Amber Riley Becomes First Ever ‘DWTS’ Mirrorball Champion to Win ‘The Masked Singer’
CR: Michael Becker / FOX, Photo by ABC Reading Time: 2 minutes
Actress Amber Riley is the first celebrity that has won both Dancing With The Stars and The Masked Singer. Riley won season 17 of DWTS in 2013 with Derek Hough and has now become the most recent winner of The Masked Singer.
Riley Gets Rare Achievement After Winning Both Shows
Becoming the first winner of both the ballroom dance competition and FOX’s reality singing competition is no small feat. Riley is the winner of DWTS season 17 together with professional dancer and six-time Mirrorball champion, Hough.
More recently, the Glee alum won season eight of The Masked Singer disguised as the Harp. She took the stage for the opening performance of the season, she was the last performer of the season as well. Riley stated in an interview that she felt free to be who she truly was while wearing the mask.
“This has been such an amazing experience, just to be able to come out here and be completely covered and let my talent speak for itself,” Riley said.
Season eight of The Masked Singer had a star-studded lineup, with a combined 32 Grammy nominations and 16 Emmy wins from all contestants. Celebrities such as Gloria Gaynor, Jeff Dunham, Jerry Springer, and more appeared as the ones behind the masks for season eight. Riley’s Heartfelt performances and top-notch acting led to her triumph over the other 22 contestants of the show.
Winning DWTS Gave Her a Confidence Boost
Riley’s recent success stories did not exactly start with the highest self-esteem or confidence to win the said shows. She revealed that she suffered from online attacks directed at her weight while on Glee that affected how she acted in front of the camera.
“I suffered so much through my time on Glee with people always having an opinion about my body,” Riley said. “Dancing With the Stars, honestly, doing that show, really helped me with my confidence. I will always be grateful for that time because I got to show myself in all my glory.”
Winning DWTS helped her get back her confidence which helped her put all of her insecurities aside while competing on The Masked Singer. Both wins have helped her in general, both in her career and in learning to love herself more.
