Willemijn Verkaik SLAYS Defying Gravity at the 2022 Musical Awards

Almost 5 years after her last show as Elphaba and she is still rocking it with the best riff i've ever heard!
All rights to NPO and the Musical Awards.

[@wickedphant0m]

She's been singing this song for 15 years and she still sounds as fresh and healthy as day one. INSANE. She is not human.

[@f.h.7671]

actually way better than the premier in stuttgart

[@noahjohnson5266]

Agree

[@jasonaw2]

She’s still got it! Five years after her last wicked performance and in a few more it will be twenty since her first.

[@StrongestSkillIssue]

I was there at her last performance on the west end. It was absolutely incredible!

[@karojimenez5170]

I love Idina Menzel...but I truly think that Willemijn is the best Elphaba

[@Valeriamtzp]

Same, I never thought someone other than Idina could be my favorite elphaba but here we are, I still love the original though

[@linlasj]

I was convinced Idina Menzel was Elphaba...but this is so so so good! So so much energy.

[@simplystreeptacular]

That's bc she is the best Elphaba :)

[@jb7644]

there's a reason why Willemijin played the character most on stage.

[@soga4535]

I DO think so!

[@welshandwatching23]

Of all the Elphabas, Willemijn is just something else. INSANE. The riffs, the control, the clarity. 🤯

[@Macrogue65]

Her voice could be heard out of a black hole. Immense, on target, powerful, emotional, beautiful.

[@matthewbennett4363]

Doesn't she have by far the most performances in this role? I know she's the only one to do it in three languages.

[@NairAthul]

I think that would be Jenny DiNoia, who's also been part of the most number of companies

[@AJKoehler]

Willemijn has the most languages, Jenny DiNoia has the most.

[@sunnyboi2461]

I believe so, with over 2000 performances as Elphaba and was the longest running with her first performance in 2007 and her last in 2017.

[@jazzya5121]

She was perfect in Germany! ❤

[@tacom1]

In just 1 minute Willemijn shows us that she is by far the best musical star from my small country . And still after 20 years,. that immense power, that brilliant diction. What a star!

[@M_Uchiha]

Omg I just realized that she shares not only Elphaba's role with Idina but also Elsas from Frozen in German and Dutch woooow

[@ArmyPig31B]

I was lucky enough to catch of her last performances on Broadway with my wife. It was simply by chance. We had no idea who she was. But holy shit she was incredible. This woman’s talent is just unbelievable.

[@justmeldaydreaming]

The second 'lach' wooaaa. Also her telling at a dutch tv show the next day that after she won & received her musical award, she fell off the stairs when she went off stage. (Off camera) It hurt, but she changed into this dress and put it into this performance and blew everyone away. Like🔥

[@tmtydbwen8108]

I’ve seen every incarnation of Elphaba in London, every actress to play the role full time and none were as amazing as willemijn…

[@Z3RO19]

Really hope they cast Willemjin to voice Elphaba in the German and Dutch translations of the upcoming Wicked movie, like she did for Elsa in Frozen. Vocally, I think she's far and away the best singer to have ever played the part.

[@MisterGolightly]

Green looks good on her!

[@AndreyKiselev1994]

It also goes perfect with her eyes' colour... whatever it is. What is it, by the way? Looks very unusual, exceptionally fair

[@erikaarreola216]

I was so fortunate to see Williemijn when she performed at the Apollo Victoria in 2014. The best night of my life

[@hummelchen4]

She is THE best! Hands down. I was so lucky to see her in London for my first time wicked. Have seen it many times since then but no one comes close. Her and Rachel Tucker as Glinda is my dream duo.

[@a.m.5120]

She is by far the best elphaba!

[@MichaelDimalanta]

I freaked when I saw that she sang this again this year after so long. So good.

[@CinderellaPrinceable]

Every time I think she can't sing that song any better, she proves me wrong

[@Jukka70]

Willemijn was definitely the best Elphaba, and sang Defying Gravity better than anyone else ever has. I too love Idina Menzel, but Willemijn owns this character and song in my opinion

[@rileysummers484]

The amazing stay power of this woman! Almost 20 years since she first sang this, and it is not only just as good, but better!

[@souracidduck]

Petition. For. The. Netherlands. To. Send. Her. To. Eurovision!!!

[@roisingrant]

RIGHT?! WHY has it not happened yet??!!

[@EmoEmu]

@@roisingrant Probably means a pay-cut.

[@TheGalWithTheBlueCat]

Please don‘t. Have mercy. At least give us other countries a chance! 😅💚💚💚

[@noogoom]

She's too great for this, wasted talent for something like Eurovision 👀

[@doctorwho810]

Absolutely amazing. Will never forget seeing her in London when I was younger. That voice. Amazing

[@linlasj]

Dear Lord. Hair is rising on my head and arms! Love this.

[@peterroyston5212]

The best. One day I will be screaming and laughing with joy at experiencing her sing this live.✨

[@jemandjemand2362]

gurl came to ate and to slay. she is the best elphaba

[@tavernowl1737]

I watched her perform in Stuttgart when it first produced in Germany. She is and forever will be my favorite Elphaba and probably favorite musical actress in general :D

[@lindagrendelman8760]

This is absolutely insane! Love it!

[@thenewmmc3]

Stunning and phenomenally amazing.

[@Boomstronkheks]

this is one of my favourite performances hands down!!

[@carl-emil]

INCREDIBLE

[@sandrahabibi4460]

the Queen 😍

[@mandyvantol6267]

Deze vrouw sloopt toch elk nummer dat ze zingt! Werkelijk adembenemend.❤

[@OfficialDanitaC]

She did what? THAT!!

[@thebodiescannotveto]

I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Elphaba standby Zoe Coppinger in Australia, and there is not a single clip online that does her performance and her voice justice. She was simply incredible. Seeing this was a treat, too.

[@Kristalaurene]

Sick. Shes amazing

[@evancarlson9329]

AHHHH

[@anni.ka310]

In my opinion she needs even more attention! Holy …😍

[@MsLidiane2010]

My fav Elphaba

[@vagrantastronaut]

I watched her in London, my first West End musical ever, and I cried. Just phenomenal! Wish the audience was turned down in post :P

[@TamaraXena]

What a voice!!!!!! I want a baby from her! ❤️

[@x0xTHLover4Lifex0x]

Goddess divine 😍😍

[@benben2979]

with such a witch stare

[@franciscoavila36]

Although I LOVE Cynthia, I still think Willemijn should be Elphaba in the movie!

[@efficiencyvi8369]

Holy sh*t 😯

[@JaySe3184]

Godess...

[@Hanibaltherogue]

Damn that voice is awesome! i dont like dutch but she can sing so well i love it when she sings in dutch. Also german and english. She is a jewel

[@jasonosejo7943]

!!!!!!!

[@Kcb_creations]

Ze is toch het best in gewoon Nederlands ❤

[@lollollol5959]

At this point she is just boasting with these unbelievable good high notes…she’s the best

[@aepfelchen_7945]

Amazing Women;)

[@raphaelschafer2730]

Well, if you sing asomg nearly 600 times or more you get the hang of it, dont ya

[@zacdavid184]

Can someone who speaks German explain what sound like altered lyrics? I didn’t hear “frei und schwerelos” lol

[@ScottsFamilyChronicles]

This is the Dutch version, ik lach om zwaartekracht

[@zacdavid184]

@@ScottsFamilyChronicles oh, that'll do it lmao thanks

[@MegaKorben]

Playback

[@ItsRickLopez]

No.

[@remyboeschoten45]

Clearly you don’t know Willemijn haha!

[@jacquelinevogel8007]

Hahaha, nope. Wilemijn has a very good technique and an exzellent voice. This can't be Playback

[@Overwijn01]

No, it’s not 😡

[@fredflintstone9330]

Considering she has absolutely no problem singing the song live - and hitting the high notes perfectly almost every time, not sure why they would have needed to have her lip-synch ? Not saying this was not play-back, it could have been (as this came right at the end of the opening number which was absolutely play-back and lip-synched). Maybe there was a technical reason why it had to be play-back coming when it did in the show (?). Anyway, if it was play-back , she did an incredible job with the lip-synch. On another note, for being close to 47 years old, Damn is Willemijn hot. What a stunningly beautiful woman - doesn't look like she's hardly aged in the past 15 years. I don't know what's in the water in The Netherlands, but your country produces an incredible amount of drop dead gorgeous women. How about shipping some of them over to Montana ?

[@a-bittersweet-tragedy0203]

I love how Wicked keeps sucking her back in. She always finishes a contract and then she somehow ends up right back in it 🥹

[@ann-kathrinfischer6763]

This was just for that show I guess though. She is currently doing Rebecca in Vienna.