Is ‘SNL’ on Tonight? Host and Musical Guest for November 16

After having one of the biggest albums of the year, British pop star Charli XCX is set to be pulling double duty on tonight’s episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL) as host and musical guest.
Last week’s episode saw the aftermath of the 2024 election in which President-elect Donald Trump won a decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. Playing the vice president for SNL’s Season 50 is Maya Rudolph while Trump is played by James Austin Johnson.
Tonight’s episode will start at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC, with streaming available to watch next day on Peacock.
While tonight will be Charli XCX’s first time hosting the show, she joins an elite group of people who have been given the honor of being given the double duty of hosting and being the musical act on the same episode.
Like the tradition of the “five-timers club,” the origins of the host-musical guest go back to the NBC show’s earliest years. Coincidentally, the first person to pull double duty on the series was also the first five-timers club member, Paul Simon. He reached the first milestone in October 1975, the second ever episode of the long-running comedy series.
Since then, over 40 people have done double duty. Among them are Justin Timberlake, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Dolly Parton, as well as some of the biggest artists of modern times like Harry Styles, Ariana Grande and Bruno Mars.
In addition to double duty, several notable figures have been given the chance to host several times.
While it is unclear who exactly will host the next few episodes of the long-running comedy sketch show, last week’s episode saw comedian Bill Burr return to host the show and followed comedian John Mulaney’s return to host for the sixth time.
The singer, who’s latest album brat reached the third spot on the Billboard 200 chart, was a musical guest for the first time in December 2014 and appeared in a March 2022 episode with host Oscar Isaac.
However, since then the Grammy nominee’s sixth studio album, brat, has not only been a part of a prominent music era, but also a cultural movement.
The Collins Dictionary, which selected the word “brat” as 2024’s Word of the Year, defines the term as “a child, especially an impudent, unruly child,” and is typically used as a “scornful or playful term,” but shared that the word has evolved to also describe a “confident, independent and hedonistic attitude.”
Brat—its notable songs, its lime green and black aesthetic, and its attitude—have been synonymous with internet culture among millennials and Generation Z. The album immediately became the soundtrack to this year’s “brat summer.”
Since its release, many have taken to social media to describe their “brat” activities. Back in July, after President Joe Biden withdrew his campaign for reelection, Charli XCX took to X, formerly Twitter, writing that “Kamala IS brat” supporting Harris’ bid for the presidency. Harris’ campaign team later utilized the “brat” aesthetic for marketing materials.
While it is unclear who will be the musical guests for the upcoming episodes, Michael Todd Gordon, better known by his stage name Mk.gee was the musical guest for last week’s episode. Mk.gee followed MTV Award-winning singer-songwriter Chappell Roan’s episode alongside host Mulaney.