Ariana Grande dropped out of 'Saturday Night Live' for 'emotional reasons' and was replaced by Kanye West, Lorne Michaels says

Ariana Grande was originally scheduled to perform on the upcoming season premiere of “Saturday Night Live,” but backed out due to “emotional reasons,” the show’s creator Lorne Michaels said.

NBC never announced Grande as a performer for the episode, which airs this Saturday, instead naming Kanye West as the musical guest when it unveiled the lineup.

“We had Ariana drop out for emotional reasons two days ago. That’s our premiere, and then Kanye stepped up, and he’ll be there,” Michaels said on the “Origins With James Andrew Miller” podcast. “So, the reach of the show and the number of people that will step forward is just somehow now, I think, probably at its peak.”

It’s unclear when Michaels’ comments were recorded for the podcast, which came out Thursday.

Grande, who is engaged to “SNL” cast member Pete Davidson, tweeted Thursday evening that “it’s been a tough month” for her.

She wrote in a separate tweet, “can i pls have one okay day. just one. pls.”

Grande’s former boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller, died on Sept. 7, with TMZ reporting he had suffered a suspected overdose. Authorities have not released a cause of death.

The pop star paid tribute to Miller in an Instagram post on Sept. 14.

“i adored you from the day i met you when i was nineteen and i always will. i can’t believe you aren’t here anymore. i really can’t wrap my head around it,” she captioned a short video of the rapper. “we talked about this. so many times. i’m so mad, i’m so sad i don’t know what to do. you were my dearest friend. for so long. above anything else. i’m so sorry i couldn’t fix or take your pain away. i really wanted to. the kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. i hope you’re okay now. rest.”