the masked singer
Spoiler alert: This story contains the identity of the winner and runner-up unmasked on Wednesday night’s (May 22) season finale of The Masked Singer.
It was a fierce scramble for the golden mask on Wednesday’s (May 22) season 11 Masked Singer finale in an action-packed battle that pitted powerhouse male vocalist Gumball against season-long favorite Goldfish.
When the confetti fell at the end of the night, though, it was veteran singer/actress Vanessa Hudgens who triumphed over her former Bandslam co-star Scott Porter (aka Friday Night Lights‘ Jason Street).
To recap, former High School Musical movie star Hudgens got her perfect run off to a killer start early on in the season with a fierce take on fellow High School Musical universe alum Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire,” throwing down the gauntlet that this was a performer with killer pipes and casually cool stage moves. The singer, who released two albums on Hollywood Records early in her career, showed off her performance chops throughout by expertly ruling the stage in the peach-colored costume with a towering mohawk and diaphanous gills.
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She continued to swim upstream all season with a smooth-as-butter cover of Player’s 1977 AM radio classic “Baby Come Back” and further proved her arena-ready bona fides with a Broadway-worthy take on Queen’s “The Show Must Go On.”
The flawless march kept going with a showstopping run through Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable” — which again showed off her impressive range — as well as last week’s fierce rumble through Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know” that had Robin Thicke jumping on the judges’ table for a standing ovation.
On Wednesday, before her reveal, Hudgens, 27, confessed that she was never good at expressing herself as a young girl, but has lately been on a “journey of self-discovery” that allowed her to express herself “so freely” on the show. And while she said music has taken a “back seat” as she’s focused on film for the past 15-plus years — appearing in Second Act, Bad Boys for Life and Tick, Tick… Boom!, as well as the upcoming Bad Boys: Ride or Die — her victory-sealing covers of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” and Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” proved her pipes are as strong as ever.
The judges were close in their guesses but didn’t quite nail it, with Rita Ora suggesting former Glee star Lea Michele or Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev; Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessing Selena Gomez, Vampire Academy star Sarah Hyland or Julianne Hough; and Thicke going with Hilary Duff. Always-wrong Ken Jeong missed it by a mile once again, tossing out such wildly disparate suggestions as Carly Rae Jepsen, Kristen Stewart and former panelist Nicole Scherzinger.
Billboard spoke to Hudgens before her elimination about why this was the right time to dip back into singing, how she managed to move like such a pro in her costume, and why her “witch” powers were the key to giving the expectant first-time mom something special to share with her baby. Check out her answers below.
You’ve been a guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance and RuPaul’s Drag Race, but never really a contestant on a singing show. Why now?
This opportunity came up at a really interesting time when we [actors] were on strike and this was a category I could actually work in and my fans had been asking for more music, more singing, anything of that sort. I was like, “This would be a really fun and interesting opportunity to give my fans what they want and see who the real ones are.”
People complain about the size and sweatiness of the costumes, but you seemed to be able to move with no problems. What was your secret?
Reckless abandonment? [Laughs] It definitely had its own challenges because I couldn’t see straight ahead because the eyeholes were so far apart. If I wanted to see straight ahead, I had to turn my head one way or another and I was really using a live mic and holding it up to the little opening in my mask. So I had to split my vision and look sideways out of one eye and then look down with the other in the mic hole to see the ground. I just went for it and left it all out there. They would be like, “You’re kind of here and then walk over there and if you want to maybe do a verse there and move over here.” I just really let it fly and they gave me the freedom to play, and play I did.
Which performance meant the most to you and why?
I feel so lucky in that I got to work really closely with my producer and pick songs that meant something to me, from the cheeky nod to High School Musical singing “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo to “Baby Come Back,” which I sang at 16 as a cover song for my first single [2006’s “Come Back to Me”]. “The Show Must Go On” for a vulnerable, special performance to “Unforgettable,” which I’d wanted to sing from jump because I just want to sing jazz all the time, to a female empowerment moment with Alanis Morissette.
Did singing “Vampire” make you long for the good old days?
I just think [Rodrigo]’s really great and I really vibe with her. It’s always great to support a fellow Filipina, and it was just a cute, cheeky nod to how things always end up being connected.
It looked like you came to play from jump. How badly did you want to win the golden mask?
You know, it wasn’t really about winning, honestly. I am my own worst critic and I will always be my hardest critic in the room at all times. I just wanted to have fun, and it was a really freeing experience for me to be anonymous and have nothing to do with my name or fame or celebrity. It was a really special experience.
You said your run surprised you and allowed people to really see you for who you are and what you do. Might you go back to music after this?
No. I always say life is about priorities, and that is not a priority right now. I feel like it’s something I will always have in my back pocket.
You said winning would be the “ultimate pat on the back” and really mean a lot to you because you always thought of yourself as an actor first and singer second. Did you give people the “music moment” you hope for?
I think I got to give myself the music moment I was hoping for and in turn my supportive fans got to enjoy it as well. I got to show up every day and put my best foot forward, and I was so uplifted and supported by such an amazing team over there and I got to work on my voice every day with someone who helped me expand my horizons.
On tonight’s show, you said you couldn’t wait to have kids so you could tell them, “Look at mommy go!” Did you know when you taped the show that you were expecting? [Hudgens revealed in March on the Oscars red carpet that she’s expecting her first child.]
No! I’m just a witch! [Laughs] I’ve always worked in a way that kept people guessing and gave me something to show my kids at every stage of my life. That’s always been important to me.
It was the end of the line for Poodle Moth on Wednesday night’s (May 8) episode of The Masked Singer, as the furry bug had its wings clipped – all 10 feet of them.
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Season 11 of Fox’s kooky singing competition is reaching its climax. Tonight was the quarter-finals, and, as usual, the two celebrities with the least amount of votes went toe-to-toe in a smackdown.
From the top, Clock performed “Get On Your Feet” by Gloria Estefan, Goldfish covered “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole, Poodle Moth checked in with “Price Tag” by Jessie J. ft. B.O.B., and Gumball rolled with a cover of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”.
Poodle Moth and Gumball slipped into the bottom ranks, and each was tapped for a rendition of “If I Could Turn Back Time” by Cher.
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There could be only one winner: Gumball, who joins Goldfish and Clock in next week’s semi-finals.
Underneath the Poodle Moth mask was Chrissy Metz, the singer and actor from TV series This Is Us, which earned her nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.
Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessed right. Rita Ora picked Faith Hill, Robin Thicke figured it was Shania Twain, and Ken Jeong suggested Melissa McCarthy.
Why would Metz want to do The Masked Singer? “I still think I’m educating people on me being a singer,” she told host Nick Cannon after the helmet came off, “so that’s part of the reason why I wanted to do the show.” There are moments on stage, in the suit, where it’s “really going full throttle.”
And to be certain, she remarked, “you don’t even know how much sweat is in this suit.” Ok. “I thought, let me challenge myself and I’m glad I did because I learned a lot about myself.”
Metz as Poodle Moth follows the exit of Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken (as The Beets), Jenifer Lewis (Miss Cleocatra), Kevin Hart (Book); restauranteur Joe Bastianich (Spaghetti & Meatballs); TV personalities Savannah Chrisley (Afghan Hound), Billy Bush (Sir Lion) and Colton Underwood (Lovebird); NFL hall of famer DeMarcus Ware (Koala); and singer Sisqó (Lizard).
Watch Poodle Moth’s performance and unmasking below.
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Let’s show some respect for Clock, who busted out her best moves during Wednesday night’s (April 3) episode of The Masked Singer. In a clip shared exclusively with Billboard, Clock belted out a soulful rendition of Aretha Franklin’s 1967 classic, “Respect,” for the series’ first-ever Shower Anthems Night. In the video, Clock begins twerking onstage, […]
The Masked Singer unveiled its season 10 winner on Wednesday night (Dec. 20) after a tight battle between finalists Cow, Donut, Sea Queen and Gazelle.
In the first hour, Sea Queen was revealed to be Macy Gray and Gazelle was unmasked as Janelle Parrish, so the final two came down to Cow and Donut.
After a heartwarming season performing jaw-dropping renditions of “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Suede, “I Do (Cherish You)” by 98 Degrees, “Georgia on My Mind” by Ray Charles and more, Donut was ultimately the runner-up of season 10 and was revealed as The Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider.
As a result, Cow was crowned The Masked Singer’s season 10 winner — and was unmasked as Grammy-winning R&B superstar Ne-Yo. Over the course of the season, the smooth vocalist performed songs like “Bones” by Imagine Dragons, “Treasure” by Bruno Mars, “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake, and “Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward.
Before Ne-Yo was unmasked, the judges guessed celebrities like Boyz II Men singer Shawn Stockman, Usher, Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr., Trey Songz, Mario, Nelly, Jason Derulo and Taye Diggs.
So far, the stars eliminated from this season 10 competition include Keyshia Cole (Candelabra), Hall & Oates’ John Oates (Anteater), Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach (Tiki), Ginuwine (Husky), Ashley Parker Angel (S’More), NBA alum Metta World Peace (Cuddle Monster), The Real Housewives‘ Luann de Lesseps (Hibiscus), Teen Wolf star Tyler Posey (Hawk), tennis legend Billie Jean King (Royal Hen), Michael Rapaport (Pickle), Vanderpump Rules‘ Tom Sandoval (Diver), Anthony Anderson (Rubber Ducky) and a special unmasking of Demi Lovato.
The Masked Singer season 10 is heating up, and the judges are trying to narrow down on their guesses for the celebrities behind the mask.
The Group C finals are taking place on Wednesday night (Dec. 13), and in an exclusive clip shared to Billboard, the judges panel tries to figure out who the Anteater is. In the one-minute clip, both Robin Thicke and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg agree that the Anteater is a rock legend, but they varied on who exactly he might be.
While Thicke opted to guess Jackson Browne, McCarthy-Wahlberg suggested that maybe the singer behind the mask is Steven Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.
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During the Group C finals, the finalists are set to perform songs representing key moment in their life, including “Georgia on my Mind,” “I’m Going Down” and “Johnny B Goode.” Two celebrities will be unmasked leaving only one to move on to the season finale.
So far, the stars eliminated from this season’s competition include Sebastian Bach, Ginuwine, Ashley Parker Angel, Metta Sandiford-Artest, Luann de Lesseps, Tyler Posey, Billie Jean King, Michael Rapaport, Tom Sandoval, Anthony Anderson and Demi Lovato.
In addition to Anteater, the contestants still in the competition include Candelabra, Cow, Donut, Gazelle and Sea Queen.
Catch the full “Soundtrack to My Life” episode of The Masked Singer on Wednesday (Dec. 13) at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Watch the clip of McCarthy-Wahlberg and Thicke putting in their guesses for the Anteater below.
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On Wednesday (Sept. 13), Rita Ora was announced as the next judge on The Masked Singer, joining the panel for the show’s 11th season, filling in for Nicole Scherzinger. “We’re grateful to have the amazing @ritaora shine her light and join us as a panelist on #TheMaskedSinger Season 11!” the show shared on Instagram. Fox TV’s Instagram […]
The Masked Singer returned, and it all started with a mouse. Anonymouse, that is. The mystery singing competition show aired a special kick-off episode Sunday night (Sept. 10) ahead of season 10’s official premiere on Sept. 27. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The highlight of The Masked […]
After jokingly expressing a desire to launch an X-rated candle line inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow, Emmy-nominated producer, rapper, and actor Nick Cannon took his social media pages in a much more wholesome direction as he celebrated the birthday of his twin boys, Zion and Zillion, on Wednesday (June 14). “Can’t believe it’s been 2 years […]
The Masked Singer season 9 finale is upon us, and Billboard has an exclusive first look at Macaw reflecting on their emotional journey throughout the competition.
“Tonight, honey, you showed us what you are made of,” judge Nicole Scherzinger raves following one of the masked contestant’s finale performances. “You always pull at our heartstrings, you give us the feels, but tonight you hunkered down and you said, ‘Naw, it ain’t over with yet, baby! I’m comin’ for you!’”
With their speaking voice modulated to hide their identity, the Macaw replied, “I had a lot of anxiety before coming onto the show because I was afraid to show myself,” before their voice broke on the verge of tears.
“Take your time, take your time,” host Nick Cannon said, offering the singer a consoling arm while Macaw continued, “It’s been a difficult last couple of years and I’m truly humbled, so thank you.”
Throughout the season, Macaw has absolutely crushed covers of everything from Elton John’s “Your Song” and “Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGraw to Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” and One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.” In the finale, the colorful songbird faces off against Medusa for the season 9 crown after beating out the likes of California Roll (Pentatonix), UFO (Olivia Culpo), Fairy (Holly Robinson Peete) and Axolotl (professional wrestler Alexa Bliss).
Other celebs who’ve rounded out the latest season of the hit reality show include Lou Diamond Phillips as Mantis, Melissa Joan Hart as Lamp, Dee Snider as Doll, former Selling Sunset villain Christine Quinn, Lele Pons as Jackalope, Grandmaster Flash as Polar Bear, Debbie Gibson as Night Owl and more.
Watch Macaw’s emotional confession during The Masked Singer finale below.
Spoiler alert: This story contains the identity of the contestants eliminated on Wednesday night’s (May 10) episode of The Masked Singer.
You’d think that having five singers would give you a distinct advantage when going up against just one disguised vocalist on The Masked Singer. But on Wednesday night’s semifinal episode of the season, even after California Roll left it all on the stage with a killer version of Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway” and then went head-to-five-head against Macaw and Medusa in the Battle Royale round singing Bruno Mars’ “Runaway Baby,” it was time for the nori to meet the road.
Once again, the panel was split on who was under the adorable sushi getups, which had intrigued the panel for weeks as the group of singers showed impressive versatility, with a haunting take on Radiohead’s “Creep,” an epic cover of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi,” and perfect harmonies on Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” As usual, panelist Ken Jeong was way off, suggesting Miami Sound Machine and the cast of In the Heights, while Nicole Scherzinger thought they might be the cast of Spring Awakening or Hamilton. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg was on-target again by voting for chart-topping vocal group Pentatonix.
As it turns out, she was right, and before the group’s elimination on Wednesday, Billboard caught up with members Scott Hoying, Kevin Olusola and Matt Sallee (the group also includes Mitch Grassi and Kirstin Maldonado) to find out how they got rolled into participating and why hitting their signature vocal harmonies was so hard with zero eye contact.
Were you fans of the show before you were booked, and why did it take so long to get you on there, because it seems like a natural fit?
Hoying: I love the show. I think it’s such a fun idea… totally over-the-top and the costumes are so beautiful. I remember watching it and seeing how moved the people were that were on the show because when you’re hidden behind the mask, you can change your voice and sing any way you want and express yourself in ways you don’t normally get to. People actually get emotional because they feel the freedom. We definitely had that [experience], and it was the least nervous I’ve ever been performing on a television show because it felt so cozy behind the mask and we could really unleash new parts of ourselves.
Matt, what were you able to do what you typically can’t onstage, or things you lean on when you perform?
Sallee: I thought it was really cool when we were going through the arranging process and we were really excited to try new sounds and instrumentation because we’re a cappella. We were thinking, “How can we make this as enjoyable as possible because of all the instrumentation we could use?” That’s something we’ve dabbled with in our more recent music, and we wanted to show an evolution of how we can be not just an a cappella group, but can also use other instruments and sounds and still have the same Pentatonix sound.
There’s something about being under those masks. Were you able to physically express yourselves in ways you normally wouldn’t?
Olusola: That’s one of the most fun parts of this. Normally, when you’re onstage and everyone sees you, not to say you’re self-conscious, but you’re very aware of how your body moves and your angles, how your face looks because the cameras are on you. It’s all part of the presentation. When you’re behind the mask, you can really go full-out because there’s a levity to the mask — it’s an interesting, funny character — so the fun and joy that you bring the more extra moments you have onstage lends really well. So if we’re kicking onstage, if we’re jumping around, if we’re having fun with the audience doing something that would normally look outlandish, it lends super well to this show. We really went full out and we would talk about it so much afterwards: “Did you really do that on stage!?” “Yeah, I did, and I’m happy about it!”
Anything that scared you about slipping into the sushi?
Hoying: Oh man, so many anxieties. I was worried at first because our sushis were so boxy when we were in them. I was afraid we were going to be echoey. I was literally being a nerd about the acoustics, and I was also worried about being really, really hot. I get hot really easily and I worried I wouldn’t be able to sing or perform. I was also worried about falling off the stage, because I couldn’t see through the mask super well peripherally.
With a vocal group, I imagine being able to see each other and make eye contact while singing is a huge deal. How hard was it to pull that off in these ridiculous costumes?
Sallee: I was really proud of us, because we sing together — we’re together a lot, more than with our families — so we know each other really well and there is this big trust built and natural cohesiveness when we sing together. I was really proud of us for doing that apart from each other. For one of the songs we were spread out throughout the studio and not even by each other singing together. Being able to hear each other and know in our in-ear monitors that we’re all there, it was not so terribly different when we’re not having giant sushi rolls on top of us.
It’s hard enough to do choreo on a good day, but how much harder was it when you can’t see each other? Were you counting steps, worried that you would knock each other over?
Olusola: That was my main fear. You’re looking through a very limited hole, and so because of that, it limits your ability to see and your visibility is lower. That’s something I had to be extremely aware about, but also knowing that I wanted to go full out because the character I got to play. That was one of the things where my brain and body had to be in synchronization in a completely different way. At the same time, we still had so much fun and we still went full out! At some point, when you got to the actual show, we had rehearsed it enough to kind of trust our bodies, trust our ability to perform and not make any mistakes that will cause bodily harm.
Medusa seems pretty formidable. Any idea who she is?
Hoying: We have no idea, but she is sooo good! Just one of those undeniable voices, just oh my gosh.
Will you be adding any of the songs from your Masked run to your upcoming summer tour?
Hoying: I think so. I think we’ll definitely do a couple of them.