Backed by a Choir, Cynthia Erivo's A Capella "Goin' Up Yonder" Takes You to Church
What a moment captured by TODAY's Hoda Kotb.
After her epic performance as Elphaba in Wicked — you have seen it already, right? — fans worldwide are coming to the same conclusion: Cynthia Erivo is one of the best singers on the planet!
We're all riding high — defying gravity, if you will — after watching the movie, and we've tracked down another jaw-dropping Erivo performance that will ensure you start your week off in epic fashion. In a November 24 Instagram video shared by none other than TODAY's Hoda Kotb, Erivo casually belts out "Goin' Up Yonder" in a hallway backed by a gospel choir. And yes, it's everything you'd imagine it would be.
"Happy sunday to @cynthiaerivo and everyone else!!!❤️," Kotb captioned.
Just like she did so well as Elphaba, Erivo was a tornado of vocal power. No high note was safe! Besides witnessing her otherworldly singing skills, our favorite part of the video was the smile a mile wide on Erivo's face. She's simply at her best when she's belting her heart out.
RELATED: Changes the Wicked Movie Made From the Original Musical, Explained
The song, a 1975 gospel hit by acclaimed singer, songwriter, and pastor Walter Hawkins, is full of soulful, blitzing energy — a perfect match for the combination of Erivo and a choir.
It's not too late to catch Defying Gravity: The Curtain Raises on Wicked
Whether you've already seen the movie or have plans to see it as soon as humanly possible (we don't blame you), it's always the perfect time to take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Wicked courtesy of the streaming special, Defying Gravity: The Curtain Raises on Wicked — now streaming exclusively on Peacock!
Filmed on the movie's eye-popping Emerald City set, the hour-long television event features interviews with main members of the cast — Erivo (Elphaba), Ariana Grande (Glinda), and Jeff Goldblum (the Wizard), among others — who will share "personal memories, intimate video diaries, and revealing secrets about their personal journeys through the making of the Universal Pictures film," reads the official release.
The streaming special is the perfect supplement to the film, whether you watch it before or after catching the record-breaking movie.
Viewers can also expect appearances from Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible), Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero), Ethan Slater (Boq), Bowen Yang (Pfannee), and Marissa Bode (Nessarose). Trust us; you can't consider yourself a diehard Wicked fan unless you watch this illuminating behind-the-scenes special!
