Wicked Star Cynthia Erivo talks about her contribution to an original song for Elphaba in upcoming sequel: Reports

Cynthia Erivo has been in the news lately for her wonderful performance in Wicked. Directed by Jon M Chu, the film stars Ariana Grande alongside her. Much like Grande, Erivo is also a singer with an acclaimed catalog. She was nominated for an Oscar for her song 'Stand Up' in the 2020 film Harriet. In 2017, she won a Grammy Award for her work in the musical theater production of The Color Purple. Her recent role as Elphaba has garnered her numerous positive reviews.

Since the film's release, Erivo's performance has received a lot of award buzz. She has already received nominations at the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes. The credit also goes to her musical chops, which became the backbone of the film.

While the first part features her musical performances, the second offers an additional surprise. For the sequel, Erivo has worked closely with composer Stephen Schwartz on an original song for Elphaba. She recently shared some additional insights while speaking with Variety on their podcast. Let's find out what she said.

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Cynthia Erivo about her Songwriting contribution in Wicked: For Good

Cynthia Erivo recently spoke about her contribution to a song in the second part of Jon M Chu's Wicked. While speaking on the Variety Awards Circuit podcast, Erivo also spoke about the upcoming sequel and its soundtrack. She mentioned that it features songs ranging from soul, country, and pop genres. While talking about her collaboration with composer Stephen Schwartz, she said,

"I collaborated on one of the new songs, and it’s so special to me. When we filmed it, the entire crew was in tears. I hope audiences are ready — it’s a song that speaks to the heart of who Elphaba is.”

Titled Wicked: For Good, the upcoming sequel will continue the story of Glinda and Elphaba's friendship. During this interview, she offered an insight into the creative process behind her performance as Elphaba. She said,

"I know what it feels like to walk into a room where people don’t want you to be there. I know what it feels like to be bullied, to feel rejected, to feel like you’re not loved. Bringing those memories to the surface wasn’t easy, but it was necessary to show Elphaba’s vulnerability and resilience.

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Wicked: For Good: When is it expected to be released?

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande starrer Wicked is one of the highest-grossing movies of 2024. So, the audiences who loved the first part might be wondering - when does the sequel come out?

Turns out, they won't have to wait for too long! Both parts of Jon M Chu's musical adaptation have already been filmed. So, the next part titled Wicked: For Good will reportedly be released at the end of 2025.

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Also read: Wicked soundtrack: a complete guide to all the songs in the epic musical