Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, both nominated for their roles as Glinda and Elphaba in the movie musical Wicked, collaborated on a captivating medley of iconic songs from The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, and Wicked.
Kicking off the 2025 Oscars, the duo took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, transporting the audience to the magical world of Oz. Their performance was a thrilling and emotional journey, showcasing their incredible vocal talents.
The medley commenced with Ariana Grande’s mesmerizing rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” followed by Cynthia Erivo’s soulful rendition of “Home.” As the audience was left spellbound, the pair joined forces for the iconic “Defying Gravity,” leaving the A-listers in awe and earning them a well-deserved standing ovation.
Full performance of “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande at the #Oscars pic.twitter.com/h9flMlgiVI
— Wicked News Hub (@wickednewshub) March 3, 2025
For the performance, Grande shone in a radiant ruby red gown, a departure from the pink she’s been wearing throughout the movie’s press run. Erivo dazzled in a billowing white ballgown adorned with intricate floral details.
Watch the performance above!
“Wicked,” directed by Jon M. Chu, received a total of 10 nominations for this year’s Oscars, including Best Actress for Erivo, Best Supporting Actress for Grande, and Best Picture.
While this marked Grande’s first Oscar nomination, Erivo’s recognition for “Wicked” brought her third Oscar nomination. She had previously been nominated for Best Original Song and Best Actress in 2019 for her role in “Harriet.” The British actress is a Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award winner, and she only needs one more Oscar to achieve EGOT status.
On a different note, the Academy made a change for the 2025 Oscars ceremony regarding musical performances. Instead of having all Best Original Song nominees perform, singers Doja Cat, Lisa of Blackpink, Queen Latifah, and Raye will join Grande in what the Academy called “showstopping performances” that will celebrate the filmmaking community and some of its legends.
