Typically all you want is a track — however a little bit assist from Oprah Winfrey and Adam Lambert doesn’t damage, both. Cynthia Erivo opened the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday evening (June 8) with a show-stopping quantity that includes epic cameos from each the discuss present legend and American Idol alum.
Simply earlier than taking the stage in a glittering crimson robe, the Depraved star — who made her internet hosting debut at this yr’s ceremony — bumped into Winfrey, who gave her some sage recommendation. “The one factor it’s good to do is simply be your self,” the mogul mentioned earlier than providing up her pointer finger to Erivo, who then hilariously grasped it as a tribute to her viral 2024 “holding space” meme with Ariana Grande.
Erivo then launched into a vocally gorgeous musical efficiency of an unique track to begin the present, throughout which she shouted out most of the evening’s honorees and repeated the phrase, “Typically all you want is a track.” Towards the tip of the quantity, she stepped out into the viewers at New York Metropolis’s Radio Music Corridor and prompted a number of the ceremony’s all-star friends to sing the identical line. Kristin Chenoweth and Aaron Tveit each gave pitch-perfect on-the-spot deliveries as Erivo held out her microphone to them, however probably the most memorable was undoubtedly Lambert, who blew the group away with spontaneous, dexterous riffs.
The Pinocchio actress ended the quantity again on stage with a full gospel choir backing her up, incomes a standing ovation from the group. Then it was off to the races, with Erivo helming this system as Darren Criss, Nicole Scherzinger, Cole Escola, Sarah Snook and extra all took home statuettes for his or her performances in varied Broadway reveals. Possibly Comfortable Ending received finest musical, whereas the Scherzinger-led Sundown Blvd. received finest revival of a musical and Function received finest play.
Erivo’s internet hosting debut comes only one week after she appeared on the quilt of Billboard, and two days after she dropped her long-awaited studio album, I Forgive You. In August, she’ll play the titular position in a three-night manufacturing of Jesus Christ Superstar on the Hollywood Bowl, showing alongside Lambert, who will painting Judas.
Watch Erivo’s opening quantity on the 2025 Tony Awards beneath.