Oscars 2025: Watch Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo perform 'Defying Gravity' and 'Over the Rainbow'

3 March 2025, 01:22

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo kicked off the 97th Academy Awards in style.

The close friends and co-stars opened the 2025 Oscars with a musical medley from The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz and Wicked.

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Following a tribute to Los Angeles since the devastating wildfires, Ariana Grande took to the stage to perform a heartwarming version of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' from 1939's The Wizard of Oz, originally by Judy Garland.

Erivo then amazed the crowd with 'Home' from the 1975 musical The Wiz.

The two Academy Award nominees then teamed up and held hands as they sang Wicked's most famous song 'Defying Gravity'.

Grande, whose dress was adorned with a ruby red slipper at one stage stepped aside so Erivo could hit the song's famously high final note, with audiences rising to their feet with a standing ovation.

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Grande and Erivo star as Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked, which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Erivo and Best Supporting Actress for Grande.

Conan O’Brien hosted the 97th annual Academy Awards, aired live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.