The queen of “Defying Gravity” engages in a high level of expectation defiance on “I Forgive You,” her exemplary second album as a singer-songwriter and first release since “ Wicked ” firmly established her as a universal household name. For those who weren’t keeping track when she released her first solo effort, 2021’s “Ch. 1 Vs. 1,” there will be some surprises in how she veers off anything like a beaten path when it comes to putative crossover.

Because Erivo is a Black woman with a powerful voice who did, after all, portray Aretha Franklin, there might be an expectation she’ll be making an R&B record, throwback or otherwise. That’s busted stereotype No. 1. While “I Forgive You” does have a kind of contemporary R&B stretch to it midway through, in totality, it’s closer to being a gr

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