On the last episode of “Saturday Night Live” for the year, Lizzo delivered back-to-back performances that each had their own distinct aesthetic, from the costume choices to the set design. True to form, the 34-year-old Emmy Award winner got creative with her onstage style and pulled from a few artistic references to bring all the visual elements together.
When host Austin Butler introduced Lizzo for her first performance, the camera cut to a nightstand, which had a gray alarm clock on top that was loudly ringing. In the next shot, the audience saw Lizzo sitting on the side of the bed, hunched over, looking toward the floor. The walls were blue, and she wore a silky white slip dress with the left strap partly falling down her shoulder. The meaning behind Lizzo’s “SNL” slip dress look can be traced back to the painting “Blue Monday” by the late artist Annie Lee, who passed away in November 2014. Known for capturing everyday Black life through her work, Lee produced a moving self-portrait in “Blue Monday” that’s beloved for capturing the exhausting struggle of rising for another week of hardship and somehow finding the strength to persevere.
“You get me, you really get me,” Lizzo wrote on her Instagram. “Thank you to my creative team for helping me pull this vision off w less than a week to prepare!”
As she sang “Break Up Twice” from her most recent album, “Special,” Lizzo made her way across the stage, with the bespoke Rey Ortiz slip dress – which featured a thigh-high slit – clinging to her frame. Accessory wise, she completed the understated ensemble with large silver hoop earrings, a thin bracelet fastened around her left wrist, and simple house slippers. Lizzo’s hair was styled in Bantu knots; her manicure consisted of long, pointy nude nails; and her makeup included subtly smoky eyeshadow and a deep berry blush.
Before the episode wrapped up, Lizzo returned to the “SNL” stage to perform her own rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas,” and the entire scene seemed straight out of a snow globe. With a backdrop of two Christmas trees and a wreath decked out in gold lights, Lizzo literally glimmered in a metallic silver and gold gown with oversize architectural sleeves. Glittery chandelier earrings and gold eyeshadow made for the quintessential holiday-themed adornments. Ahead, see more snapshots of Lizzo’s “SNL” performance style.
