Anitta doesn't need the United States, but one might wonder if Americans need a little more Anitta. Surprisingly, she was the first Brazilian musical performer to be featured on the Saturday Night Live stage, and based on her performance, she shouldn't be the last.
The Grammy-nominated star performed two songs, both from her upcoming album. Republic Records will release Equilibrium on April 16, and the album will be Anitta's eighth studio release. She has been supremely popular in her native country for more than a decade, and has made inroads into the rest of Latin America, but hasn't yet made a massive splash in the US.
At least, not commercially in terms of albums and singles sales. Anitta has made her mark in performances, such as Coachella. One might know all of her songs before she sings on stage, but one will not easily forget how she delivers those tunes.
Anitta delivers two brilliant performances on Saturday Night Live
Which, of course, made her performance on the Colam Domingo-hosted Saturday Night Live episode on April 11 all the more tantalizing. For one of the first times, millions of people could tune in to watch her perform live. The question was whether she could deliver the goods enough to build her audience.
"Choka Choka"
This track was an interesting choice for SNL, but not because it is bad. The song is quite good and could have you up and dancing in your living room. That's kind of the point.
The issue is that viewers who do not know the tune might think Anitta is lip-syncing and not singing parts of the vocals. The former isn't the case, but the latter is, and for good reason. "Choka Choka" is a collaboration with Shakira, but Shakira wasn't on this episode of SNL, so Anitta simply lets the vocals play and performs only her part.
The tune is drum-heavy and doesn't try to do too much. Instead, Anitta dances with four other dancers dressed all in brown. She has a brilliant smile and loads of charisma, and the song, even without Shakira, is a winner because of its propulsive positivity about femininity.
"Varias Quejas"
As opposed to her first song on the episode, this one is far less energetic, which fits with the track. The melody is smooth, and the vocals moody. The title of the song translates in English to "Several Complaints." But no anger is felt, only empathy.
Anitta sways to the beat, making the track feel more artistic. She also knows how to play to the camera in an excellent way, smiling and flashing her eyes in a way that endears the listener to her.
She isn't performing for herself, but inviting everyone along, including those in the studio audience, in the band, and watching on television or streaming. It is a musical artist in full control of her surroundings, and one deserving of a large fandom.