A day after her latest album, Mayhem, was released, Lady Gaga reminded Saturday Night Live that she can sing.
“I know you might be thinking I’m here to promote my album, Mayhem, but I’m actually here to remind you I’m an amazing actor,” she said during her monologue.
But, it turned out, Gaga was in full voice during the sketches.
After riding across New York on an electric suitcase in the opening sketch alongside Marcello Hernandez, Gaga teamed up with Bowen Yang for a parody duet. Dressed in a red dress, the pair mocked up their own version of Eric Clapton’s You Look Wonderful Tonight.
“It’s later that evening and we’re wasted in times square,” sings Yang. “So, I eat a full Big Mac and I shave off my body hair,” sings Gaga. “And then she bites me on both my nipples left and right, and I say bitch you look wonderful tonight.”
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Next up, a Midnight Matinee, one of the digital shorts written by Dan Bulla, seemingly a Stuart Little-style parody where Gaga once again sings, this time at the piano.
Remember, this is the same woman who turned up to the SNL50 Homecoming Concert to sing Dick in a Box with Andy Samberg.
Elsewhere, she reminded the audience she can also dance with a roaring 20s themed routine in a funeral home, obviously.
Bowen Yang is a big fan of the popstar. At the Oscars, he told Entertainment Tonight that he would be jetting straight back to New York. “I want to be there the entire time. I cannot miss a moment of the Lady Gaga week at SNL,” he said.
As such it made sense for Yang, wearing a Mayhem t-shirt, to introduce Gaga singing Abracadabra, the second single from her new album that harks back to her early dance pop numbers and theatrical vibes.
The show marks the second time that the Poker Face star has pulled double duty; she also performed and hosted in November 2013. She has also performed as the musical guest three other times in October 2009, May 2011 and October 2016.
Gaga’s second performance saw her perform Killah, the David Bowie-inspired sixth track from Mayhem.
She closed the show out with another duet with Yang. As their friends – played by Ego Nwodim, Andrew Dismukes, Bowen Yang, Sarah Sherman and Ashley Padilla – the pair sang to encourage them to stop saying the word ‘Slay’ among other millennial catchphrases. “No more slay, we stole words from other people and we’re giving them back today,” they sang.