Last month, the Wicked press craze reached a fever pitch when interviewer Tracy E. Gilchrist told Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo that fans were “holding space” for the lyrics of “Defying Gravity.” Along with the internet who made a meme out of the moment, the famously emotional duo didn’t really know what that meant, which they revealed in a new interview with Variety.

“I was surprised because I was like, ‘I had no idea,’ because I hadn’t been looking,” Erivo explained. “I had no idea that this thing was going on.” Grande added, “I didn’t know what any part of it meant. I didn’t understand the first sentence, and then I definitely didn’t understand how you responded. And I just wanted to be there. Because I knew something big was happening, and I didn’t know how to be there.”

Grande also said she was “relieved by the internet’s reaction, because I felt like, ‘Oh, I’m not broken’” for not knowing what Gilchrist meant.

Since the interview went viral, Gilchrist explained what she meant to Variety:

I was very inspired by Tony Morrison, [senior communications director] from GLAAD. He posted the lyrics of “Defying Gravity” before I did my interview. It was a great explainer. “Holding space” is being physically, emotionally and mentally present with someone or something. For me, it means being in the moment, not being distracted and feeling something on a cellular level. I think you can hold space with lyrics of a song — one you’ve heard hundreds of times — and it can suddenly take on new meaning when you’re a queer person. The Trump administration is targeting LGBTQ+ people via Project 2025. When Cynthia sings “I’m through accepting limits,” there’s power in that. She plays a character who is othered. One who comes to her full power when she is exiled by a charlatan, by a cruel leader. There’s a lot of resonance there right now for anyone who is marginalized. For me, holding space is listening to those lyrics anew and finding solace or inspiration.

The pair both appreciate the meme, though, with Erivo saying, “I love that it’s become vernacular now, which is really fun. I want a T-shirt with ‘holding space’ on it.” Watch the interview below.

“I just wanted to be there. Because I knew something big was happening. And I didn’t know how to be there.”#Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo finally explain their side of the viral “holding space” interview. https://t.co/Jd6bKLMyAc pic.twitter.com/y1BXtwztlx

— Variety (@Variety) December 7, 2024