Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo’s Oscars Performance: Watch

The 2025 Academy Awards are underway, and got one gravity-defying launch (sorry), courtesy of Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Performing a medley of Oz-inspired songs, their rousing performance prompted a standing ovation from the audience, thanks to some eye-misting nostalgia and the fierce battle-cry that has taken on a life of its own.

Grande took the stage first, performing the signature song from the 1939 adaptation of The Wizard Of Oz, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” Then, Erivo performed “Home,” from the 1978 version of The Wiz, nodding to its status as a staple of Black American pop culture. Finally, naturally, came the duet from the most recent adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 classic, Wicked, “Defying Gravity.”

The soaring note at the end confirmed that Erivo’s mic was very much ON, thank you very much, and brought the crowd to their feet with both anticipation (we all knew it was coming) and appreciation (it knocked us all out anyway).

Wicked is nominated for 10 awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Erivo, and Best Supporting Actress for Grande. As of this writing, it’s already won one, Best Costume Design. You can follow along with the winners here, and watch Grande and Erivo’s performance above.†