Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo Sing ‘Defying Gravity’ Live at the Oscars – Variety
By
Rebecca Rubin
Senior Film and Media Reporter
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo brought Oz to the Oscars, kicking off the 97th annual ceremony with a magical musical medley from “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Wiz” and “Wicked.”
After a tribute to highlight films shot in Los Angeles, which is recovering from devastating wildfires, Grande took the stage to perform a heartwarming rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from 1939’s classic “The Wizard of Oz” before Erivo wowed the crowd with “Home” from the 1975 musical “The Wiz.”
The two Academy Award nominees then joined forces — and hands — for “Defying Gravity,” the showstopper at the end of the first act of “Wicked.” Grande (whose sparkly dress was adorned with a ruby red slipper) briefly stepped aside to let Erivo (wearing a strapless white gown decorated with florals) belt out her character’s famous battle cry. Once Erivo hit that impossibly high final note, audiences leapt to their feet and embraced the leading ladies with a standing ovation. It’s safe to say the celebration of “Oz,” on stage and screen, was “pop-u-lar” in the room at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
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The wickedly talented Grande and Erivo star as the perky, pink-loving Glinda and green-skinned Elphaba in “Wicked,” which chronicles the first act of the long-running Broadway sensation. In addition to box office riches, the musical adaptation is nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including best picture, actress for Erivo and supporting actress for Grande.
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Other musical performers for this year’s ceremony include Queen Latifah, Doja Cat, Blackpink member and “The White Lotus” cast member Lisa and British singer Raye. In a break from tradition, this year’s Oscars ceremony does not include performances of nominees for best original song. Though “Wicked,” a prequel (and sequel) of sorts to “The Wizard of Oz,” has a memorable soundtrack, it wasn’t eligible for song consideration because all of the tunes were featured in the Broadway production.
Though rare, it’s not unprecedented for the Oscars to spotlight songs that aren’t nominated for anything. That’s what happened in 2022 when “Despacito” songwriter Luis Fonsi, Becky G and Megan Thee Stallion assembled to perform “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Disney’s “Encanto.” The expected viral sensation was all the rage on TikTok but wasn’t even a contender for original song because Disney decided to submit the film’s sentimental love ballad “Dos Oruguitas” for awards consideration instead. (It lost to Billie Eilish’s “No Time to Die” from the James Bond film of the same name.)
Conan O’Brien is hosting the 97th annual Academy Awards, which is airing live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Netflix’s “Emilia Pérez,” a musical about a drug kingpin who undergoes gender affirming surgery, A24’s “The Brutalist,” a historical epic about the immigrant experience, and Universal’s “Wicked” are the most nominated films of the night.
Whether or not “Wicked” walks away from the 2025 Oscars as a winner, Grande and Erivo’s promotional tour won’t stop anytime soon. “Wicked: For Good,” the second half of the fantasy musical, debuts in theaters on Nov. 22.
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