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Ariana Grande was extremely confused during the viral "holding space" interview with Out Magazine on November 19th that has since become a meme.
Grande and Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo sat down with Variety on Friday (December 6) to discuss what they were thinking when Out Magazine interviewer Tracy Gilchrist said:
"People are taking the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity' and really holding space with that and feeling power in that."
Erivo, seemingly shocked by the statement, revealed that she didn't know what was happening.
"I was surprised because I had no idea...I mean I guess. I had no idea that this thing was going on."
Grande, who appeared to support her friend by holding her finger in the viral interview, candidly shared that she also had no idea what the interviewer meant.
"So I had no idea what any part of it meant," the "7 Rings" songstress unveiled. She continued, speaking directly to Erivo.
"And then I definitely didn't understand what was happening and how you responded. I was like, 'Oh what did she say, what did you hear?' And I just wanted to be there because I knew something big was happening. And I didn't know how to be there."
In the original interview, Erivo appeared to match the emotion of the interviewer as Grande tried and failed to make sense of the situation, mentally pondering, "Am I ok?"
"She said something that meant something to her, then it meant something totally different to [Erivo], and then she tried to kind of get somewhere else. I remember in the moment asking myself, 'Am I okay? Did I not hear something?' ... because she looks like she was about to cry again."
Both Wicked stars relayed that at some point during the interview they simply "didn't know how to be there," and that they were glad the world was equally perplexed by the interaction.
"I do love how the world has just like...gone with it," Erivo remarked.
Watch Grande and Erivo comment on the viral "holding space" interview below.