Diane Warren recalls Cher’s hilarious 'backhanded compliment' about her songwriting

Diane Warren is reflecting on a humorous exchange with longtime collaborator Cher, revealing a blunt compliment the music icon once gave her.

The Grammy-winning songwriter shared a photo of herself with Cher on social media, along with a caption recounting the moment. In it, Warren recalled Cher telling her: “You’re annoying but you write great songs.”

Warren, 69, appeared amused by the remark, responding lightheartedly to the comment online with a simple, “Haha thnx,” alongside emojis.

Despite the playful jab, the two artists share a long professional history dating back to the late 1980s. Warren wrote Cher’s 1989 hit “If I Could Turn Back Time,” one of the singer’s most iconic songs.

The track, however, was not an immediate favorite for Cher. Warren previously revealed in an interview that she had to strongly persuade the singer to record it.

“She hated it,” Warren said in a past interview. “I literally got on my knees and said, ‘I’ll pay for it. If you don’t like it, don’t use it.’”

Cher ultimately agreed, and the song went on to become one of her biggest career hits. Looking back, she later praised Warren’s persistence, calling her “unrelenting” in a way that ultimately benefited her career.

“I’m glad she talked me into it,” Cher said in a later interview. “It’s one of my favorite songs and one of my biggest hits.”

Warren, known for writing some of pop music’s most enduring ballads including Un-Break My Heart and Because You Loved Me, has maintained a decades-long reputation as one of the industry’s most prolific songwriters.