Kanye West saved the night.
The rapper “stepped up” to replace Ariana Grande as musical guest on this weekend’s season premiere of Saturday Night Live after the pop star dropped out, according to show creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels.
During this week’s Origins With James Andrew Miller podcast, Michaels said Grande was initially booked to perform, but she backed out for “emotional reasons.”
“We had Ariana drop out for emotional reasons two days ago,” he said in the pre-recorded interview. “That’s our premiere, and then Kanye stepped up, and he’ll be there.”
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The SNL boss didn’t say why Grande canceled her appearance, but her ex-boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller, died of a suspected drug overdose earlier this month.
Grande is now engaged to SNL cast member Pete Davidson
As for West, Saturday’s performance will be his seventh appearance on the NBC series.
Season 44 of Saturday Night Live with guest host Adam Driver kicks off at 11:30pm on NBC.
