Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo converted alleged over familiarity into Grammy gold, an outcome hard to misread. Oscar season soured after NewsNation reported voters were creeped out by the Wicked stars’ closeness, contributing to Ariana Grande’s Oscar snub. The Grammys rewarded what the Oscars resisted, defying gravity.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for ‘Defying Gravity’ from the Wicked soundtrack at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on February 1. The victory arrived during the Grammy Premiere Ceremony, held before the televised broadcast.

Notably, neither Grande nor Erivo attended the ceremony. Still, the win carried weight, beating high-profile collaborations from Rosé and Bruno Mars with ‘APT.,’ SZA and Kendrick Lamar with ‘30 for 30,’ and Katseye with ‘Gabriela.’

The award marked Cynthia Erivo’s second Grammy following her 'The Color Purple' win. For Grande, it became her third Grammy overall and her first in five years, closing an awards-season arc that the Oscars left unresolved.

Although absent from the ceremony, Ariana Grande still found a way to mark the moment.

Ariana Grande reacts to Grammy win after Oscar snub fiasco

After Oscar voters found intimacy unsettling, Ariana Grande greeted Grammy approval with composure and gratitude. She did not litigate awards-season discomfort, preferring acknowledgment over rebuttal

In her Instagram story, the 'thank you, next' singer thanked the Recording Academy and praised Cynthia Erivo, presenting the win as shared labor. She extended appreciation to Steven Oremus, Greg Wells, Simon Hayes, and the Wicked sound and production team who shaped the duet.

She further credited director Jon M. Chu, creative partners, and Republic Records, framing the win as collective validation. Inevitably, the Grammys moment feels louder knowing Wicked: For Good did not receive a single Oscar nod this season.

What do you think of the duo's Grammy win? Let us know in the comments!

Written by

Iffat Siddiqui

Edited by

Aliza Siddiqui