Inside the music scene at ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’: From breakout discoveries to global superstars
From Cardi B to Dua Lipa, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has become a launchpad for music’s next big stars — and that’s no accident.
“We really pride ourselves on discovery, and that’s something that Jimmy loves as well,” says the show’s music producer, Julie Gurovitsch.
Music has always played a pivotal role on The Tonight Show, but under Fallon’s tenure, the series has evolved into a showcase that balances global superstars with rising talent. That philosophy — musical variety across genre, gender, and background — guides the team behind the scenes, from weekly artist pitch meetings to buzzworthy live performances.
“My first goal was, what does [Jimmy] envision for music curation for this show?” says Gurovitsch. “We want those big names, but he really didn’t want to lose that aspect of discovery. Supporting independent artists — that was key.”
Her instincts have consistently paid off. In 2015, she helped book Dua Lipa after seeing her at SXSW. “Her voice was so unique. Her songs were so good. And she was stunning all around — not just physically, but her personality,” Gurovitsch recalls. “You just want to show everyone, look at this … you have to hear this.”
Fallon himself is famously passionate about music. According to Gurovitsch, he “Shazams music in hardware stores” and regularly brings unexpected ideas to the table during weekly booking meetings. But it’s Gurovitsch who brings the strategy and precision, says showrunner Chris Miller.
“She’ll be like, this person — they were No. 15 on the Latin chart eight days ago, now they’re breaking. I’ve been talking to the booker, 'We’ve got to hit it,'” Miller explains. “Then within hours or days, Jimmy and I are like, ‘Are you now hearing that song everywhere?’ It’s the craziest thing.”
Miller also points out how booking decisions must consider the show’s wide-reaching audience. “Every Tonight Show we basically must do three different shows. We're doing a show for linear television, then we clip it out onto Instagram and that's a different demographic, and then many, many people watch us on YouTube and around the world. That's a different demographic.”
While streaming numbers and TikTok trends are important, Gurovitsch doesn’t rely solely on digital metrics. During the show’s hiatus, she often attends music festivals, checking out emerging acts in person. “Sometimes it’s intuition,” she says. “We’re not only looking for a voice and a song, but it’s also an entire presence.”
Miller agrees that intuition and awareness are central to the talent bookers’ role. “Their job is to have their ear to the ground, listen to everything. Who came out of Bonnaroo, who's got the new album? Who's producing it?”
The team also considers whether a viral artist is ready to perform live. “TikTok is awesome because you're seeing in real time what people are vibing with,” Gurovitsch says. “But it can also be a challenge to get someone at the right time. Timing is everything.”
It helps that Fallon, a musician himself, is game for anything. He’s jammed with the Roots, Justin Timberlake, and Adele on toy instruments in the fan-favorite “Classroom Instruments” segment and once staged a surprise DJ set with the Weeknd at Fordham University. “A lot of our most amazing moments come out of complete spontaneity,” says Gurovitsch.
Like when Fallon played bass for Måneskin after their bassist tested positive for COVID just hours before the show. “I was like, you’re going to be the musical artist today?” Miller recalls asking Fallon. “But that’s the comfort level that bands have with the show. They trust that we’re going to make them look good.”
More recently, emerging acts like Lola Young have gained traction following memorable performances. And some artists, like Cardi B, shine from the moment they appear. “She was unapologetically herself,” Gurovitsch recalls of Cardi’s debut. “We were all in absolute stitches. There was nothing fake or contrived about her.”
Looking ahead, both Gurovitsch and Miller are thinking globally. “We air all over the world,” says Gurovitsch. “We’ve had artists from India to Switzerland to China to Colombia. I’m always looking for the next global star to introduce to our audiences.”
And when those breakout moments happen, the team feels it. “Television debuts are such a magical thing,” she says. “To be a small stepping stone in an artist’s story… those relationships always just feel that much more special.”