The musical guest on Saturday’s edition of “Saturday Night Live” shouted “Praise the Lord” at the end of his performance in the latest example of the country singer using his platform to promote his faith.
Country singer Morgan Wallen performed on NBC's long-running sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live,” where he concluded his performance of “Just in Case” by proclaiming “Praise the Lord and Go Vols!”
Wallen’s shout out to the “Vols” refers to the University of Tennessee’s Volunteers basketball team, which was set to face off against the University of Houston in an Elite 8 game of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s annual March Madness Tournament on Sunday. The Volunteers ultimately lost to Houston.
According to “Entertainment Tonight,” Wallen’s use of the phrase “Praise the Lord” wasn't necessarily the most newsworthy part of his performance. Rather, the entertainment program and numerous other secular outlets asserted that “he didn’t stick around to hang with the cast during the closing credits” as is customary for musical guests on “Saturday Night Live,” which resulted in "backlash."
“ET” also highlighted an Instagram story Wallen posted of an airplane on the tarmac against the background of the night sky accompanied by a caption reading, “Get me to God’s country.” The entertainment program also cited an unnamed source who asserted, “Wallen’s end-of-show exit was simply the way he entered and exited the studio all week during rehearsal and camera blocking.”
Even before his appearance on “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend, Wallen has developed a reputation as an outspoken Christian who doesn't hesitate to publicly talk about his faith. When asked about the phenomenon of mass shootings in the United States in a previous Interview with The Christian Post, Wallen responded, “I’m a person that has faith and I believe that a lot of people have neglected God.”
“We don’t put the Ten Commandments in school anymore. We just neglect everything, and people act like the Ten Commandments is something so terrible. I mean, it’s a way to live. I think we all could agree on what they say,” he added. “I believe in God. I believe that He’s real, and I believe He has control over a lot of things. I think throughout history, there have been a lot of countries that have turned their back on Him, and the result is not great. Hopefully, we can get something figured out.”
In a separate interview with CP in 2017, Wallen recalled how engaging in prayer following a sports injury led him to develop an interest in music. “I took a few months off after my senior year was over, and I prayed and tried to figure out what was my plan and my purpose,” he said. “That’s how I started writing songs and playing guitar, just to get my feelings out.”
In another interview also in 2017, Wallen discussed his upbringing. “My dad is a preacher. Growing up, I went to church every time the doors were open,” he said.
