Gorillaz Make Long-Awaited SNL Debut, Ryan Gosling Welcomed Harry Styles

This weekend, Gorillaz graced the stage of Saturday Night Live, marking Damon Albarn’s first appearance as a musical guest on the show. The performance coincided with Ryan Gosling’s fourth time hosting the program, and featured a mix of classic hits and new material.

Gorillaz’ Performance

The band opened with their 2001 debut single, “Clint Eastwood,” featuring a performance by Del the Funky Homosapien. They followed this with “The Moon Cave,” the title track from their recently released album, The Mountain. The performance of “The Moon Cave” included guest appearances from Asha Puthli, Black Thought, and Anoushka Shankar. Consequence reports that the album recently reached #1 in the UK.

Ryan Gosling’s Hosting Duties and a Surprise Guest

Host Ryan Gosling’s monologue included a playful interaction with Harry Styles, who is scheduled to appear on next week’s SNL episode to promote his new album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. Gosling joked about Styles receiving a warmer reception from the cast and crew, leading to an impromptu rendition of Styles’ song “Sign Of The Times,” which also features in Gosling’s current film, Project Hail Mary.

Other Highlights from the Episode

James Austin Johnson showcased his musical talents during Weekend Update, playing guitar as a church bandleader. A pre-recorded sketch featured Gosling as an eccentric baker leading a tour of his factory.

Damon Albarn’s Scoring Work

Outside of his SNL appearance, Damon Albarn is also scoring Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film, Artificial, which focuses on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Stereogum reports Albarn expressed skepticism about the role of AI in music, stating, “Music and art should not be easy.”