Wicked // Target Exclusive Vinyl Soundtrack featuring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo & Part 1 Film Review
Wicked details the origin story of the beloved characters from The Wizard of Oz, specifically Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. Their origin story is complicated and tragic at times, but it is also filled with so much love. In the very first song of the film, Glinda poses the question that shapes the entire story, "Are people born Wicked? Or do they have Wickedness thrust upon them?" Cynthia and Ariana both deliver such an emotional performance as they discover they are able to see something in each other that no one has ever seen in them before.
Ari and Cynthia are truly two of the greatest living vocalists, they sounded absolutely amazing and harmonized beautifully together. Their performances are mesmerizing and the strong bond they so clearly share on-screen and off elevates it to another level. Their characters are so layered, both as individuals and in their friendship with each other.
A really special element of Wicked is that every song was performed live on set without any pre-recorded track. That added a level of spontaneity to their performances that made it all feel very real, whether it is in regard to their comedic timing or the more emotional moments of the film. It gave the audience a real connection to the story, like you were right there with them the whole time. This soundtrack is so amazing and executed perfectly, I truly believe this is one of the all-time greatest musical adaptations.
I have loved Ariana Grande for so many years and truly cannot express how much she deserved this role. I have been a huge fan of her from the very start and to see her on the big screen like that for the first time was really inspiring. It made me so emotional to see who was once the teenage girl I watched in 2010 on Victorious now starring in this incredible film. She has been very vocal for many years about it being her biggest dream to be able to be in Wicked and to see it all unfold has been such a joy as a long-time fan. It is so clear that by playing this role, she has been able to heal a bit of herself that remained broken for a long time. She has talked about it herself many times, but watching Part 1 really feels like the beginning of a whole new era in her life and I'm so happy for her.
It particularly made me emotional to hear her sing "Popular", the song that she covered an alternate version of on her very first album 11 years ago. It was a very full circle moment; one she has been working toward for so many years. Her talent was obviously so clear back in 2013 when she first sang that song, but hearing it now is proof of how far she has come in every facet of her life. That song was such a highlight of the film too, it was a beautiful performance.
For the past several years, she fully immersed herself in this role and fully embodied Glinda. She doesn't sing as Ariana Grande in the same way we all know and love, she fully transformed her vocals to become Glinda in every regard. She worked with her vocal coach every single day for months leading up to her auditions and the filming to perfect a more operatic tone. Ari is so skilled in her craft and somehow she only continues to get better and better. From the first moment we hear her sing in "No One Mourns The Wicked", it is so clear that all the work she put into the role fully paid off.
The first glimpse we get at Cynthia's incredible vocals is with "The Wizard and I". She holds herself back until the end when she belts the most heavenly high note as she is running through the field. That was the first of many showstopping moments for her character in the film. She sings with such power and strength in her voice and totally commands the screen during her performances. Cynthia's version of Elphaba is very real and relatable in a lot of ways. I think anyone who has ever felt like an outcast in any way will be able to see a bit of themselves in Elphie. It's also serves as such a great reminder that all of the things that make us different is exactly what makes us special.
"One Short Day" was another major highlight for me. I don't want to spoil anything about it if you haven't seen it yet, but it was such a special part of the film that came as such a surprise to everyone in the audience! Every second of the movie was so amazing, but that was definitely one of my very favorite scenes!
Of course, the greatest moment of the entire film was the final breathtaking performance of "Defying Gravity". I was in tears the entire time, like fully sobbing up until the very end. Again, I don't want to get too specific to avoid any spoilers, but there is a moment right at the climax of the song that made me fully lose it. It was a brief, yet very impactful moment that acknowledges the younger version of yourself that will always live within you, no matter how old you are or how far removed you feel you are from that part of your life. Something really did change within me in that moment! I know this saying has been a bit of a meme lately, but I really have been ~holding space~ with the lyrics of "Defying Gravity" and literally have not stopped thinking about Cynthia's performance since I saw it! It honestly may be one of my favorite scenes from any movie ever, I was so in awe of her the entire time. We really all do deserve the chance to fly!
To celebrate the long-awaited release of the film, I thought it would be the perfect time to showcase the stunning vinyl pressing of the soundtrack too! Ever since Wicked was officially announced, I was hoping they would release a green and pink split vinyl just like this, and I'm so happy they did! This variant is available exclusively at Target in the US, my dad surprised me with it after the movie which was so exciting!
The packaging design is also so perfectly executed, I love The Wizard's sketches included on the inner sleeves of the Oz bullet train on one and a gramophonograph on the other. The gatefold image of the entire cast is also so beautiful too! It's such a stunning pressing and really captured the theming of the film so perfectly. This is one of the most beautiful records I have in my collection and will be one I will forever cherish!
Pink goes good well with green, doesn't it? 🩷💚
I was lucky enough to be able to see the Broadway production with my family in July of 2015 and it was such an amazing performance to witness live on stage. The performance of "Defying Gravity" when Elphaba is levitating above the stage is etched in my brain forever. I included some of the photos of my brother and I from that day, I was only 15 years old and always look back on that day with the best of memories. I hope to go see the show again one day!
My mom and I had such a fun time seeing Wicked opening weekend, of course we dressed in our best pinks and greens! The theater had such a cute balloon display and we also loved trying the special themed popcorn and drinks too! If you are able to see it in theaters, I cannot recommend the experience enough. Everyone was dressed up on theme, much like they were for Barbie or The Eras Tour concert film last year. I love when going to the movies becomes a whole themed event like that, it's so fun! 🫧
Everything from the choreography, to the stage design, to the costume design, to the cute Wizard of Oz Easter eggs - not one detail was overlooked in making this such an immersive experience. It took a very long time for a film adaptation to come to finally fruition and it was so worth the wait. I love that the two parts of the film are able to go even deeper into the story and all of the lore, as well as see the character dynamics explored further than ever before. There were no limitations when making this film and I'm so happy they took advantage of every opportunity they had in that regard. It is truly such a masterpiece with not a single dull moment. I cannot wait to see the second part in 2025, it honestly can't come soon enough! 🫧🌈🩷💚
Thanks for reading! I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!
All photos are my own!
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