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Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo opened the 97th Academy Awards broadcast with a three-song medley: Grande sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Erivo followed with “Home,” and the pair joined for “Defying Gravity.” The sequence drew on three Oz musicals—The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz and Wicked—rather than songs from Wicked alone.
What was the song order?
The Associated Press reported that the medley followed a visual package celebrating Los Angeles. Grande began with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Erivo then sang “Home,” and they closed the sequence together with “Defying Gravity.” The AP’s report on the 2025 Oscars performances describes that order; CBS News also identifies the performance as the ceremony’s opening medley. CBS News’ performance recap
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Which productions do the songs come from?
| Song | Performer in the medley | Associated production |
|---|---|---|
| “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” | Ariana Grande | The Wizard of Oz |
| “Home” | Cynthia Erivo | The Wiz |
| “Defying Gravity” | Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo | Wicked |
The set connected three screen musicals about Oz. Although the final song came from Wicked, calling the entire performance a Wicked-only medley misses the first two songs and their separate source productions.
When and where did the performance take place?
The 97th Academy Awards were held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The Academy’s official ceremony page records the event details and lists Wicked among that year’s nominated films.
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Where was the 2025 ceremony originally broadcast?
Before the ceremony, the Academy announced that the broadcast would air on ABC and stream on Hulu. Its announcement also said the ceremony would air in more than 200 territories worldwide; that describes planned distribution, not the number of viewers for this medley. The Academy’s February 24, 2025 performer and broadcast announcement documents the original plan. It does not establish where the performance can be replayed now.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did the choreographer say about the performances?
Choreographer Mandy Moore told the AP that her aim was to “make something that makes people feel.” The remark describes her stated creative goal; it is not a measure of audience response. The Associated Press report
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