Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo redefine *Wicked* with bold new soundtrack
The new soundtrack Wicked: For Good – The Soundtrack expands on the second act of the original Wicked musical. It adds over 15 minutes of music, including two fresh songs written just for the film. While the plot occasionally overshadows the score, the album raises the bar with bold arrangements and standout performances.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead the cast as Elphaba and Glinda, delivering vocals that dominate the recording. Their voices take centre stage, even as the soundtrack reworks familiar tracks with new lyrics and orchestration.
The album kicks off with Every Day More Wicked, a stretched-out version of Thank Goodness featuring added verses and richer instrumentation. This sets the tone for a soundtrack that builds on the original while carving its own path.
Michelle Yeoh, as Madame Morrible, performs the first solo with The Wizard and I. Her rendition fits the story but struggles to match the intensity of Erivo and Grande’s later performances. The two stars make their entrance through short snippets of The Wizard and I and Popular before Grande shines in Thank Goodness / I Couldn’t Be Happier.
Grande’s influence is clear in Wonderful, where she layers harmonies and slips in a brief Defying Gravity reference during Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard-led number. The track gets a ‘Galinda-fied’ twist, blending humour with vocal flair.
Erivo’s power peaks in No Good Deed, where her voice soars over driving drums and swelling strings. The climax of the soundtrack belongs to her, with raw emotion cutting through the arrangement. Later, her take on No Place Like Home reimagines the classic theme, weaving in messages about borders, resistance, and belonging.
The soundtrack stretches the original’s runtime with fresh material and reworked favourites. Erivo and Grande’s performances anchor the album, while Yeoh and Goldblum add depth to the supporting roles. For fans of the musical, the new songs and expanded orchestration offer a richer, if occasionally plot-heavy, listening experience.
