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Live From New York, It's Lana Del Rey

Nervous Singer Makes Network Debut on 'Saturday Night Live'
Lana Del Rey, SNL
NBC

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Daniel Radcliffe

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Lana Del Rey Heading to 'Letterman,' 'Ellen,' Reveals 'Born to Die' Track List

The buzzed-about singer will make her U.S. television debut on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend.

Lana Del Rey: The Billboard Cover Story

The viral (and now Interscope) star incorporates hip-hop producers and nabs an "SNL" slot before her album debut. Finally, her voice is bigger than her controversial persona.

A highlight during this weekend's "Saturday Night Live" was a sketch titled "You Can Do Anything," a faux talk show "celebrating the incredibly high self-esteem of the YouTube generation." The evening's host, Daniel Radcliffe, played a guy who posted a video online and "therefore assumes everyone knows my name and admires my work."

 

Minutes later Lana Del Rey, a sultry voiced singer who has essentially made her name on two songs and their YouTube videos, made her much-anticipated network debut as the show's musical guest. A bit of writers room fun? Who knows, but regardless Del Rey's viral-centric fame is changing with the upcoming release of her debut album on Interscope, "Born to Die," along with a slew of TV appearances and magazine covers (including Billboard's Best Bets issue).

 

First, Del Rey needed to get through an appearance on a show that affords its guests no do-overs or edits (ask Ashlee Simpson about overdubs). Looking nervous in her shimmering evening gown and with a full band behind her, Del Rey first soldiered (and twirled) her way through the haunting hit "Video Games."

 

 

With less than ten minutes left until the end of the show, Del Rey and her band emerged again to perform her other well-known track, "Blue Jean." Again, the understandable nerves:

 

 

What did you think of Lana Del Rey's "SNL" performance? Sound off in the comments.

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