Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Open Oscars With ‘Defying Gravity,’ ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ & ‘Home’
The 2025 Oscars opened on a high note (literally), with a medley of songs from Wizard of Oz-based films performed by the stars of Wicked, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday (March 2) night.
Wearing a shimmering red dress evocative of a ruby red slipper, Grande sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from the all-time classic 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz; her voice was in pristine form, and if she had any nerves going into the song, you wouldn’t have known it based on her vocal ease and control. As Grande left the stage, Erivo came out in a billowing white gown dressed in purple flowers. Erivo performed “Home” from 1978’s The Wiz, deftly delivering the song made famous by Diana Ross, building it up to a rich conclusion.
After paying homage to those two classic Oz films, they joined forces to belt out Wicked’s beloved “Defying Gravity” – although naturally, Erivo was the star of that number, singing the Broadway anthem with gusto, purpose and remarkable control. And when she delivered that spine-tingling melismatic final note, there were more than a few tears in the Dolby Theatre (co-star Michelle Yeoh, for one, was seen wiping one away).
Wicked received 10 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards, including a best actress nod for Erivo and a best supporting actress nom for Grande. Just before the end of 2024, Wicked pulled ahead of Mamma Mia! to become the highest-grossing cinematic adaptation of a Broadway musical. The second (and final) part of the story, Wicked: For Good, is scheduled to hit theaters on Nov. 21.
Joe Lynch
Billboard
