Video: Cynthia Erivo Names Favorite Vocal Performances From Jennifer Holliday, Whitney Houston & More

Tony Award-winner Cynthia Erivo recently sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss her top 7 vocal performances from other artists, which include a range of performances from Whitney Houston to Luther Vandross to Beyoncé.

Two of her favorites are from Broadway musicals, specifically Jazmine Sullivan's performance of "Home" from The Wiz and Jennifer Holiday singing "And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going" from Dreamgirls. "This little girl is just singing her heart out and it's unbelievable," she said, commenting on 11-year-old Sullivan's performance. As for Holliday, she says, "If there was ever a person who could teach you about how to use the muscles in your face to make sound, this is the lady you need to be watching."

Another notable performance is a Whitney Houston medley from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, which took place in 1994. "You don't get to hear her sing jazz very often, and so to hear her singing this particular song is really special." Watch the full video.

Following the success of the first Wicked film, Erivo will next be seen on screen in Wicked: For Good, which will hit theaters this November. In the meantime, she remains busy this summer, having hosted the TONY AWARDS in June and starring in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl in August. She also recently appeared in Season 2 of Peacock's Poker Face, and released her second album of original music. Other upcoming projects include a film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone and a solo production of DRACULA on the West End in 2026.

Erivo is a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and producer, as well as an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and SAG nominee. For her performance in Wicked, Erivo has received numerous accolades, including nominations at THE GOLDEN GLOBES and Academy Awards. She made her Broadway debut in 2015 as Celie in The Color Purple.