Cher's Memoir Exposes Troubling Encounters with Phil Spector

Cher has never shied away from speaking her truth, and her latest memoir, Cher: The Memoir, Part One, released on November 19, offers a candid look into some of the unsettling experiences that have shaped her legendary career. Among the most shocking revelations are her disturbing encounters with late music producer Phil Spector when she was just 15.

The pop icon, now 78, recounts first meeting Spector through her then-boyfriend, Antonino LoTempio. From the outset, she describes the interaction as far from welcoming. “He might have been a demigod to many, but he acted weird, and I didn’t like how he stared at me,” she writes.

Spector’s behavior reportedly escalated when he propositioned the young Cher in French, asking, “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?” The singer, known for her sharp wit, quickly turned the situation on its head by responding, “Oui, pour l’argent”—“Yes, for money.” The response, she notes, left Spector stunned. “He didn’t think I’d understand the question, let alone have an answer.”

Years later, Cher’s professional dealings with Spector took a darker turn when he illegally released a single featuring her vocals in Europe, violating her contract. When she confronted him, the situation grew tense as Spector twirled a revolver during their heated exchange. "Staring at him in fury as he twirled [a revolver] around his fingers, I said, 'Don’t f*** with me, Phillip!’” Cher recounts. She forced him to apologize and promise never to exploit her music again before leaving, unsure of whether the weapon was loaded.

Spector’s reputation would later be tarnished further by the 2003 fatal shooting of actress Lana Clarkson at his California mansion. Initially claiming the incident was an “accidental suicide,” Spector was retried after a mistrial and convicted of second-degree murder in 2009. He was sentenced to 19 years to life and died in prison in 2021 at the age of 84.

Cher: The Memoir, Part One provides readers with an unvarnished look into the highs and lows of the “Goddess of Pop’s” extraordinary life. Fans can expect more revelations when Cher: The Memoir, Part Two hits shelves on November 18, 2025.