When NBC posted their January Saturday Night Live (SNL) lineups to social media, the casting for the Jan. 25 show generated a lot of buzz. SNL announced that Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet would serve as both host and musical guest for the second live show of the year. While it excited fans, the announcement received a confused reaction from the public. Though it is not uncommon for SNL to enlist musicians as both hosts and musical guests, Timothée Chalamet constitutes a rare case in which a non-professional singer takes on both roles; the last example of this occurred 30 years ago with Lily Tomlin in 1975. Last week, Chalamet joined a coveted and sparse group of just four other non-professional musical guests in the show’s history.
Chalamet’s lack of experience as a professional musician raised the question: What will he sing? The actor has no original music on streaming platforms and thus no discography from which to pull. The only songs attached to Chalamet’s artist profile on streaming sites come from his filmography; the actor is a credited artist for the soundtracks to Wonka and A Complete Unknown. Considering this barren discography, some joked (and even hoped) that Chalamet might perform “Statistics,” a viral meme starring the actor’s high school rap persona, Lil’ Timmy Tim. Others assumed, more rationally, that Chalamet would perform songs from his Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, to promote the film now in theatres. Because the public knows so little of Chalamet’s singing ability, his SNL debut as a musical guest intrigued fans as it invited many possibilities for his performance.
Ultimately, Chalamet laid Lil’ Timmy Tim to rest and covered three Bob Dylan songs. The actor opened his musical set with a high-energy performance of “Outlaw Blues.” He commanded the stage, removing his hood partway through the song to highlight his “dark sunglasses,” of which the song speaks. Chalamet’s charismatic performance propelled the momentum initiated by the hilarious monologue and sketches already presented that evening.
After “Outlaw Blues,” Chalamet removed his jacket and sat near the front of the SNL stage to give an intimate performance of “Three Angels.” As with all songs performed, Chalamet used a different arrangement from the original version of Dylan’s track. Here, he provided the audience with a break from SNL’s energetic tone by selecting a spoken-word song. This performance not only allowed repose from the enthusiasm and angst expressed in “Outlaw Blues,” but demonstrated Chalamet’s range as a performer and his ability to captivate an audience without a tune—just words and instrumentals.
In his final musical performance of the night, Chalamet sits with his guitar to sing a meditative rendition of “Tomorrow Is a Long Time.” The song’s slow pace showcases Chalamet’s vocal ability and, like “Three Angels,” contrasts the show’s otherwise unserious tone.So, how did audiences receive Timothée Chalamet’s musical debut? While skeptics may view the actor’s choice to perform Bob Dylan songs as an obvious publicity stunt to draw attention to A Complete Unknown, Chalamet’s talent is nonetheless undeniable. The Oscar nominee took advantage of the fact that most viewers have never heard his voice and performed impressively. He selected deep cuts from Dylan’s discography and made the songs his own, pulling inspiration from Dylan’s inflections while changing the instrumental arrangements to stand out. By leaning into the edge of “Outlaw Blues” and emphasizing the melancholic tone of the other tracks, Chalamet maintained his individuality while impersonating Dylan. Notably, none of the songs Chalamet sang are on the soundtrack for A Complete Unknown; this was an exclusive performance. Chalamet thus left more to the imagination, giving the audience a taste of what to expect from the film without spoiling his performances. Chalamet’s performance undoubtedly made Miss Lawton proud.
