The 10 best late-night TV performances of 2012

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Here’s a rundown of the very best in late-night TV talk-show live performances. A catch-up for all you people who go out and have fun in the evenings, or whatever you kids get up to these days…

1. Grimes on Jools

It’s a weird but wonderful thought thinking that many people stumbled in from late-night Champions League football, a tad inebriated from pints at the pub, to turn on the TV and come across this – Grimes on Jools Holland sporting a strange “mystical” eye painted upon her forehead. I think they would have stuck around to watch though, even if it was out of drunken bewilderment.

2. Solange on Fallon

What can we say? That song. That hair. That pantsuit. And that well-dressed guitarist (hey Dev Hynes!) almost stealing the show with that dance routine. Solange delivers pop brilliance in video form.

3. Father John Misty on Letterman

A surprise forerunner as performance of the year, Father John Misty’s rather camp, and wonderfully kitsche, hand-on-hip posturings and interpretive gestures show buckets of confidence from the man who once used to hide behind the drums for Fleet Foxes.

4. Los Campesinos! on Letterman

Los Campesinos!’ lovably sardonic frontman Gareth comes off as effortlessly cool in this U.S TV debut from the Cardiff band. I mean, he’s not even trying to sing in tune or look comfortable with the whole thing. As some rather biting Youtube comments will point out…

5. Frank Ocean on SNL

In the most emotive sit-down performance since Westlife would don white suits and chase the key-change, Frank Ocean steals America’s and all of Twitter’s hearts in this stripped-back rendition of ‘Thinkin Bout You’.

6. Willis Earl Beal on Jools

Talking about being effortlessly cool and not giving a damn, we nearly forgot about Willis Earl Beal’s showstopping performance on Jools Holland from back in April. While his studio album was, quite frankly, pretty disappointing, live he still manages to impress every single time. During this clip he channels a cross between John Coltrane and Tom Waits, but fuelled on weed rather than whiskey.

7. Carly Rae Jepsen on Fallon

Jimmy Fallon seems the best guy in TV, doesn’t he? He just about proves it here by performing the Second Best Pop Song of 2012 (big up Taylor Swift!) with Carly Rae Jepsen and The Roots.

8. The Weeknd on Jools

Okay, so this one is a bit NSFW. But screw it, hearing The Weeknd utter the words “Let me motherfuckin’ love you” at the 1.05 mark is such a beautiful moment that it’s worth any disciplinary action your boss might throw at you.

9. Rihanna on SNL

This was the moment that the internet killed television forever, as Rihanna performed ‘Diamonds’ on Saturday Night Live to a green screen background that basically ripped off the whole of Tumblr. RIP TV.

10. President Obama on Fallon

The President himself warranted four more years with this performance alone, “slow jamming the news” with Fallon’s resident house band The Roots. Whatever your thoughts are on Obama‘s regime, you must admit he’s a pretty damn slick m’effer.