The Masked Singer returned to TV for the season 10 premiere on Wednesday and introduced the fans to a whopping five new contestants who are duking it out from inside costumes for a shot at the coveted Golden Mask trophy.
Helmed by host Nick Cannon and overseen by stalwart panelists Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger, Wednesday’s exciting premiere saw The Gazelle, The Diver, The Cow, The S’more and The Rubber Ducky singing their hearts out for the audience votes.
The Gazelle was the first to hit the stage this week, and she brought with her both a regal ensemble and effortless grace, but also a voice that could win her the whole show.
The Gazelle kicked the night off right with a stunning performance of “Uninvited” by Alanis Morissette that showed off both her vocal range, her enthusiasm and her stage presence in a way that truly left the judges stunned.
“What a way to open season ten premiere, right?” Scherzinger shared. “Amazing! You completely commanded that stage.”
Next up was The Diver, who rocked a truly epic costume — an old-timey diving suit with an octopus attached to the helmet — and brought some rocker energy to the stage with a big, confident, scenery-chewing performance of Journey’s “Any Way You Want It.”
The Diver hinted in his clue package that he’d gotten a lot of haters and critics in recent months, and that it had impacted his mental health. Jenny addressed the clue in her feedback sharing, “Can I just tell you something, Diver? You might’ve gone from a lot of haters, but you’ve got a lot of lovers now! Really amazing job.”
Going from the watery world of The Diver to the fiery world of The S’more, Masked Singer introduced one of its famed food-themed characters next — and this particular singing confection had one truly sweet voice.
The S’more surprised the judges when he delivered a sultry and surrealistic rendition of Niall Horan’s “Slow Hands,” which he capped off by seductively presenting Scherzinger with a trio of giant campfire-crisped marshmallows.
“That’s the sexiest s’more I’ve ever seen!” Scherzinger marveled. “You have a beautiful voice. You swept me off my feet.”
The fourth singer of the night, The Rubber Ducky, might be the wildest, most complex and over-the-top weird costume since William Shatner’s Knight back in season 8. The character is a giant rubber ducky who is taking a bath in a tub filled with bubbles.
The Rubber Ducky embraced the weirdness and belted out a cover of “Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners that really delighted the audience and the panel. “I dare say this is the most fun performance of the night,” Jeong shared. “I love everything about this. Amazing job!”
The fifth and final number of the jam-packed season 10 premiere came from The Cow — who threw the panel for a loop with his surprising voice and truly commanding performance of Imagine Dragons’ “Bones.”
“Amazing! You are an absolute pro,” Scherzinger marveled. “You were effortless on that stage, and you are moo-ving on up, honey, after that performance.”
With all five acts having given it their best shots, it was time for the audience to vote — and without any Battle Royale round for a second chance to save themselves, the lowest vote-earning celeb had to unmask.
After the judges made their final guesses about the singer’s identity (where, shockingly, Jeong was the only one to actually guess correctly), it was time for The Rubber Ducky to “take it off,” and he revealed himself to be Black-ish star Anthony Anderson!
“Ken, you finally got something right, baby!” Anderson declared with a broad smile.
Anderson also shared about his experience on the show, admitting, “I would have to say it is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever done. I’m naked up under these bubbles right here, right now. Don’t let the tights below the knees fool you.”
The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.
Check out the gallery below for a look at every single contestant who has ever had to “take it off” throughout the history of the show!
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