Saturday Night Live: Chappell Roan sings ‘The Giver’

We knew that Chappell Roan was the musical guest entering tonight’s Saturday Night Live episode, and that signaled we’d likely see a spectacle. We know that the singer has surged into the mainstream over the past year, largely due to a combination of catchy songs and bright, flashy fashion.

Well, it took a few seconds for it to be clear that Roan was going to lean into her theatrical side with “Pink Pony Club.” Yet, we’ll admit that we were surprised this was her choice given that the show’s been out for years — yet, it has taken on a second life after she’s become more of a household name. (Also, she would have a second song later.)

The one thing that was clear while watching this performance was just how small the stage felt — but also how good her backing band was. This was a solid performance that felt opposite from what you would see from pop stars. Sure, there were the bright colors and bold makeup, but the lyrics were thoughtful and it was clear that Chappell was singing without any sort of backing track. One of the other cool things was how much of the audience knew the words.

We should point out for those who are not aware that Chappell has wanted to appear on SNL ever since she was a teenager, and even shared a screenshot on social media from an old post more than a decade ago featuring her talking about the show.

So what was her second song on SNL? Well, it is a brand-new one! Surprisingly, it was almost full-on country as opposed to pop — but it was also extremely catchy in its own right. We believe that the title here is “The Giver,” which she has referenced in the past. It’s a really fun song, and a great, high-energy performance. It feels like it could easily be a crossover hit.

Related – Be sure to get some more news on Saturday Night Live right now, including the cold open

What did you think about Chappell Roan’s performance on Saturday Night Live tonight?

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