James Johnson
The Wicked star recounts the spontaneous, now-viral Grammy moment with Swift, her tribute to Quincy Jones, and her thoughts on chasing EGOT gold.
When Cynthia Erivo walked into the 2025 Grammy Awards, she didn’t expect to go viral before even taking her official seat. But thanks to Taylor Swift’s mischievous spontaneity, the Wicked star found herself at the center of a delightful, meme-worthy moment that had fans buzzing for days.
Erivo opened up about the surprise interaction during an appearance on SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up with hosts Nicole Ryan, Ryan Sampson, and Stanley T. According to the Oscar-nominated actress and Grammy-winning singer, her Grammy night got off to a hectic start — but Taylor Swift was there with a seat and a smile.
“I feel very guilty if I miss people on the carpet,” Erivo explained. “So I tried to do every interview and those ran a little bit long.” By the time she reached the venue’s main area, Trevor Noah had already begun his opening monologue.
That’s when Swift, ever the gracious hostess of music’s biggest night, stepped in. “She caused absolute mischief and it was hilarious and fun,” Erivo laughed. “She was like, ‘Just come over here. Sit here.’ So I was like, ‘Okay,’ and then just came and sat next to her and just waited.”
The moment — captured on video by The Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner — quickly exploded on social media. Later in the ceremony, Swift was seen holding Erivo’s finger, echoing a viral meme born from Erivo and Ariana Grande’s press tour for Wicked, where the pair were jokingly described as “holding space” for the lyrics of “Defying Gravity.”
Erivo’s red carpet encounter may have made headlines, but her reason for attending the Grammys was deeply meaningful. She took the stage as part of a tribute to the late Quincy Jones, who passed away in November 2024 at the age of 91. A celebrated vocalist and Broadway performer, Erivo already holds a Grammy for her performance in The Color Purple theater album.
Now, she’s closer than ever to becoming an EGOT winner, especially with original songs she contributed to Wicked: For Good, the highly anticipated sequel arriving in theaters this November.
Speaking about the possibility of EGOT-ing, Erivo remains grounded. “It does feel surreal and sometimes I try not to think about it at all,” she said. “If I’m just aiming for the Oscar, I will miss the things in between that I think will actually bring me a lot of joy and learning… for me, it has to start with the work. If that comes, then that comes.”
As for the now-legendary Grammy seat-sharing? It was a testament to the power of friendship, spontaneity — and just a little bit of chaos, Swift-style.
