What will Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo perform at the Oscars 2025? Here are the possible contenders
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will grace the Oscars stage with a performance. (Getty Images)
It’s official, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are performing at the Oscars 2025, and speculation about what the Wicked pair will sing is already rife.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Tuesday (25 February) that the actors-come-singers would be taking to the stage at the 2025 Oscars this Sunday (2 March). The pair were already set to attend the awards ceremony due to their Wicked: Part 1 nominations, with Grande receiving a first-time nod and Erivo potentially making history if she were to win.
Puck reported earlier this month that “the Academy and executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan have decided to open the show with a Wicked medley”. However, inside sources told The Hollywood Reporter that their performance was not confirmed by that time. So, anything could happen.
Despite the pair not confirming at this stage exactly what they’ll sing, fans of the movie have their own ideas about the songs Erivo and Grande could grace us with. Keep reading to see all the possible contenders.
A Wicked medley
We couldn’t kick off the list without giving notoriety to quite possibly the most speculated performance the pair could sing. While there are several individual tracks which could be heard on the night, Puck suggested that their performance could intertwine multiple songs in one delicious Wicked mashup.
“Defying Gravity”
If there’s one song which encompasses the grandeur and whimsy of the first film, it has to be “Defying Gravity”. Could the pair dazzle us with a rendition of the ever-popular track? X users seem to think so.
“When Cynthia Erivo opens the Oscars flying above the crowd belting Defying Gravity,” wrote one fan on the social media site. “idc how you make it happen @TheAcademy…but I need cynthia erivo and ariana grande to perform defying gravity live at the oscars,” another echoed.
“One Short Day”
A third contender could be “One Short Day”, the upbeat duo performed by the pink and green witches as they start their adventure in the Emerald City.
It may even make room for some unexpected cameos from Broadway legends and original Wicked stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, which would certainly make for an Oscar-worthy performance.
“What is this feeling?”
In yet another duet added to the roster of potential performances, “What is this feeling?” sees the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch battling it out during the hateful phase of their relationship.
“WEDDINGS GRADUATIONS FUNERALS! Need this performed at the Oscars,” tweeted one fan.
“For Good”
Whilst this year’s Oscars focuses on the success of the first Wicked film, we could see a spanner in the works and the inclusion of a new song hailing from Wicked: Part Two. And what better fit than the title song of the upcoming second movie, “For Good”?
Even The Hollywood Reporter noted that “the entire Wicked team couldn’t buy better publicity ahead of their film’s forthcoming sequel, Wicked: For Good”.
As for what the pair perform on the Oscars stage, we’ll just have to wait and see.
The 97th Oscars takes place Sunday 2 March at 7:00pm EDT / 4:00pm PDT / 11:00pm GMT / 7:00am CST on ABC and will be streamed live on Hulu and YouTube TV.
How did this story make you feel?
