Olivia Rodrigo opens the episode with music and memories
Olivia Rodrigo returned to Saturday Night Live on May 2, 2026, as both host and musical guest for one of the final episodes of season 51. The “Vampire” singer had previously appeared on the show twice as a musical guest, but this time marked her hosting debut. During her monologue, the songwriter talked about growing up with the show, acting in Old Navy commercials, working on Disney Channel, and falling off stage during a concert. She also performed a playful follow-up to “Drivers License” about going to the DMV.
Watch her monologue below:
The sketches use drama, music, and strange surprises
One sketch, “Edge of Destiny,” placed Olivia in a dramatic television-style scene where family members kept falling down the stairs after a heated argument. Chloe Fineman, Kenan Thompson, and other cast members helped push the physical comedy. In another short called “My Room,” the “So American” hitmaker sang about a perfect teenage bedroom with glow-in-the-dark stars, posters, and personal memories. This particular skit featured a playful BTS nod, as one of the posters showed the boy band in the background wall. The twist was that the room existed on a strange alien planet, where she was being watched like part of an exhibit.
See the BTS poster below:
A BTS poster was included in the background of Olivia Rodrigo’s skit on SNL. pic.twitter.com/cFQ1UtpYgi
— Pop Base (@PopBase) May 3, 2026
The singer performs a new hit and an upcoming track
Olivia Rodrigo also took her role seriously as a musical guest, performing “Drop Dead,” with Debbie Harry introducing the first musical set for live viewers. The song is connected to her upcoming third studio album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” which is scheduled for release on June 12, 2026. Later, Connor Storrie introduced her second performance, “Begged,” an unreleased track expected to be included on her upcoming project.
