Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are currently swept in a tornado of press, where the popularity of the Wicked property is making both them and the interviewers get … intense. They follow the yellow brick road to total absurdity in a viral Out.com interview where Tracy E. Gilchrist claims she has seen people “taking the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and really holding space with that and feeling power in that” following the election. “I haven’t seen that,” Erivo whispers in response, appearing to hold back tears. “That’s really powerful. That’s what I wanted.” Then, Grande grabs Erivo’s index finger. Not her hand. Her index finger. Memes are flying.
There’s been some confusion over the phrase “taking the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and really holding space with that and feeling power in that.” It’s a combination of words with roots in social justice, but they don’t really mean anything when smashed together. And yet, it means everything to Erivo. “I think it’s really important for [Elphaba] to not allow the things that have hurt her, that have stripped her of her humanity, to keep her down,” she says. Of course, she’s basing this on the lyrics “Nobody in all of Oz … is ever gonna bring me down.”
“I think that’s something that we could all learn: that we don’t have to be tethered, that we could actually fly,” Erivo continues earnestly. So, of course, their stony-eyed dedication to taking this inspirational gobbledygook seriously has gone viral. If you or someone you love wants to try holding space with any lyrics moving forward, try Addison Rae’s “Aquamarine.” You’ll find something.