On March 2, Wicked, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, opened the Oscar 2025 awards ceremony with an emotional interpretation, which not only honored their film, but also paid tribute to Los Angeles after the devastating fires.

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Grande, embodied in Glinda, began the appearance with a cover of Judy Garland’s “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. The song had won the Oscar for the best original song in 1940, and as it is known, Wicked is a prequel of the 1939 flagship film.

Then Erivo, who performed “Home” from The Wiz (1978), the cover of Oz starring Diana Ross, based on the Broadway musical. Finally, the two stars joined their voices in the characteristic interpretation of “Defying Gravity” by Wicked, while Erivo gave the public the famous “Battle Cry”.

However, the thematic appearance inspired by Oz also had an even more personal significance for Grande, as she brought her back to one of the most moving moments of her career.

The meaning of “Over the Rainbow”

Ariana Grande first performed “Over the Rainbow” as the big epilogue of the One Love Manchester concert in June 2017, in honor of the 22 victims of the terrorist attack outside the concert venue of Dangerous Woman a few weeks earlier.

The choice of the song was inspired by her late grandfather, which made it even more emotional.

“Her grandfather always used to say: ‘Ariana, do you know what song you should sing? ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’, ”recalls her mother, Joan Grande, speaking to Variety. “And she replied: ‘Grandpa, I don’t know if it would fit into a pop album.’ And he used to say to her: ‘I promise you, it will be a huge success. It’s the most beautiful song ever written. ‘

Grande’s moving interpretation remained in history as one of the most emblematic moments of her career. The One Love Manchester concert became one of the most important musical events of 2017, and she released the song’s cover as a digital single, with all proceeds being available to the families of the victims. In addition, when she continued the Dangerous Woman Tour a few days later, she added “Over the Rainbow” to her set list as a nightly tribute to the victims.

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The moving moment in the Oscars

Nearly eight years later, Grande returned to “Over the Rainbow”, this time on the Oscars. Her interpretation had a lighter, but equally emotional character, celebrating the success of Wicked and at the same time honoring Los Angeles.

This moment was not just a honor in the world of Oz, but also a way for Grande to re -establish the song, this time through a new, brighter context, not through sadness, but through art and optimism.