Ranking of Oscars Performances: ‘Wicked’ and More
There were many phenomenal performances at the 2025 Oscars. The performers include Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who did a Wicked Medley. Lisa from BLACKPINK, British singer and songwriter RAYE, and Doja Cat joined for a James Bond tribute. As well as Queen Latifah performing a Quincy Jones medley. This article will rank all three performances at the Oscars this year.
In third place: The Queen Latifah Quincy Jones Tribute:
Latifah sang a very upbeat and engaging cover of Ease on Down the Road from “The Wiz” soundtrack. Her stage presence was great. The costuming and the styling were not the best, but it was unique. Two dancers sang solos alongside Latifah, and they were great; they just seemed pretty random. However, the special effects and lights were pretty cool and sick. The icing on the cake was showing a photo of Quincy Jones, an actor in “The Wiz,” after the performance. This was great because it helped to keep his memory.
In Second Place: The James Bond Tribute Medley:
The choreography the dancers did was elegant. Along with this, the costumes they wore fit the dance perfectly. Lisa joined the stage out of nowhere, which was a creative entrance. Lisa’s vocals were fantastic. During Doja Cat’s performance, her vocals on Diamonds Are Forever, originally sung by John Barry, were so great. However, there was not that much stage presence. During the RAYE performance, her dress was beautiful, and her stage presence was engaging. However, the vocals were not the best.
1st Place: The Wicked Medley:
Ariana Grande’s rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow was a great start to the medley. Her dress was red, beautiful, and sparkly. On top of this, the vocals were chef’s kiss. Cynthia Erivo came on stage wearing an exquisite white dress with purple flowers and sang If I Was Home. Her vocals got more stunning as the performance went on. When Grande and Erivo sang Defying Gravity together, they had the whole stage in the palm of their hands. Erivo’s high note at the end and the choir joining her with a breathtaking harmony was the perfect way to end an outstanding performance.
Overall, despite the rankings, all of the performers on this list did an amazing job. Can not wait to see what performances the 2026 Oscars have in store for us.
