In one of The Hollywood Reporter’s actress roundtables, Cynthia Erivo discussed how musical notes can evoke colors for her. This is a form of synesthesia known as chromesthesia. In synesthesia, people automatically associate different senses. Only 2 to 4% of people can have synesthesia.
Cynthia Erivo stated, “But I. I don’t know if this. It’s not. It doesn’t make me an expert, but I have had synesthesia. So I see color with music.”
Jennifer Lawrence responded, “What color is this? Aaaaaagh.”
Cynthia Erivo replied, “Blue.”
Lawrence jokingly interjected, and many people discussed it on social media. Some people thought it was pretend or just hype, but others shared how they mixed senses, such as tasting sounds or viewing time as spaces.
One person wrote, “Jennifer Lawrence never takes anything seriously, and that makes every conversation better.” A further commenter wrote, “Jennifer Lawrence is such a cartoon character; I wish we could be friends.”
Artists such as Billie Eilish and Pharrell Williams have discussed how they experienced synesthesia themselves, proving that it can take many forms and can be a boost for many creatives.
