Mumford And Sons Bring Hozier to Studio 8H in High‑Profile SNL Return

mumford and sons returned to Studio 8H on Feb. 28 for their fourth Saturday Night Live appearance, delivering two songs from their newly released album Prizefighter and surprising the audience by bringing Hozier onstage. The broadcast matters now because it followed the album’s Feb. 20 release and put the band’s collaborators and upcoming tour plans in a national spotlight.

Mumford And Sons Open with "Rubber Band Man" Featuring Hozier and Brandi Carlile

The set began with "Rubber Band Man, " a collaboration that features Irish musician Hozier and was co‑written by Brandi Carlile. Hozier walked out to join the band live, and co‑producer Aaron Dessner of the National also appeared onstage. The surprise appearance injected an extra jolt into the performance and underscored the single’s commercial momentum: the track has spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart.

Marcus Mumford on Prizefighter and the Band’s Current State

Marcus Mumford, 39, described Prizefighter as his favorite of the group’s albums when speaking several months before its release, saying the record represents a more direct expression of the band. That sentiment was echoed onstage by the focused pairing of collaborators and the choice of material for the television debut. The group’s fourth SNL appearance also marked its first visit to the show since 2018, when they promoted the album Delta.

Ted Dwane, Aaron Dessner and a Thread to Wilder Mind

Bassist Ted Dwane, 41, praised Aaron Dessner’s production work and characterized Dessner as “a real ally, ” noting the band’s long admiration for The National. Dwane said the musicians first connected while preparing the band’s third record, Wilder Mind, a link that helped shape the newer sessions for Prizefighter.

Set List Highlights: "Here, " Chris Stapleton and Sierra Ferrell

The band’s second song on the show was the opening track to Prizefighter, "Here, " which features Chris Stapleton. Dessner and singer‑songwriter Sierra Ferrell joined for that performance. The televised set also showcased additional material from Prizefighter, which includes tracks such as "The Banjo Song" alongside "Here. "

SNL Episode Context: Host Connor Storrie and Rockefeller Center Sketch

The episode was hosted by Connor Storrie, a 26‑year‑old Canadian actor known for his role as Shane Hollander on HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry, making his SNL debut. In his opening monologue Storrie brought members of the U. S. women’s Olympic hockey team, who recently won gold, onto the stage alongside the U. S. men’s squad, playing up the contrast between the women’s recent triumph and the men’s 40‑plus‑year gold medal drought for comedic effect. Later in the night a sketch filmed at the Rink at Rockefeller Center featured an unannounced cameo from Hudson Williams, Storrie’s Heated Rivalry costar; Williams skated with Storrie in the sketch and subsequently returned to Studio 8H to help introduce Mumford and Sons.

Tour Schedule: Australia, New Zealand, North America and Bourbon & Beyond

Prizefighter is the band’s second album in less than a year; Rushmere was released last March and was the first record after guitarist and banjoist Winston Marshall left the group, a departure tied to political differences with his bandmates. The band will head to Australia and New Zealand in April, then begin a North American leg in June before moving on to Europe. They are scheduled to be back in the United States through October and will headline Bourbon & Beyond Festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

What makes this notable is the way the television appearance combined high‑profile collaborators, a recent album release and an extensive touring plan, offering a concentrated push that links recorded work, live performance and festival exposure.