Cher
The Timeless Appeal of Cher
Cher, Cherilyn Sarkisian at birth, is an American celebrity whose ability to change with the times has served her well, keeping her in the public eye for decades. Her unique singing voice and impressive acting ability have earned her many fans, some of whom have called her the Goddess of Pop, due to the way her music style always manages to change just enough to be exciting and interesting and relevant, whether she’s singing in the 1960s, 1980s, or 1990s.
Dreaming of Fame
Cher’s family knew they had something extra special when she was just a little girl in the fifth grade. Where most children merely participate in a school play, Cher produced the entire performance herself, arranging a performance of the popular musical Oklahoma! She cast a group of girls, directing them, and choreographing every dance move. Unfortunately, no boys wanted to participate, so Cher had to take on the male roles herself. Even at the age of nine, she had a remarkably low voice for a girl, which served her well.
For all that, Cher never felt she had any particular talent as a child. Her idol was Audrey Hepburn, particularly as her character from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and she used to emulate that character, dressing and acting as she did in the movie. She only wished there were famous actresses with dark hair that she could follow. Cher felt that she was not very attractive or very talented, because no one in the movies looked or sounded like her, but she was determined to become famous, nonetheless.
Still pursuing dreams of fame, Cher dropped out of school when she was only 16 and moved to Los Angeles to learn acting. She danced to make a living in various clubs along Sunset Strip and was quick to introduce herself to anyone who could help her jumpstart her career. When she met the singer, Sonny Bono, in 1962, they had no idea they would become one of the most famous singing duos of all time. Instead, Bono eventually ask Cher to be his housekeeper.
A Rising Star
Knowing that Cher was pursuing a life in show business, Sonny introduced her to his own boss, music producer Phil Spector, and she did some backup singing on some famous records, including “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” by the Righteous Brothers, and “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes. Spector also let Cher have a chance to record her own single under the name Bonnie Jo Mason. Unfortunately, that did not go so well. She had yet to find the perfect key for her voice, and she sang it too low.
Sonny thought her voice was great, however. He was determined to get to know her better, when he had barely noticed her before. They became friends, and married in a private ceremony in 1964. Sonny still wanted Cher to sing as a solo artist, but she was too shy to sing alone, so they began to sing together. Their first offerings, released as Caesar and Cleo did not fare so well. It was only after they tried again as Sonny and Cher, that they finally found success, and found it big.
Cher overcame her stage fright, and built a successful solo career, even while she was with Sonny. Fashion icon, singer, dancer, actress – she had it all. When she divorced Sonny in 1975, losing half of the famous duo, she never lost her stride, becoming a big Vegas act. She moved to more serious acting in the 1980s, eventually earning an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1988. In the meantime, she continued to produce musical hits, establishing herself as a powerful force in the world of entertainment over and over.
She launched her signature fragrance during this time in her life, Uninhibited. Released in 1987 with the assistance of Parfums Sterns, Uninhibited was billed as: Bottled, but not contained. It opens with fresh and fruity tones of bergamot and orange, lifted by aldehydes. The heart is mostly floral: ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, geranium, and heliotrope, with an intriguing hint of tobacco. The base notes are seductive and sensual: sandalwood, musk, cedar, vetiver, and vanilla.
Once a woman who was so stricken by stage fright that she had to look at her husband Sonny when singing on stage, Cher has truly become uninhibited in displaying her talents – uncontained, as it says on the bottle. She is the only person to have received such diverse awards as an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, a number of Golden Globes, and a Cannes Award. She has come a long way from the little girl that dreamed of being famous to one of the best-selling music artists of all time.