Billie Eilish is hitting the main stage at Studio 8H Dec. 11 as host of Saturday Night Live. She will take on the vaunted double-duty role as both host and musical guest, a gig that has most recently been inhabited by artists such as Nick Jonas, Harry Styles and Chance the Rapper. In a new promo, Eilish chops it up with returning cast member Kate McKinnon about her upcoming birthday, Christmas and her double-duty role on the show.
With her newly darkened hair, Eilish prepares for her hosting and musical guest responsibilities in the first bit by talking about her upcoming birthday with McKinnon. “So you’re about to learn the big secret about that world that’s been passed down from generation to generation?” the comedian says to Eilish about the singer’s 20th trip around the sun.
“Can’t you just tell me now?” the singer-songwriter asks. McKinnon agrees, then whispers into Eilish’s ear. The 19-year-old is quiet for a moment, then looks at the SNL vet and says, “That’s horrible!”
In another bit, the comedian talks about playing Jeff Sessions and Lindsey Graham in the same sketch for the sixth time, to compare her own experience to the singer pulling double-duty. And in a final quick-hit promo, she hilariously calls Eilish “Bill” as a nickname while they reminisce over the beauty of the holidays, which looks a lot different for Kate than it does for Billie.
McKinnon returns to the show after being away since the start of the season shooting Peacock’s upcoming Joe Exotic series, a show centered around the viral Tiger King Netflix series that skyrocketed in popularity at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. McKinnon plays animal rights activist Carol Baskin in the Peacock show.
Eilish is coming off the late summer release of her second studio album, Happier Than Ever, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The release garnered her multiple nominations at the upcoming 2022 Grammys, including Record and Song of the Year.
Check out the promos below.