What do you do when you’re the heirs of musical royalty and you’re super excited about the movie adaptation of the Broadway smash Wicked? Well, if you’re Sy’Rai and Krista Campbell — the daughters of Brandy and Erica Campbell, respectively — then you take one of the most beloved R&B duets of the past 30 years and give it a Wicked spin. The twosome does just that with a reimagined version of “The Boy Is Mine” that speaks to the rivalry of Wicked’s two lead characters, Glinda and Elphaba.
The ladies, with a bit of help from producer and arranger Bryson Camper and reworked lyrics and direction by Michael Korte, reinvent the 1998 hit (which coincidentally got some love from the film’s star Ariana Grande earlier this year) for the moment. It begins with the chorus name-checking the movie’s heartthrob Fiyero as the two settle into their characters in both the song and movie. Sy’Rai then steps into both her mother’s shoes and the role of the green-skinned Elphaba as she kicks things off and states her case for why the boy belongs with her. Krista, meanwhile, channels both Monica and the pretty-in-pink Glinda as she challenges her friend for Fiyero’s heart.
The switch-up isn’t just about the looks, however, as the lyrics also hint at the characters’ lives in Oz. That includes acknowledging their signature colors and nodding to story arcs and lyrics from the beloved musical.
The effort is quite cute and sure to get traction among those who love Wicked and enjoy a nostalgic R&B bop. If that cross-section sounds like you, we suggest that you tune in to Sy’Rai and Krista Campbell as they make magic as Oz’s best-known witches. Watch “The Boy Is Mine (Wicked Edition)” when you press play below.
