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Saturday Night Live welcomed Tate McRae back to its stage on March 1, 2025. Marking her second appearance on the show, McRae performed songs from her third album, So Close To What, which had been released just a week earlier on February 21, 2025. During the episode hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, McRae delivered two performances: Sports Car and Dear God.
Both tracks showcased different moods, with Sports Car featuring a more dynamic setup and Dear God offering a softer, emotional tone. McRae's comeback reflected her growing success following her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200.
Previously, McRae had made her debut on Saturday Night Live in November 2023, performing Greedy and Grave while promoting her second album, Think Later. Her latest project, So Close To What, also included collaborations with Flo Milli and The Kid Laroi.
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Following her SNL performance, McRae began her Miss Possessive Tour on March 18, 2025, traveling through Mexico, Europe, Canada, and North America.
McRae's performances on Saturday Night Live
For her first performance, McRae sang Sports Car while standing on a minimalist stage filled with stacked metal chairs. Male dancers in suits moved around her, appearing to snap photos, adding a theatrical element to the performance. During the song, she sang, "I wanted a sports car / you wanted a love song," capturing the themes of desire and emotional distance.
Later in the episode, Tate McRae returned to the stage to perform Dear God. The setup remained similar to her earlier performance, with stacked metal chairs and minimal movement. She sang:
"Dear God, take his kiss right out of my brain / Take the pleasure out of my pain," she sang.
The lyrics continued:
"Hands on my chest and my knees on the carpet / Hopin' you'll stop it"
The lyrics describe someone asking for help to remove memories of a past relationship. McRae stayed mostly still during the performance, with softer lighting on stage. This approach kept the focus on the words of the song.
By performing Sports Car and Dear God in the same episode, McRae presented two different songs from her third album, So Close To What, both using simple stage elements but highlighting different themes through their lyrics and pace.
Other episode highlights
The March 1, 2025, episode of Saturday Night Live opened with a parody of a White House press conference. James Austin Johnson played Donald Trump, Bowen Yang appeared as JD Vance, and Mikey Day portrayed Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Mike Myers made a surprise cameo as Elon Musk, bringing a twist.
Shane Gillis began this episode of Saturday Night Live with a stand-up monologue. He joked about historical documentaries, saying:
"Liberals are like Sith Lords, they love revenge."
In sketches, Gillis starred in "Winery Tour," where his girlfriend, played by Heidi Gardner, focused more on taking pictures than meeting his parents. Another sketch, "Dad's House," showed Gillis hosting a children's program that discussed topics like alimony, alongside a puppet voiced by Gardner.
The "Mid-Day News 2" sketch featured Gillis, Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson, and Heidi Gardner in a news broadcast where the identity of news subjects led to humorous conflicts. In the parody ad "CouplaBeers," fake medication was presented as a solution to everyday problems.
Tate McRae joined the Please Don't Destroy team for "The Sound," parodying singing competitions. Judges focused on a contestant's appearance rather than performance, highlighting the show's satire.
The "Weekend Update" segment had Colin Jost and Michael Che deliver jokes. Marcello Hernández appeared as "The Movie Guy," and Jane Wickline sang a song that shifted into a discussion about the trolley problem.
Watch the latest episodes of Saturday Night Live, which are available to stream on NBC and Peacock.
