Let’s celebrate, let’s show gratitude: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo delivered a breathtaking Wicked-inspired medley at the Oscars this evening.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s amazing Oscars performance
The duo kicked off the show with Ariana Grande singing Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz, dressed in a stunning ruby red dress reminiscent of Dorothy’s famous shoes. Then, Cynthia Erivo took the stage with Home from The Wiz.
Ariana Grande later returned to join Cynthia Erivo in a rendition of Defying Gravity from Wicked, concluding with Erivo flawlessly hitting the iconic high notes live.
Their performance captivated and moved both the audience at the Dolby Theater and viewers at home. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, nominees for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress respectively, showcased their remarkable vocal talents (yes, the microphones were definitely on) in their act. Despite not levitating in a bubble or on a broomstick, they exuded sheer magic.
Watch some clips below:
Wicked
Wicked received ten Academy Award nominations this year, including Best Picture, Best Costume Design (Paul Tazewell), and Best Original Score (John Powell and Stephen Schwartz). The movie was not eligible for Best Original Song because the songs were known before the film’s release, having originated from the 2003 musical Wicked.
Rumors of a Wicked performance at the 2025 Oscars emerged earlier in February following a report by Matthew Belloni in his Puck newsletter, What I’m Hearing. Responding to the speculations, Ariana Grande nonchalantly dismissed the gossip in an interview with IndieWire: ‘I don’t know, I don’t know. But it would be really cool! We’ll have our pink and green thermoses filled with throat-soothing tea. Just in case we’re ready. But I don’t know.’
Anticipate more enchanting performances from Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (as Glinda and Elphaba) in the upcoming sequel, Wicked: For Good, scheduled to premiere on November 21 this year. Hopefully, this means we’ll see them grace the Oscars stage again in 2026.
