Before the eccentrics of Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Cher.
On Sunday night's (May 21) 2017 Billboard Music Awards, the pop icon took to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for a show-stopping reminder of her timeless influence on the pop music landscape.
As the receipting of this year's Icon Award, which was presented by Gwen Stefani, the 71-year-old shared an interesting perspective on her multi-decade success story.
"I want to thank my mom. Because when I was really young, my mom said, 'You're not going to be the smartest. You're not going to be the prettiest. You're not going to be the most talented, but you will be special,'" Cher said at the podium, showcasing her humility. "I have had so much help. I've had the greatest people to work with...I think luck has so much to do with my success. I think it was mostly luck and a little bit of something thrown in."
Always the showgirl, Cher also offered the crowd with an explosive rendition of her 1998 smash, "Believe," as well as her 1989 hit, "If I Could Turn Back Time." During the latter portion of the set, she went into her closet and put on her black sequin bodysuit, which she famously wore in the song's music video, and it was no surprise that she thrilled. She is, after all, no stranger to the Sin City strip. Just ask the thousands of attendees of her Vegas residency, which started back in 2008.
Click here for more on iHeartRadio's 2017 Billboard Music Awards coverage, including a full list of winners and recaps of all the show-stopping performances.