Dua Lipa Is 'Gonna Try My Best' Not to Break Character on SNL as She Drops New Album Radical Optimism

Lipa is performing double duty as host and musical guest on the May 4 episode of 'Saturday Night Live'

Is Dua Lipa ready for Saturday Night Live?

As the Grammy winner released her new album, Radical Optimism, on Friday, she appeared on SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up to discuss her gig performing double duty as host and musical guest on the May 4 episode of SNL — and if she thinks she'll break character.

"It's gonna be fun. I'm ready. I'm prepped," Lipa, 28, told the radio program, explaining that she's equally nervous about "both" jobs on the live NBC sketch series.

"I was having this conversation with Bowen Yang who is also on SNL, and I was telling him about the last time when I performed on SNL during the dress rehearsal," she recalled.

"I was really, really nervous and we also, I was doing a skit with them and then after the dress rehearsal, we sit in a room and it's the whole cast," said Lipa. "Lorne [Michaels] comes in, and we're talking about the skits, what's good, what's not, what we're going to change, you know, and at that point, something just switched, and I felt like a real part of the team."

The "Houdini" singer added, "I think that's just how I'm gonna see it, that it's all just bigger than one or the other. You know? It's just a whole show together, and so it's about everything being seamless and fun. I guess that's more of the crux of it rather than, 'This has to be better than this part.' I feel, for me, it all has to flow and be in harmony."

Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa at SNL in New York City on April 30, 2024.

Rosalind O'Connor/NBC via Getty

SiriusXM host Nicole Ryan then asked Lipa if she expects to take after Ryan Gosling, who struggled to contain his laughter while hosting SNL last month, and break character during the show.

"I'm gonna try [not to break]. I'm gonna try my best. I'm gonna try my best. We'll see. I mean, I think also it's kind of the beauty of it," said the "One Kiss" singer. "I love when all the actors break because it just makes me crack up."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Dua Lipa New Album Radical Optimism
Dua Lipa.

Tyrone Lebon

On Friday, Lipa released her third studio album, Radical Optimism, featuring the previously released singles "Houdini," "Training Season" and "Illusion."

In a press release, the "Levitating" musician — who's now dating actor Callum Turner — revealed she "wrote this album during my singledom."

"I always came into the studio with some funny story, and they all inspired different songs. There's a looseness and an honesty that I hadn't had before," said Lipa.

Related Articles