In its first three episodes, Saturday Night Live U.K. has plainly put its British identity at the forefront. So far, the comedy sketch show has featured niche references to local icons (Jools Holland, Cilla Black), lampooned Brits abroad behavior in a catchy spoof song, and spotlighted an array of rising comedians and writers. Live from New York? Step aside, It’s Live From London now, mate.
That ethos has extended to its musical offering, too. The opening musical guests in the show’s inaugural season include local talents Wet Leg, Wolf Alice and Kasabian, with Jorja Smith set to hit the stage on Saturday (April 11).
The responsibility of capturing the U.K.’s diverse and thrilling scene falls on the shoulders of Pauli Lovejoy, the show’s musical director. A seasoned performer and percussionist who has collaborated with Harry Styles, Lizzo and Florence + The Machine, to name a few, Lovejoy’s role entails setting the show’s musical identity from the get-go.
“Music has always been a part of SNL and is supporting the comedy,” Lovejoy tells Billboard U.K. “It isn’t just a by-product, it’s in support of the amazing writing that’s happening. My job is to support the comedy. And when it’s done, right, you don’t even notice it.”
Saturday Night Live U.K. launched in March to largely positive reviews, and observers have been supportive of its growing confidence. A cold open sketch mocking Prince Andrew’s fall from grace has amassed 2.2m views on YouTube, and outperforms a recent equivalent cold open on the U.S. edition.
Lorne Michaels, SNL’s longtime boss, is involved as executive producer, while cast alumni Tina Fey hosted the U.K.’s first episode. Actors Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed have since appeared, with Jack Whitehall next on the slate. Some of its cast – particularly Jack Shep and George Fouracres – are on the way to becoming breakout stars and boost the show’s profile online beyond its traditional broadcast slot.
Lovejoy’s mission is to spotlight British talent on an international stage, starting with the house band: Chris Hills (band leader, guitar), Nigel Hosten (band leader, DJ), Fez Oguns (drums), Louise LaBelle (vocals) Lily Carassik (trumpet) Josh Domfeh (piano/keys), Kat Deal (saxophone/vocals) and Arthur Franks (bass). Booking musical guests falls elsewhere in the department, but Lovejoy has been instrumental in spearheading the show’s musical identity in the show’s punchy title music, music-themed sketches and loosening up the recording’s live audience.
Speaking during a busy shoot week, Lovejoy discusses the band’s mission and how he’s showcasing British talent on a global stage.
As a seasoned performer, how does going live on air compare to hitting the stage?
There are so many similarities with what I do with on-stage performances with pop acts, and what we’re doing with SNL U.K. on a live broadcast. It’s easy to see them as very different worlds, but in essence the principle is the same: we are entertaining people. The second that you create borders, that’s when things don’t work. That was something that I figured out quite quickly in the first show, it was very clear that what we are doing is not for us, it’s for the people.
What’s different to pop shows is that you’re doing it for the people that are home, too. How do you make what you’re doing transfer so that they feel it in the same way that the people in the audience do? The key feeling of what we’re trying to get across is the same, but maybe there’s a difference in how that’s executed.
What does the role of musical director entail?
The initial role was putting together the house band. The house band are the stewards, if you will, of the audience. Before you even get into the studio space of the Television Centre [west London, formerly home of the BBC] you have music and the band welcomes you into this world. They want to make you feel at ease and they want to make you feel like you’re ready to laugh and that you’re not feeling stiff. More than anything, SNL U.K. is a celebration. It’s a Saturday night in London; we want you to have a good time, and not feel like you’re going into a stuffy TV studio. It should never feel like that.
I wanted to make sure that the band were really reflective of London and the U.K. as a whole and making sure that they were diverse not just in their ethnicity and what they look like culturally, but what they sound like.
That must have felt like a big responsibility…
For sure. It’s a big responsibility to make sure that the wider world knows what the U.K. looks and sounds like. How many times have you travelled to America and people are talking about us having a “cup of tea?” It’s like… we moved on! I want them to know that there’s more to us than just the obvious stereotypes. The cast is a good example of that too. It shows the melting pot that is the U.K. and musically, I wanted to do exactly the same thing.
How does London’s music scene influence the show’s sound?
London is a place where music just flows. You can have your neighbours blasting Charli XCX, then walk out the street and hear the Uber Eats drivers blasting Turkish psych funk. Then there’s bhangra, grime, rock’n’roll just spilling out from shops, pubs whatever… and everything has its place. Nothing is ever erroneous – this is what London sounds like. And we needed the band to reflect that.
How did that musical blending influence the entrance and interstitial music?
I wanted it to sound like parties and raves that I used to go to growing up with all of this different music. When I go to the States and I talk to people about those parties, they look at me like I’m an alien. That was confirmation for me that what we’re doing is on the right path. It’s been nice to do something that is for us and a celebration of our identities. It’s a celebration of who we are and how far we’ve come.
I wanted to marry different worlds. Like, how do I marry my experience of being Black in the U.K. with parents from Jamaica, with the experiences of band members who have a classical background from Guildhall [School of Music & Drama in London]. Trying to combine those two worlds is magic for me.
What’s unique about the music setup compared to SNL?
We have a DJ which is the first time that has happened for SNL. From the moment you enter the studio and into the holding space, we have a DJ who plays music to bring that energy before you see the show – it’s just to keep amplifying that musical aspect.
In the U.S., the house band has more of a swing and jazz feel. I remember talking to Lenny Pickett, the music director on SNL, and he was saying to me that having a DJ is really fresh, because it’s never been done before. It opens you up to be able to do anything and react on the fly.
What challenges have you found during production?
It’s always challenging when you’re working with so many talented people. They all have great ideas, and we’ve only got 75 minutes to fit it all in! It becomes this amazing gumbo of ideas… but the magic thing about gumbo is that it tastes really good. Sometimes it’s a mix of things that shouldn’t work on paper, just shouldn’t work, but that’s the magic – it does.
Everyone’s at the top of their game. People have feedback and ask “could you try it like this?” And the response is never a “no” or based on ego or defensiveness. It’s about finding a solution.
Does your role extend into the musical sketches too?
That’s why I’m refreshing my email every four seconds while we speak! [Laughs] We are right in the thick of production and the sketches are coming in thick and fast. We’ve got a great music team with a composer, a music supervision team, the live band and a bunch of coordinators. It’s a free-for-all with so many ideas and so much passion. Ultimately, it all funnels back to me and I do have the responsibility of keeping a level of quality control, but at the same time everyone involved is amazing.
People were sceptical if the show could work and that sentiment was referenced in the very first episode. Is that something you paid attention to?
That’s never been a concern for me. I’ve never thought about it in terms of trying to win anyone over or trying to make sure that the network is happy or any of those things. I made abundantly clear to the band that every time we hit that stage, every time we enter that building, we play music. Ultimately it needs to be fun. The critics are going to be critics, you know? That’s their job and that’s OK. But my job is to have fun. My job is to play music and bring that forward.
It must be great to have external musicians come in and bring in a new sound too…
I miss turning on the TV and seeing bands – like Wet Leg and Wolf Alice – play live. I miss stage set-ups like this and only having one take to get it right. And who better than those two acts to demonstrate that they are real bands playing live? We’ve got some of the best music in the world and its amazing that we’ve got a platform to present it to the rest of the world now.
What has been the biggest lesson from the first few episodes?
That everything I’ve prepared for with life will be turned on its head! [Laughs] I’ve learnt that although we all come into this with our experiences and foundation, we are just to facilitate the laughs of the people. That’s been the biggest lesson for me. Having an idea on how things should be just gets in the way. All you need to do is open your eyes, open your ears. Look at the people in front of you. Are they having a good time? Are they laughing? Great. That’s what matters.
Saturday Night Live U.K. airs Saturdays at 10pm on Sky and NOW
