Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo To Star In Adaptation Of ‘Wicked’
Grande announced the news of her casting to her Instagram followers on Thursday (November 4).
Pop star Ariana Grande and British actress Cynthia Erivo are set to star in Universal’s big-screen adaption of the Tony Award-winning musical Wicked.
Grande announced the news of her casting to her Instagram followers on Thursday with a number of images that summed up her excitement to be part of the project, along with the caption “Thank goodness.”
Grande also shared a snap of the flowers Erivo sent her, which included a note that read, “Pink goes good with green. Congratulations Miss A, the part was made for you, I look forward to sharing this musical journey with you.”
Last month, in-demand vocal coach Eric Vetro officially launched his podcast Backstage Pass with Eric Vetro where he invites some of his most successful students to break down their vocal journeys and the techniques that got them to where they are. The now-streaming first episode features Grande.
Grande and Vetro first began working together on the singer’s breakthrough 2013 hit “The Way” featuring Mac Miller when she was 19 years old. Since then, the pair have developed a tight-knit relationship that prioritizes preserving the voice as an instrument and fostering creative growth.
On her 2019 one-off single with close collaborator Victoria Monét, “Monopoly,” Grande shouts out Vetro in the lyric: “I never track my vocals, so shout out to Eric Vetro (I love Eric Vetro, man).”
Backstage Pass’ debut sits Grande down with Vetro for half an hour to discuss everything from the singer’s adoration of Broadway music (she offers a comedic musical rendition of her hit single “Side to Side”) to the critical specificity that comes with having perfect pitch and the pair’s late-night vocal warm-ups when tour treks scatter them across time zones.
“That work was really what really kept me healthy for 99 percent of the tour,” Grande told Vetro of the vocal techniques he had ingrained in her daily practices. “I really am appreciative of that, I don’t want to miss my opportunity to say that. Our work together kept me healthy and thank god I’ve never had to cancel a tour because of a hemorrhage or been at a loss.”
