- A clip from the Wicked press tour has gone viral
- Cynthia Erivo was discussing the connection fans have to ‘Defying Gravity’
- The film has arrived in theaters this weekend
The internet has got very invested in the happenings of the Wicked press tour – and it’s produced a widely-shared meme.
Wicked has just been released in theaters. Ahead of its release, fans have been sharing some of the more bizarre, often slightly dramatic, moments from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande‘s interviews.
The pair have produced many a strange soundbite and have been known to tear up at seemingly random moments.
How did the ‘holding space’ meme start?
The meme came from a video interview where the journalist, Tracey E. Gilchrist, told Erivo that “people are taking the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and really holding space with that, and feeling power in that.”
Erivo appears suddenly moved by this, saying “I didn’t know that that was happening,” while putting a hand to her chest. Gilchrist then confirms that she has “seen it” online, and a stunned Erivo replies: “That’s really powerful—that’s what I wanted.”
Erivo and Grande then stare dramatically each other, both a little overwhelmed. Somehow, Grande ends up holding Erivo’s finger for support.
“I’ve seen it on a couple posts, I don’t know how widespread,” Gilchrist says. “But you know, I am in queer media, that’s my—you know …”
Erivo answers: “That’s really cool.”
The irony is that fans have held a strong connection with Defying Gravity long before the filmic adaptation of Wicked. After all, the musical is about 20 years old and boasts a sizeable fandom all on its own.
Gilchrist later offered an explanation for her choice of wording, but she’s taken the meme in good humor.
When I posed the question to Cynthia about people holding space with the lyrics to ‘Defying Gravity,’ it was two days after the election, and everyone I knew in the LGBTQ+ community was trying to make sense of what we might be facing,” she said [via Out]. “I loved her response, and I love that people are having a laugh, because I know I could use one about now.
“I never considered I’d become a meme,” Gilchrist said. “But as an unrepentant showqueen, I’m thrilled that it’s for something this campy, in response to a movie I love. Now go see Wicked!”
What have fans done with the clip?
The film’s version of Defying Gravity has soundtracked thousands of videos on TikTok of fans showing what ‘holding space for the lyrics of Defying Gravity’ could possibly mean.
Many fans found the interview, or what ‘holding space’ for a song even means, confusing. As such, the ambiguity of its meaning results in there being a seemingly infinite number of possible answers.
Some people on social media have taken ‘holding space’ literally, while others have interpreted it as referring to self-empowerment, which also chimes in with the themes of the musical.
