Saturday Night Live is known for being a star-studded affair, but this week’s host and musical guest lineup has truly proven to be a team-up for the ages. Not only did Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge kill it as a first-time host, but Taylor’s Swift’s SNL performance of "Lover" was just as entertaining and enjoyable as fans would expect it to be. The song is part of her latest album, also titled Lover, and has quickly become a popular favorite among fans. So it wasn’t all that surprising that Swift chose this song to kick off the night with, though this time she opted to play an acoustic version of the tune, making it a true T-Swift performance no one will soon forget.
Unlike the usual fanfare and action-packed dance moves that Swift typically includes in her performances were nowhere to be found. Instead, the performance centered around the sing simply sitting at a piano and singing a slower, gentle ballad version of the song while surrounded by a sea of the color green. It was simple. There were no surprise cameos, no political statements — just Swift and her piano. That’s all that she needed and her fans seemed to love it.
Of course, Swift is no stranger to being on the iconic Saturday Night Live stage prior to this. The artist has been the musical guest for the sketch comedy series on multiple occasions and even pulled double duty back in Nov. 2009, serving as both the host and musical guest all at once. But as much as she’s always been a big fan of the show, this latest gig is particularly special for her since Swift has admitted to being a huge fan of Waller-Bridge and looks to her as a source of admiration and inspiration.
"Ever since I saw Fleabag, I’ve been all ‘I can’t wait to see this woman host @nbcsnl’ and it’s happening now + I get to be there too = I am in shambles," Swift tweeted shortly after the news broke that they would be appearing on SNL together.
Prior to that, Swift spoke with Entertainment Weekly back in May about Waller-Bridge’s talents as an actor and writer. "I’m really, really obsessed with Phoebe Waller-Bridge and her writing. I love Fleabag," she stated. "I just am so impressed by her body of work, her humor. What I love about is she makes you crack up laughing, shocks you, and breaks your heart all in the span of a few minutes in that show."
Given the level of fame Swift herself has reached throughout the years, it’s hard to envision her as ever getting starstruck by anyone (though, if it’s going to happen, Waller-Bridge is an ideal choice). But as incredible as the Killing Eve creator is, Swift still managed to steal the spotlight with not one, but two amazing performances.
The second song Swift tackled later in the evening was another Lover track, titled "False God." This time Swift wore all black and was surrounded by an array of floating light bulbs while back up singers and a saxophone player stood by her side. (That’s right, there was a saxophone player at hand!)
Some fans may have been surprised not to see Swift perform one of her more up-tempo, popular songs like "You Need To Calm Down" or "ME!" but these calmer numbers proved to be just as memorable and beloved. But when it comes to T-Swift, did you expect anything less?
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