Saturday Night Live (SNL) celebrates 50 years of comedy with a night that many will not forget for years to come. From classic skits to song renditions, and a Homecoming Concert, SNL had everything audiences could ask for.
There were many twists and surprises that came from the SNL 50 as many watched outside the Rockefeller Center in New York. We’re here to talk about the performances that absolutely blew everyone away. We’ll take it from the top, starting with the Homecoming Concert, working our way to the main event of the night.
The Homecoming Concert had many notable artists perform, such as Post Malone, Snoop Dog, and even Lauren Hill. Even older artists such as B-52’s and Eddie Vedder were still able to honor Lorne Michael and all of the accomplishments that follow establishing a universally loved production.
So, what were the key takeaways? More importantly, what were some of the best performances throughout the night? Well, allow me to introduce you guys to what a half-century of SNL has to offer.
Bad Bunny’s Unforgettable Act
Bad Bunny was the second performance of the Homecoming Concert, performing two songs off his latest album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, or I Should’ve Taken More Photos.
The energy in the crowd was electric and truly solidified Bad Bunny’s global artist status. “Baile Inolvidable” had everyone up on their feet as he brought the salsa to the 50th celebration.
The titled album song was also a heartfelt moment as he paused to give a quick speech about enjoying every second of life.
“We need to appreciate more every second that we’re here and love as much as you can,” Bad Bunny starts off before switching to Spanish. “Esta noche especial así que me los llevo en el corazon con todos ustedes y con toda mi gente.”
Not only did he appear on his own set during the night, but he also made a guest appearance during Andy Samberg medley. He performed an operatic rendition of “I Just Had Sex”, showcasing just how established singer he is.
This wasn’t be the last of Bad Bunny the audience saw, as he later performed in one of SNL’s most popular skits as Domingo’s cousin. Little did we know, they would also bring out the pop star that started it all.
Bad Bunny’s sentimental speech brought little bit of Puerto Rico to the winter of New York.
Sabrina Carpenter Joins Domingo
Sabrina Carpenter continues to be a busy woman as she joins the Domingo universe during SNL 50. She plays the role of Kelsey’s best friend, Sophie, as they celebrate Kelsey and Matthew’s vow renewal.
This time, however, they are not performing with the “Espresso” track in the back. Instead, we hear Kelsey’s group of friends sing their hardest during “Defying Gravity”.
That was not all for the pop star, as she also had a heartwarming performance with legendary Paul Simon. This country ballad was emotional, and the crowd stared in awe at the duo.
It gets more sentimental when he revealed to the audience in the beginning that he performed “Homeward Bound” originally on SNL back in 1975 with his friend, the lead guitarist of The Beatles, George Harrison.
Both Simon and Harrison were a musical duo until Harrison tragically lost his life to cancer. Sabrina stepped in as Simon’s partner for this song, giving the audience a touch of her country side when we get to the chorus.
Their voices complemented each other, with neither one completely overpowering the other. This version of Sabrina is reminiscent of her other country-influenced songs such as “Lonesome” or “Coincidence”.
Though she didn’t perform at the Homecoming Concert, it definitely felt like a full-circle-moment with her joining Domingo in her own chaotic, wacky way.
Miley Cyrus Rocks the Night Away with The Roots
Giving flowers to Lorne Michaels throughout the night, Miley Cyrus entered, joined by Britney Howard and The Roots for two of the performances.
The first performance was an iconic tribute to Queen, who played “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” on SNL back in 1982. It was the band’s final performance before the death of Queen’s lead vocalist Freddie Mercury.
During the performance, Miley Cyrus, Brittany Howard, and The Roots rocked out to the song, a black and white tribute video playing the original performance toward the end of the song.
Howard and The Roots would then leave the stage for Miley Cyrus to perform her multiple award-winning song, “Flowers”.
One thing about the singer is that she will always throw in a few jokes during her performances of “Flowers”, and this one did not disappoint. She even threw some shade to the SNL crowd, referring back to when she performed at the Grammys and no one was singing along with her.
“Are y’all doing the Grammy’s thing where you guys are famous and sh*t you don’t sing along?” Miley asked before excusing her language and ushering the crowd to sing.
Miley knows how to keep an audience engaged, whether that is through shouting down celebrities in the crowd, or slipping in a few comments before singing.
While those first two performances took place at the Homecoming Concert, the next one took place during the main event of the 50th show.
Once again joined by Brittany Howard and The Roots, they all performed an amazing live version of Sinéad O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”. Brittany Howard shined with her guitar solo in the middle of the song. Miley’s voice also added great supporting vocals to Brittany. If you haven’t already seen this performance, I guarantee that you’ll be slowly be swaying side to side when you do.
Paul McCartney’s Medley Steals the Show
Through the night was filled with laughter and killer performances by some of the peoples’ favorite artists, one fantastic performance ended SNL 50.
Paul McCartney sent off the night with a medley from The Beatles’ album Abbey Road. If you were asking yourself if the 82 year old can still play, yes, he can indeed.
McCartney absolutely sung his heart out with the support of his band and background vocalists. He switched from piano to guitar, playing a solo, despite other three guitarists on stage.
McCartney chose “Golden Slumbers”, “Carry The Weight”, and “The End” from The Beatles 1969 album. The performance started off with “Golden Slumbers” with a slow build up that eventually led into the artist switching instruments halfway through the medley to “Carry The Weight”.
Funny enough, “The End” is what brings the entire show into a close, as McCartney thanked the crowd for their energy. He is a living example of how age is not a problem for the rock star.
The way he was able to still sing and play two different instruments in the span of about eight minutes is a testament to his craft as a musician. Surely, his former bandmates were with him through his performance, as the further we got into the performance, the more comfortable he seemed.
Those were just some of the highlights from the show. However, there were tons of artists that performed in honor of SNL turning 50. Many of the skits and performances can be found on YouTube, but to watch it in full, instead of small clips, it can be found on NBC or Peacock.
