Cynthia Erivo Kicks Off Tony Awards With Soulful 'Sometimes All You Need Is A Song'

The host, a Tony winner, was joined by Oprah Winfrey backstage at the CBS ceremony for a moment that paid tribute to this year's Tony-nominated musical revival Sunset Blvd. and a memorable moment on the press tour for the first Wicked film, when co-star Ariana Grande grabbed Erivo's finger, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Erivo walked over to Winfrey and asked what she was doing there, and the mogul said she had to be there.

Erivo asked, "What do you do when everybody tells you what you need to do?" as per the outlet.

Winfrey replied, "Forget about them, babe. The only thing you need to do is just be yourself," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A Star-Studded Interactive Performance

Erivo looked stunning in a shimmering, long red gown with white accents. She sang 'Sometimes All You Need Is a Song'.

She also went into the audience, getting Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, and Adam Lambert to sing the chorus with her. At another point, Gayle King was spotted singing in the audience.

During her song, Erivo cited nominees Oh, Mary; Maybe Happy Endings; Sarah Snook; and George Clooney, Glengarry Glen Ross star Kieran Culkin, Othello star Denzel Washington, and McNeal star Robert Downey Jr.

Emotional In Memoriam Segment with Sara Bareilles

While wrapping up her performance, she sang, "When the world is looking gloomy, let that curtain rise. Broadway is a place we all belong."

She continued to perform, joining Sara Bareilles for a somber duet of "Tomorrow" from Annie during the In Memoriam segment, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

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