Holding Space While Giving Thanks
And finding the power in that.
Before we get to the main event, I need to offer an apology to Marc Jacobs. I wrote a heartfelt post in celebration of Wicked’s leading ladies, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
“Performances like these don’t just happen,” I wrote.
“They are honed. I believe it’s rare to witness, and when one does, it is necessary to call it out and offer up our flowers (specifically in this instance, tulips).”
Marc Jacobs, the venerated designer who recently revealed his restored Frank Lloyd Wright house, commented on the post: “They are extraordinary together, [but] I think you meant poppy’s not tulips.” I responded: “No, tulips — you’ll see!” I then DM’d him explaining that poppies = The Wizard of Oz // tulips = Wicked.”
“You’re not wrong, but you’re not right, I’m sorry,” Ariana Grande explained. “You’re both right, there’s space for both of you,” Ethan Slater added. They went on to explain: Tulips are native to Munchkinland. It’s one of their exports, part of their culture. They help them dye the fabrics of their clothing and they use them to paint with, whereas poppies, Dr. Dillamond’s favorite flower, are native to Gillikin country (the northern quadrant of Oz) and are used by Elphaba to put the classroom to sleep in a pivotal scene in the film. Fiyero also gifts Elphaba a poppy at the train station ahead of her trip to Oz. So while it’s true that tulips are the more present flower in the film (9 million of them, in fact), it’s inaccurate to say that poppies aren’t of equal merit. Okay, now that that’s settled! Onto even more Wicked discussion. The more pressing one, in fact.
Occasionally, a phrase will ricochet through the halls of social media and take on a life entirely its own; one that decontextualizes and recontextualizes and ends up collaging the phrase into a kaleidoscope of meanings, each more niche and nonsensical than the next. “No, that’s not the truth, Ellen.” “We lost half a day of skiing.” “Mama, kudos for saying that. For spilling.” At this point, this is simply how it works.
And while the Wicked press tour gave us no short supply of moments — viral fan art, hurt feelings, crying, dolls linking to porn sites, SNL parodies, “it’s ploys,” “oh girl, those nails,” “Ron’s been splinched,” just to name a few — the apex predator among them showed herself during a press junket with Out Magazine’s Tracy E. Gilchrist, the VP and Executive Producer of Entertainment for the Advocate Channel according to Out’s website.
“This week, people are taking the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and really holding space with that and feeling power in that,” Gilchrist tells Erivo.
Erivo, clutching her neck, appears visibly moved:
“Uh, I didn't know that that was happening.”
Flexing her journalistic skills, Tracy confirms that she comes sourced:
“I've seen it, yeah.”
Erivo offers up the fact that she finds it powerful that audiences are feeling power, stating:
“That's... really powerful. That’s what I wanted. I didn’t know that was happening.”
At this point, Ariana Grande, who appears to be dissociating throughout, grabs Erivo’s finger and begins tapping it.
Gilchrist cites her sources:
“I've seen it on a couple of posts. I don't know how widespread. But, you know, I'm in queer media, so…”
Of course, I made a meme (and then another, and then another).
Others weighed in on social media with their fascination:
“Was there a gas leak where they did these interviews. I’m dead serious: Should they have checked the carbon monoxide detectors.”
“No video has ever affected me this much in my entire life. I saw it for the first time 12 hours ago and it has completely changed the way I talk.”
“Actually one of the best pieces of media I’ve ever seen it kind of makes me almost want to cry that we get to see stuff like this like what the fuckkkkkkk are they talking ABOUTTT?”
“I love her spirit idk like I can relate to saying shit and then being like wait why did I say that I don’t know. I want to protect and nurture her.”
There were explainers: Vulture: “What Does It Mean to Hold Space for ‘Defying Gravity’?” Forbes: “‘Wicked’—Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo’s ‘Holding Space’ Meme, Explained.” Yahoo even asked: “Are you holding space for the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity?'”
Gilchrist told Out of the moment:
“When I posed the question to Cynthia, 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. I never considered I'd become a meme. But as an unrepentant showqueen, I'm thrilled that it's for something this campy, in response to a movie I love.”
(I’d argue that the moment itself is the antithesis of camp, earnest and without any traces of heightened artifice, but rather it’s the outsized reaction that has spun it around to camp, making Gilchrist’s assessment not wrong.)
Needing further clarity, I went right to the source. “Holding space for ‘Defying Gravity’ in that moment, in the way I intended and I believe Cynthia understood, means seeing or listening to the lyrics of a song you’ve possibly heard hundreds of times or maybe never before and identifying with them or finding new meaning in them,” Gilchrist tells me.
“It was 1.5 days after the election when I interviewed Cynthia and Ariana and the election was very much in the ether even as many of us posed on a Yellow Brick Road in Munchkinland on our way into the press holding tent. ‘Defying Gravity’ has always been a queer anthem by virtue of Elphaba, who has been othered for much of her life, stepping into her full power. So many queer people can relate to that on any given day. But with the election and the impending Tr*mp administration’s targeting of LGBTQ+ people via Project 2025 and other craven attacks, there’s power and solace in holding lyrics like ‘I’m through accepting limits’ close to one’s heart.”
Tea.
I love this moment for a lot of reasons: The “holding space” quote, the “I’m in queer media,” Cynthia’s earnest response, Ari’s dissociation throughout, the finger grab — yes to all, but I especially love this moment because it didn’t turn toxic or ugly or mean-spirited and instead, in most of the cases I saw, celebrated this moment as bizarre and nonsensical, but ultimately fun and silly and meaningless. This moment was the best of the Internet, in my opinion, and a necessary coming together of the disparate corners of that Internet. Deriving meaning from this or even attempting to explain it beyond what it is at face value dilutes the purity of this moment. To para-quote the musical that this moment was born out of:
“Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better… after seeing this clip? But I have been changed for good.”