What Does 'Holding Space' For The Lyrics Of 'Defying Gravity' Mean? The 'Wicked' Movie Interview Meme About Being In 'Queer Media' Explained

Over the weekend, the internet was baffled by an interview with Wicked movie stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in which the reporter, Out Magazine's Tracy E. Gilchrist, told the actresses that people were "holding space" and "feeling power" with the lyrics of "Defying Gravity."

The film adaption of the famous Broadway musical has already received a slew of memes and controversies leading up to its November 2024 release date. In turn, the viral interview clip in question has only compounded the discourse on social media about the Hollywood duo's emotional, tearful press tour. The lofty language and awkward mannerisms of the party involved has captivated audiences, just as much as the movie.

So, where did this interview come from? What do "holding space" and "feeling power" mean? How have the catchphrases become memes on social media? Let's explain.

What's The 'Holding Space' And 'Feeling Power' With The Lyrics Of 'Defying Gravity' Interview?

The interview in question was conducted by Tracy E. Gilchrist for Out Magazine (Out.com) with the leading actresses of the 2024 Wicked film Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

A clip from the interview was shared on the magazine's Instagram account, in which Gilchrist said, "I've seen this week people are taking the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity' and really holding space with that and feeling power in that."

Erivo reacted first, becoming emotional as she said, "I didn't know that that was happening … That's really powerful … That's what I wanted." Gilchrist defended her claim by saying, "I've seen it on a couple posts … But I am in queer media, so …"

Grande is also seen comforting Erivo in the clip by only grabbing her index finger.

Who Is Tracy E. Gilchrist?

Tracy E. Gilchrist is the interviewer in the "holding space" clip. She's the former Editor-in-Cheif of The Advocate magazine and a current Vice President at equalpride, an LGBTQ+ fashion and lifestyle brand, according to her LinkedIn.

She posts regularly on her Instagram account where she documents her cycling and editorial work. Her interview with Grande and Erivo appears to be the first time she's gone viral.

What's The 'Holding Space' Meme?

Meme creators have been using the term "holding space" in viral posts ever since the Out.com interview went viral online. The phrase's vagueness has driven the meme's popularity. With a loose definition, it could mean anything, like "holding space" for cigarettes, per one X user's joke.

The term's almost meaningless meaning was ultimately compounded by Erivo's heartfelt response. The actress seemed to understand the verb and be genuinely moved by the idea that people were holding space for the song's lyrics — as if she'd been entirely responsible for the song's creation.

However, Stan Twitter users expressed that they were already deeply intimate with the lyrics of "Defying Gravity," dating back to the musical's early 2000s debut. One user joked about characters in the TV show Glee holding space before it was cool.

What's The 'Queer Media' Meme?

Tracy E. Gilchrist justified her statement by saying she's in "queer media," implying that she's got her finger on the pulse of gay social media as if she's the President of Floptropica herself.

Although Gilchrist is, in fact, involved in queer media because of her position at equalpride, gay and straight netizens alike couldn't help but find humor in Gilchrist's defense. Again, what does being in "queer media" mean? The concept quickly became a self-effacing joke for LGBTQ+ people online.

Why Is This A Meme?

The Wicked film has been at the forefront of pop culture discourse over the past few months. The buzz largely started when Cynthia Erivo expressed outrage over people photoshopping the Wicked poster, claiming that they were "erasing her" in an Instagram story.

Many thought she was overreacting as free publicity for any movie is usually seen as a positive and harmless thing. Think of the Barbie movie's almost constant, organic social media spread last year. The consensus about Erivo was that she couldn't take a joke, not even an unproblematic, fanmade one.

Curiosity about the film's two leading actresses and their alien-like tendencies spiraled when clips of them crying in about every interview spread online. Some chalked up their emotionality to "theater kid syndrome" or went as far as labeling them anorexic.

For instance, one user claimed to have been there, writing, "When I was anorexic I couldn’t look at my drivers license because I would start crying about how beautiful the concept of organ donation was."

All of this is to say that the Wicked film has had a lot of viral moments. And, so-called "queer media" enjoyers, like in Stan Twitter and FlopTok circles, eat up overly emotional reaction videos, images and GIFs for their memetic usage.

As the "holding space" interview comes at the logical end of the Wicked film's tabloid cycle, it seems to be the perfect climax to the wild ride and the ideal fodder for queer media posters.

For the full history of Holding Space and Feeling Power With the Lyrics of "Defying Gravity," be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.