Sometimes, Hollywood delivers a moment so unintentionally absurd it feels like satire. Enter Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and a baffling interview clip that has been making the rounds online. The scene: a sit-down to promote the upcoming Wicked movie adaptation. The culprit: a self-described “queer journalist” who turned a simple conversation into a head-scratching word salad by claiming the song “Defying Gravity” was empowering people by—wait for it—“holding space.” What does that mean? Even Grande admitted she had no idea, and frankly, she wasn’t alone.
Here’s how it went down. Out Magazine reporter Tracy Gilchrist launched into a deep—and apparently confusing—analysis of Wicked’s lyrics, telling Grande and Erivo that fans were “holding space” with the song and drawing power from it. Whatever that means, it was enough to make Erivo teary-eyed as Grande gripped her hand and nodded solemnly like they were attending an emotional intervention. The viral clip instantly became fodder for social media mockery, as countless viewers echoed a collective, “What is she even talking about?”
Now, Grande has clarified that she wasn’t any more enlightened than the rest of us. “I didn’t know what any part of it meant,” she told Variety. That’s some refreshing honesty in an industry where people are usually desperate to pretend they understand every puffed-up phrase. Grande said her reaction was less about comprehension and more about following Erivo’s lead, admitting she thought, Well, everyone else seems to think this is meaningful, so I’ll just nod and hope for the best. At least she owned it.
I didn’t know what any part of it meant,” the singer, who plays Glinda in the movie, said. “I didn’t understand the first sentence, and then I definitely didn’t understand how you responded. And I just wanted to be there. Because I knew something big was happening, and I didn’t know how to be there.”
Erivo, to her credit, chimed in with her own confusion, admitting she also didn’t quite grasp the moment. “After a while, I didn’t know how to be there,” she confessed. Join the club, Cynthia.
As for Gilchrist, she later explained her “holding space” comment to Variety, describing it as being “physically, emotionally, and mentally present with someone or something.” Apparently, it’s about connecting with a song on a “cellular level.” Oh, and somehow, she managed to pivot from Wicked to a jab at the Trump administration because, of course, she did. It’s 2024—why not connect Broadway lyrics to political grievances?
— masha (@MashaParty) November 21, 2024
But let’s be real here: this whole thing isn’t just about confusion over “holding space.” It’s about how far some people will go to inject unnecessary depth into what is, at its core, a fun musical. Wicked is great entertainment, but do we really need to pretend every lyric is a thesis on empowerment or identity? Fans can enjoy “Defying Gravity” without dissecting it into incomprehensible psychobabble. Sometimes, a great song is just a great song.
The internet’s reaction to this fiasco has been hilarious, and for good reason. The exchange perfectly encapsulates the overly earnest, self-important culture that dominates Hollywood press tours these days. Instead of having a normal conversation about the film or the music, we get layers of pretentious jargon about “cellular-level” connections and “space-holding.” Grande’s eventual honesty is a breath of fresh air in this otherwise insufferable parade of pseudo-profundity.
Here’s a suggestion: let’s stop pretending that every interview needs to be an emotional breakthrough or a moment of political resistance. Sometimes, people just want to hear about the movie. And maybe, just maybe, they’d appreciate an answer that makes sense.
