Khalid Reveals Intimate ‘SNL’ Rehearsal Video

Ahead of his Saturday Night Live appearance this weekend, R&B singer Khalid shared an intimate look at his rehearsal process on Instagram Wednesday.

The 21-year-old singer, who is making his SNL debut on Saturday’s Idris Elba-hosted episode, shared a brief clip of himself singing “Better” with a row of backup singers behind him.

“Better” is featured on Khalid’s seven-song EP Suncity, which he released in October 2018. The song and “Saturday Night” will both be carried over on his sophomore album, Free Spirit. The album will also include the singles “Talk” and “My Bad,” and will be released on April 5.

“This album is the culmination of all of the growth and experiences I have gathered over the past two remarkable years,” Khalid said in a statement about his upcoming album. “I have been in the studio pouring my soul and spirit to create a body of work that I hope speaks to each and every one of you and I am excited to share ‘Talk,’ the first taste of that today.”

Khalid, whose full name is Khalid Donnel Robinson, was born in Fort Stewart, Georgia and raised in El Paso, Texas. He scored a hit with his first single “Location,” which was nominated for the Best R&B Song Grammy. His debut album, 2017’s American Teen, was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album and helped Khalid score a Best New Artist nomination.

The singer was also featured on Logic’s hit “1-800-273-8255,” along with Alessia Cara. The song gets its name from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Music Video awards at the 2017 Grammys.

Khalid has become a go-to collaborator, and his appearance on Logic’s hit single was only the beginning. He has also collaborated with Post Malone, SZA, Ty Dolla Sign, H.E.R., Halsey and 6lack.

“Vibing with other artists and creating is always fun,” Khalid told Billboard about working with other artists. “I never go in thinking about making a hit record, I just go into the studio with people I love and respect and see what happens. It’s more about getting to know my peers and putting our heart and soul into the music, and hopefully [the result] is something that we’re both proud of.”

Khalid also said his friends have helped him stay grounded in the face of all his recent success.

“I’m really fortunate to be where I am and not losing sight of that keeps me from burning out,” he said. “I do definitely need to carve out time to rest and recharge in order to keep my creativity up.”

SNL airs at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Photo credit: TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images