«Ariana Grande responds to the viral ‘Holding Space’ Wicked interview meme, admitting, ‘I had no idea what any of it meant'»
«The singer and actress shared, ‘I just wanted to be there because I sensed something huge was unfolding’
Ariana Grande has now addressed the viral ‘Popular’ Wicked meme!
In a recent interview, the 31-year-old revealed that she was unaware of the meaning behind the ‘holding space’ remark made during her interview with Cynthia Erivo as part of their Wicked press tour.
‘I truly had no understanding of what any part of it meant,’ Grande told Variety, reflecting on the interview with Out.com that sparked a social media frenzy after being shared on the outlet’s Instagram on November 19.»
Grande, joined by Erivo and director Jon M. Chu, explained, “I didn’t understand the first sentence, and I definitely didn’t get how you responded,” referring to Erivo.
Grande continued, “I just wanted to be there because I knew something big was happening, but I didn’t know how to be there.”
During the interview, the reporter mentioned LGBTQ+ fans finding power in the lyrics of «Defying Gravity,» which caused an emotional reaction from Erivo. Grande supported her by gently holding Erivo’s finger.
Fans quickly shared and recreated the moment on social media. Grande reflected, “She said something that meant one thing to her, but something different to Erivo, and I was confused, wondering, ‘Am I okay? Did I miss something?’”
Grande explained she grabbed Erivo’s finger because she «thought you might need something.» She also mentioned not knowing what the tapping was for, to which Erivo joked, «Tension, tension.»
Reflecting on the memes from the interview, Grande said they were «so beautiful» and expressed relief that others had the same reaction. «I felt like, ‘Oh, I’m not broken,’” she joked.
Wicked: Part One is currently in theaters, with Part Two set for release on Nov. 21, 2025.
