Cynthia Erivo lists Sisqó’s “Thong Song” among favourite vocal performances

Cynthia Erivo has named Sisqó’s 2000 hit “Thong Song” as one of her top seven vocal performances of all time, in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly. Placing it alongside classics by Aretha Franklin, and Jennifer Holliday, Erivo raised the song’s theatrical delivery, calling it “a brilliant vocal for a song about a thong.” She added, “The whole end section of this song is so unnecessary. You have a key change. There’s a praise break at some point. It’s ridiculous. You don’t need to sing like that—and he does.”

The feature arrives as Erivo prepares to reprise her role as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, due in cinemas this November. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the sequel follows the success of the first film, which earned ten Oscar nominations.

Erivo also highlighted performances by Luther Vandross (“A House Is Not a Home”), Whitney Houston (her Porgy and Bess medley), and a young Jazmine Sullivan’s rendition of “Home” from The Wiz.

Erivo will also appear as Jesus in a summer production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl, alongside Adam Lambert as as Judas.