Cynthia Erivo Receives Standing Ovation for Powerful “Stand Up” Performance at 2020 Oscars

Cynthia Erivo certainly proved she’s EGOT-worthy during tonight’s 2020 Oscars!

The multi-talented actress and singer took the stage at Sunday’s Academy Awards to perform the song “Stand Up” from her film Harriet and boy did she impress.

Decked out in a stunning gold dress, Erivo began the ballad alone before being joined by backup dancers, who eventually made their way into the audience.

“So I’m gonna stand up/Take my people with me/Together we are going/To a brand new home,” Erivo, who plays slave liberator and abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the film, sings in the ballad. “Far across the river/Can you hear freedom calling?/Calling me to answer/Gonna keep on keepin’ on.”

The powerful and chill-inducing performance received a standing ovation from everyone in the audience.

“Stand Up” is nominated tonight in the Best Original Song category against “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4, “I’m Gonna Love Me Again” from Rocketman, “I’m Standing With You” from Breakthrough and “Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2.

Erivo is also nominated in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category for her breathtaking performance in Harriet.

Erivo told E!’s Ryan Seacrest last month at the 2020 Golden Globes of crafting the song, “It was really about trying to find what sound she would, the kind of sound that was far enough away from me to be more her than I am. I wanted it to be grounded. I wanted it to feel grounded and organic. So myself and Kasi [Lemmons,] my director, worked together to find out where I needed to place my voice to find her. And we did the same for the singing voice as well because she used that as a communication. And hopefully we found it.”