Triple J Casually Played ‘Defying Gravity’ From ‘Wicked’ And Everyone Lost Their Shit

Triple j’s Requestival is, in a word, totally bananas.

All this week, between the hours of 6am and 9pm, the beloved youth broadcaster is playing nothing but songs requested by listeners. So far, it’s been a constantly surprising break from the usual programming — rather than the likes of Dune Rats and Amy Shark, triple j has been playing everything from classical music to Madonna.

But perhaps no request so far has been as surprising as ‘Defying Gravity’, the breakout single from the hit musical Wicked.

Wicked, if you’re not aware, is an alternate take on the story of The Wizard of Oz based on the book of the same name by Gregory Maguire, told from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. Since it debuted in 2003, it’s become a modern classic in recent years — one of the defining works of the form.

‘Defying Gravity’ is the musical’s most popular song — and for good reason. Originally performed by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, it’s an over-the-top serve of pure, ecstatic cheese, one that culminates in one of the longest sustained notes in the entire musical.

So yeah, not exactly normal triple j fare. But, perhaps surprisingly, the song has been met with open arms by the station’s listeners, with folks flooding Twitter with messages of support and love.

Seems obvious that from now until the end of time, triple j will have to keep sneaking showtunes into their regular programming. After all, the people have spoken.

Photo Credit: Wicked Facebook