"Dancing Through Life" With the Wicked Soundtrack
Image Courtesy: Playbill
The release of the beautiful film adaptation of Wicked (2024) took everyone by surprise in more ways than one—the acting, dancing, special effects, and, most importantly, the singing. Using big names such as Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and Jeff Goldblum was bound to get people talking, but a big concern was whether they could pull off the powerful numbers from Wicked’s past.
Following in the iconic footsteps of the original Broadway cast is no easy feat. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth have become household names to Wicked fans across the country. Idina’s powerful belt and Kristin’s clear head voice were the product of preparation and mastery of these roles since they started their careers. So, when Ariana and Cynthia were cast, there were questions on whether they could deliver the same showstopping performance.
Image Courtesy: Broadway Direct
Upon discovering she had landed her dream role as Glinda, Ariana Grande immediately got to work, training her voice. She has said in countless interviews that she knew the role of Glinda would be vocally challenging as she would have to perfect a type of singing that she doesn’t normally utilize. Her impressive range was something she already had quite a bit of experience with, given the whistle tones she would often play around with in her earlier albums, but classical opera tones were a bit more challenging for her to attempt without any formal training. Regardless of the difficulty level, she embodied all that Glinda is with clarity and incredible pronunciation. She adopted many of Glinda’s quirks from the original musical, such as her giggles and vocal flips, and far exceeded many people’s expectations of her capabilities.
Cynthia Erivo, a Grammy, Tony, and Emmy-winning actress, already had the strong, powerful belt that the original Elphaba is known for. Cynthia, however, dove deeper into her technique to add more to the songs we all know and love. “The Wizard and I” and “Defying Gravity” hold special places in many people’s hearts. These songs express Elphaba’s journey from yearning to belong to embracing what makes her special and different. To add to the already showstopping numbers, Cynthia introduces a few new runs to keep the audience on their toes. What people are calling her “battle cry” at the end of “Defying Gravity” adds some complexity to the traditional end of the first act. She implements many runs throughout “The Wizard and I” to display her impressive versatility. Cynthia breathed depth, emotion, and life into the role of Elphaba through her powerful voice.
Image Courtesy: Mashable
Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum’s starring roles had people curious about their musical potential. Both did a surprising job with not only their singing but their overall performative technique. Jonathan Bailey’s theatre background enabled him to accomplish a perfect rendition of “Dancing Through Life.” He uses just the right amount of flair and perkiness while still appealing to the message of the song and the foreshadowing of the next act. Jeff Goldblum’s silky voice invites the audience in from the beginning in “No One Mourns the Wicked” before the reintroduction of his character later on. His voice fits the role of the Wizard flawlessly, smooth with a bit of deception.
Image Courtesy: Variety
Each actor in Wicked brings something new to the film while still paying homage to the stage production. Their preparation for their roles is admirable and clear to anyone watching or listening. The dedication to the roles, vocal training, and respect for the original production shines through in the changes and additions these talented singers, actors, and dancers have made.
Strike Out,
Writer: Isabella Bowman
Editor: Layne Schulte
Tallahassee