What’s your relationship to ambition at this level in your life?

Look, I’m working my ass off, so I have to be formidable. If I don’t have the love for it, I wouldn’t do it. However I’m pleased with this album, too. And I really like everybody on it. I by no means had individuals on my albums earlier than, and I didn’t plan to. It sort of began with Cyn [Cyndi Lauper]. I mentioned, I’m going to do that Christmas album, and I’m not even certain what I’m asking, however I simply need to know that if I want you, that you just’ll be there. She mentioned, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, high quality.”

After which I did a Stevie tune [his rendition of “What Christmas Means to Me”], however there have been elements that I simply didn’t know learn how to entry. As a result of it belongs to him, to not me. So I did my model, and I despatched it to him. I believed I used to be going to need to, like, get down on bended knee — however I didn’t. He mentioned, Cher, is it one among my songs? Would you like me to play harmonica on it? When he mentioned sure, my sister and I have been in my bed room and I simply ran round and jumped up and down on my mattress. I used to be yelling, “Stevie Surprise goes to be on my album!”

Are you watching different veteran performers now, to see the way you may do issues in another way?

I’m not going to do issues in another way. If individuals come to see you, they need you to do issues they like. I keep in mind seeing Bob Dylan — I feel it was “Blood on the Tracks.” And I went to the primary live performance and a number of the songs I went, “What is that this?” He bought uninterested in singing the songs the identical means. However individuals actually need to hear their favourite tune precisely the identical means. It doesn’t make any distinction if I’m uninterested in it. I’ve to seek out it inside myself to find it irresistible and to like what I’m doing.

Had you thought a lot about this stage of your profession?

I by no means thought I might get right here. I imply, my age is so horrifying. It’s like, the numbers are so large. And I maintain considering, The place did it go? I used to be busy working. Whereas I used to be busy being Cher, how did this occur? Nobody’s given me any information.

I nonetheless have loads of power and I can nonetheless be actually enthusiastic about issues. I stay in Malibu. I can see the ocean, and that’s my favourite factor. I really like my home. I’m grateful.

How do you have fun Christmas?

I don’t cook dinner, however everybody finally ends up at my home. Stragglers, household. We’ve bought a number of youngsters round, and youngsters. Largely we’re simply speaking and appearing loopy and watching motion pictures and hanging out. We don’t placed on actually Christmas music, simply enjoyable music. However music doesn’t appear to be a big a part of it. Everyone’s speaking too loud.