Over the course of Saturday Night Live's 45-season history, only 27 people have performed the double duty of serving as both host and musical guest. Among this faction are Drake, Donald Glover and most recent addition, Chance the Rapper. Last night (Nov. 16), Harry Styles joined this prestigious crew and proved he has the all-around talent to be worthy.
While this was Styles' first time hosting the sketch comedy show, he does have acting experience. The former One Direction member notably starred in the 2017 film, Dunkirk, but SNL showed him exercising his comedic chops. He took on the roles of a supportive soon-to-be father at a Lamaze class, an airline copilot, a drug dealer's righthand man - all while showcasing a variety of accents. An SNL digital short also featured him playing the human embodiment of Aidy Bryant's dog.
Styles recently announced that he will be dropping his second solo album, Fine Line, on December 13. A few weeks prior to this announcement, he surprise released the first single, "Lights Up", along with its accompanying music video. Last night, he debuted another song off the album, "Watermelon Sugar", which became available on streaming services after the show. He performed a stripped-back, slowed down version of "Lights Up" - his vocals mostly supported by piano and backup singers. Both of his musical performances stayed away from any theatrics. Styles stood singing at centerstage in his elaborate suits, at times letting out the occasional dance move.
To close the show, Styles appeared onstage in a white tee that simply read "Sex", while giving viewers a simple reminder to "treat people with kindness."