Benson Boone makes SNL debut ahead of ‘American Heart’ album release
American Idol alum Benson Boone marked a new chapter in his music career by performing on Saturday Night Live (SNL) for the first time on May 3, 2025. Coming off his Coachella performance and building anticipation for his upcoming album American Heart, Boone’s appearance aligned with SNL’s tradition of spotlighting rising talent.
Alongside him, Quinta Brunson returned to host for the second time, bringing fresh sketches and lighthearted moments to the stage. As seen in the promo clip, Boone flipped onto the set from stage left, catching both Brunson and cast member Sarah Sherman off guard. That's when Sherman immediately responded with, “I’ll do one,” before pretending to flip herself.
For the unversed, Brunson had last hosted the show in April 2023 and used her monologue then to advocate for teachers. This time, she returned to deliver fresh sketches, while Boone brought two performances from his upcoming album. The episode streamed live on NBC and Peacock as part of SNL’s 50th season.
This season, the returning hosts also included Timothée Chalamet, Michael Keaton, and Lady Gaga.
SNL promo clip sets the stage with Benson Boone's surprise entrance
Ahead of the May 3 episode, NBC released a short promo featuring Quinta Brunson and Sarah Sherman standing on the Saturday Night Live stage. As they stood waiting, Benson Boone appeared from stage left by flipping into frame. Brunson said, “There he is!” and Sherman followed with, “I’ll do one,” referring to his entrance.
The promo drew attention to Boone’s debut on SNL. He had recently performed at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and was preparing for the release of his new album, American Heart, scheduled for June 2025.
During the episode, Boone performed two songs, Beautiful Things and Slow It Down, which are part of that upcoming release.
Quinta Brunson’s second hosting features sketch comedy and callbacks
Quinta Brunson’s return to the Saturday Night Live stage featured a mix of new sketches and nods to her previous hosting appearance. In her opening monologue, she expressed gratitude to the crowd for their ongoing backing and shared that hosting SNL had been her lifelong aspiration.
One skit featured Brunson presenting outlandish product concepts to cast members, Andrew Dismukes and Heidi Gardner, concluding with the group acting out the launch of a made-up app. Another skit put Brunson and Sherman in a mock-up game show setting that made light of puzzling quiz questions.
A pre-recorded segment also tied back to the promo. In it, Boone and Brunson navigated a fictional behind-the-scenes rehearsal that featured Sherman attempting to “train” Boone for sketch comedy. Boone’s flips and the line “Where’s Benson?” were echoed again.
Brunson didn’t repeat her advocacy-focused monologue from her 2023 appearance, but she closed the show with a thank you to teachers, staying consistent with her ongoing message. As the cast gathered for goodbyes, Boone waved to the audience and shared hugs with Brunson and Sherman, ending the night on a high note.
Catch the latest episode of Saturday Night Live currently streaming on Peacock.
