May 12:13 AM
'Wanted to fight him': Cudi's testimony at Diddy trial

'Wanted to fight him': Cudi's testimony at Diddy trial

22 May 11:21 PM
Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year
sponsored

Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search