Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Sabrina Carpenter Surprises Herself By Masterfully Hitting 'Defying Gravity' Riff In Hilarious TikTok

Sabrina Carpenter singing; Carpenter looking shocked
palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

The singer made a surprise appearance in a video on TikTok featuring several people attempting Cynthia Erivo's battle cry at the end of the song "Defying Gravity"—and she appeared to shock even herself by totally nailing it.

Sabrina Carpenter was up for a TikTok challenge where participants try wailing the famous battle cry riff at the end of the epic Wicked song, "Defying Gravity," but with her own twist.

Her look at the end says it all.


The "Espresso" singer's friend, TikToker @palomaidaliasandoval, posted a video featuring several people demonstrating their vocal chops by channeling their inner Elphaba–a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West character played by Cynthia Erivo in the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Wicked currently in theaters.

The overlaying text of the clip read, "Wicked tryouts," and featured a number of people by the poolside at a residence at nighttime and giving it their all.

Among the impromptu belters was Carpenter, who went for the high notes with conviction and immediately gave a "Did I just do that?" expression.

We know who the winner was, hands down, but kudos to her fellow auditioners for abandoning inhibitions to tackle the intimidating feat.

Carpenter has an unfair advantage over her poolside peers, obvi. At 25, she is a pro singer who's performed to stadium crowds and even performed a leading role on Broadway in the musical stage adaptation of Mean Girls.

But the fact that she surprised herself here demonstrates how difficult the climactic ending to "Defying Gravity" is to sing.

Fans couldn't help but notice the same, and they loved her humble reaction.

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok


@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

It took others a hot minute to even recognize the celebrity cameo.

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

@palomaidaliasandoval/TikTok

"Defying Gravity" closes Act 1 in the stage version and wraps up the first of the two-part film adaptation.

Composed by Stephen Schwartz, the song was originally sung by Idina Menzel, who originated Elphaba on Broadway in 2003 and won a Tony Award for her performance, and has been reinterpreted numerous times on stage and TV.

Menzel's original co-star Kristin Chenoweth, who played Galinda, also sings parts of the mostly solo number.

Thanks to the new Wicked film starring Erivo and Ariana Grande, the 21-year-old song has found new life with fans "holding space" with the song's empowering lyrics.

"Defying Gravity" is sung after the Wizard of Oz reveals himself to be a scheming ruler with no magical powers and attempts to exploit Elphaba's gifts as his own to continue manipulating the people of Oz.

As she begins her transformation into the Wicked Witch, Elphaba embraces her powers and she vows to fight the Wizard. The wailing riff at the end is emblematic of her going into battle.

The vocal range required to sing the song effectively is a challenge for even the most seasoned singers but remains a coveted role opportunity.

And now it appears that Carpenter, who was nominated for five Grammys, realized that nothing can bring her down.

More from Entertainment/celebrities

Kelly Clarkson
Denise Truscello/Live Nation Las Vegas/Getty Images

Kelly Clarkson Reveals Horrific Comment Her Ex-Manager Once Made About Her Body—And Fans Are Livid

"Kids say the darnedest things" is a popular phrase for a reason, and while it might not have the same ring, maybe we need to change "kids" to "entertainment managers"?

While doing her Las Vegas residency, Kelly Clarkson mixed her most iconic songs with audience interactions and stories of things that have happened during her career.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mid-shot of a female doctor, wearing a stethoscope.
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Medical Professionals Break Down Times Patients Accurately Self-Diagnosed With Google

Medical professionals often advise against Googling when we are feeling ill.

WebMD is the enemy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Virginia Foxx and Yassamin Ansari

GOP Rep. Melts Down After Dem Rep. Calls Out Republicans' '8 Weeks Of Taxpayer-Funded Vacation'

North Carolina Republican Representative Virginia Foxx was fuming after Arizona Democratic Representative Yassamin Ansari welcomed her back from the GOP's "vacation" after House Speaker Mike Johnson kept the House out of session for eight weeks.

Johnson adjourned the House after September 19, following the passage of a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown.

Keep ReadingShow less
La Toya Jackson
@latoyajackson/Instagram

Fans Concerned After La Toya Jackson Shares Cryptic Videos About Her Health At Doctor's Office

We may not all like the same things or be fans of the same celebrities, music, books, or films, but we all understand the anticipatory grief that comes with the fact that our favorite artists are human, just like us, meaning they will age and eventually create their last piece.

Fans of Dolly Parton, for instance, went through a scare last month when her sister shared a cryptic Facebook post about Dolly, only for the country singer to later have to post a video to reassure her fans that she "ain't dead yet" and was healthy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gordon Ramsay
Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images

Gordon Ramsay Sparks Debate With NSFW Take On Creating Menus For People Taking Weight Loss Injections

Chef Gordon Ramsay is famous for his outspoken, often acidic take on things arguably even more than he's famous for his food.

His tirades on his television shows Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares are renowned for having sparked their own memes and gifs years after they were actually on the air.

Keep ReadingShow less