Anitta becomes SNL’s first-ever Brazilian musical guest

On last night’s Coleman Domingo-hosted episode, Brazilian musician Anitta gave her inaugural performance at Saturday Night Live, singing two songs from her forthcoming album Equilibrium (out April 16 on Republic Records). With her appearance, Anitta is officially the first Brazilian musical guest in SNL history.

Anitta began with “Choka Choka.” Barefoot, dressed in a sporty brown number, and backed by an impressive quartet, she stomped around the stage. The choreography was the highlight, as was Anitta’s natural stage presence. The song’s title, a Portuguese onomatopoeia for a rush of physical desire, was souped up with Anitta’s effortless vocal power. The only letdown? Latin-pop royalty Shakira, who features on the song in its studio recording, not showing up for an assist. With 20 minutes left in the episode, Anitta returned with the gentler “Várias Quejas,” whose title translates to “Several Complaints.” Dressed in a lilac flapper-ish dress, she stood alone on a stage covered in flowers and vines, delivering smooth, lucid, Spanish vocals while lamenting the wrongdoing of an erstwhile lover.

While Anitta’s debut marks the first Brazilian performance on SNL’s stage, the program is no stranger to Spanish-speaking guest stars, as she joins other recent non-English performers like Rosalía and Karol G. The show’s first Latino musical guest was the Cuban-American actor and musician Desi Arnaz, who appeared during its inaugural season in 1976. Most recently, Bad Bunny hosted and performed on the show. Watch Anitta’s performances below.

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