Girl hosts banal ceremony before popping off (4,5)
I believe the answer is:
last rites
'ceremony before popping off' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'girl hosts banal' is the wordplay.
'girl' becomes 'lass' (lass can informally mean a girl).
'hosts' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are welcomed or hosted).
'banal' becomes 'trite' (I've seen this in another clue).
'lass' enclosing 'trite' is 'LAST RITES'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for last rites that I've seen before include "Leaving ceremony" , "Final ceremony" , "Final ceremonies for the dying" , "Solemn ceremony" , "religious ceremony" .)