Cynthia Erivo gave Dionne Warwick her flowers while she can still smell them. The Tony Award-winning singer and actress took to the Kennedy Center stage to honor the music legend during the 2023 Kennedy Center Honors special.
On Dec. 27, CBS aired the 2023 Kennedy Center Honors special. Each year, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts selects honorees for lifetime artistic achievements. This year, the center selected Warwick, Queen Latifah, Billy Crystal, Renée Fleming, and Barry Gunn.
In her performance, Erivo belted out the Burt Bacharach song, “Alfie,” made popular by Warwick when she recorded her rendition in 1967. Warwick helped the song reach success on the Billboard charts, and later, the track was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, along with other musical selections including, “Walk on By” and “Don’t Make Me Over.”
Chloe Bailey and Gladys Knight also performed in honor of Warwick, with Bailey taking on “Walk on By” and Knight performing “Say a Little Prayer.” Ego Nwodim of “Saturday Night Live,” whose Warwick impersonation earned acclaim on the sketch series, also honored the music icon.
As theGrio previously reported, Erivo is set to star in the highly anticipated adaptation of “Wicked” alongside Ariana Grande. An Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner, Erivo has charmed audiences on the stage and screen for years, earning her Tony for playing Celie in the Broadway revival of “The Color Purple.”
Erivo also has two Oscar nominations, one for Best Actress after playing the titular role in “Harriet” and one for Best Original Song for “Stand Up” from the same film.
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