Cynthia Erivo’s Publisher Admits Oversight in Memoir Regarding Ariana Grande Quotes After Fan Feedback

(L-R) Simply More; Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Credit :

Macmillan Publishers; Noam Galai/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Cynthia Erivo’s memoir, Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much, was released on Tuesday, Nov 18.
• Fans have noted the lack of credit for quotes attributed to Ariana Grande in a December 2024 interview.
• Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan, has acknowledged the omission in a statement provided to The Washington Post.

Nearly a month after the release of Cynthia Erivo’s memoir, fans have highlighted apparent similarities between several passages and remarks made by her Wicked costar, Ariana Grande. The memoir, which debuted on November 18, was reported to be missing key content, including a “chapter introduction” that should have included proper attributions, according to the publisher.

As reported by The Washington Post, a dedicated fan of the musical, Cassie Plumridge, discovered the issue while reading Chapter 42 of the book. The identified sections contained phrases that resonated with both Plumridge and other enthusiasts of Erivo and Grande, particularly given that their second Wicked film had premiered on November 21.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande attend the “Wicked: For Good” European Premiere at Cineworld London Leicester Square on November 10, 2025 in London, England.

Samir Hussein/WireImage

One particularly striking passage from the memoir reads: “I’ve been a specimen in a petri dish since I was a teenager. I’ve heard it all, every version of what’s wrong with me. And when I fix it, then it’s wrong for different reasons. Maybe you’ve felt the same?” The text continues, “If you go to Thanksgiving dinner and someone’s granny says, Oh, my god, you look skinnier, what’s wrong? or someone else says, You look heavier, what happened? That is uncomfortable and horrible no matter where it’s happening. This ease in making remarks is really dangerous for all parties involved.”

Cover of “Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much”.

Flatiron Books 

Parallels have been drawn to comments made by Grande during a December 2024 interview with French journalist Sally, where she remarked, “I’ve been a specimen in a petri dish really since I was 16 or 17, so I have heard it all. I’ve heard every version of it, of what’s wrong with me, and then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons.” Grande elaborated, emphasizing the challenge of safeguarding oneself from destructive external opinions, particularly about body image.

In response to the controversy, Flatiron Books issued a statement clarifying that the chapter introduction—which included accurate citations—was accidentally left out of the publication. A representative affirmed, “We have immediately updated the file to the corrected version, which will be used going forward in all formats including all future printings of the physical book. We are deeply apologetic for this oversight and thankful that we are able to correct it.”

Flatiron Books has been contacted for further comment on the matter.