Fresh off her high-profile turn hosting the 2025 Tony Awards and ahead of the highly anticipated release of Wicked for Good, Cynthia Erivo stopped by Audacy’s 94.7 The Block for an intimate chat with radio host Shelley Wade. The interview, recorded live in the Audacy Sound Space at the Hard Rock Hotel Times Square, centered on Erivo’s newly released sophomore album, I Forgive You.
The multi-hyphenate star—already a GRAMMY, Emmy, and Tony Award winner—opened up about the emotional depth of the project, the surprising decision to rap on one of the tracks, and her deep admiration for R&B icon Brandy.
While discussing the album’s influences, Erivo lit up when Wade asked about her love for Brandy. “She has this duality in her voice. It has this rasp… yet she hits these top notes with ease,” Erivo said. She also praised Brandy’s “prowess over harmony” and “melodic choices,” calling them “really individual” and “inspiring.”
Erivo even treated the audience to a few bars from Brandy’s classic “Almost Doesn’t Count.” When asked if she’d ever consider recording a cover of the song, Erivo responded with a smile: “If she lets me. I’ll ask her. If she’s up for it, I’d happily love to do it with her.”
In another standout moment, Erivo shared what led her to rap for the first time on the track “Push and Pull,” which she co-wrote with fellow actor-singer Anthony Ramos of Hamilton and In the Heights fame. “We had a writing camp—just the two of us and a couple of friends,” she explained. “He came up with the concept about the push and pull of romance, and I loved it.”
Originally, the spoken-word section on the track was intended for a different voice, but Erivo eventually took it on herself. “I thought the more elevated version for this moment was for me to speak those words. I tried it, and thought, ‘Oh, I think this might work.’ So I committed. And it ended up being something that people really liked.”
With I Forgive You, Erivo once again proves she’s an artist unafraid to stretch—and with fans already responding to her bold choices, it’s clear her latest evolution is striking the right chord.