Oscars 2023: Who Is Performing at the Academy Awards

The 95th Academy Awards will feature at least five musical performances throughout the night. Four of the Best Original Song nominees will be showcased, while rock star Lenny Kravitz will perform to occompany the In Memoriam tribute. Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the ceremony, which kicks off live on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Oscars usually include performances of all five Best Original Song nominees. There was expected to be one missing. Lady Gaga was not going to be at the Dolby Theatre to perform “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick. Gaga told producers she will be too busy filming Joker: Folie à Deux to stop by. She already has a history with memorable Oscar moments, from performing “Shallow” with Bradley Cooper in 2019 to helping Liza Minelli present Best Picture last year, so this was a big disappointment for fans. However, Entertainment Tonight later reported that Gaga will, in fact, be performing “Hold My Hand.”

However, the other nominees will be performed. Rihanna will perform for the first time since last month’s Super Bowl halftime show when she sings “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She noticeably did not include the song on her halftime show setlist. The song was co-written by Tems, Ryan Coogler, and Ludwig Göransson, who were also cited in the nomination.

Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava will perform “Naatu Naatu” from the hit Indian film RRR. This is the first song ever nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar and is the frontrunner. It won the award at the 80th Golden Globes in January. Songwriters M. M. Keeravani and Chandrabose were cited for the song’s nomination.

Diane Warren will take the stage with Sofia Carson to perform “Applause” from the documentary Tell It Like a Woman. Warren has famously received 14 Oscar nominations but has never won. In November, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences presented her with an honorary award.

David Byrne and Stephanie Hsu will join Everything Everywhere All At Once composers Son Lux to perform “This Is a Life.” Everything Everywhere All at Once is the most-nominated film of the night, earning 11 Oscar nods. It is up for Best Picture and remains the frontrunner for the top prize. Son Lux – the trio made up of Ryan Lott, Rafiq Bhatia, and Ian Chang – also earned a Best Original Score nomination. “This Is a Life” was written by Lott, Byrne, and Mitski.

Here is the list of announced performances for the 95th Academy Awards:

• Sofia Carson and Diane Warren – “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman
• Rihanna – “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava – “Naatu Naautu” from RRR
• David Byrne, Stephanie Hsu, and Son Lux – “This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once
• Lenny Kravitz – In Memorial Tribute

The Oscars kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT live on ABC. Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the ceremony for a third time. The nominees for Best Picture are All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Tar, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness and Women Talking.