Boyz II Men (AKA Buffalos) Named First Group Winner of ‘The Masked Singer’
CR: Michael Becker. ©2024 FOX Media LLC. Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Masked Singer recently aired the Season 12 finale, in which the winner of the Golden Mask trophy was finally crowned. At the end of the night, Buffalos were named the winner and unmasked as iconic R&B group Boyz II Men. They made history as the first group winner of the show.
Boyz II Men (Buffalos) Win The Masked Singer Season 12
The Season 12 finale came down to Buffalos versus Wasp. They delivered two performances each for their chance to be named the winner of the coveted Golden Mask trophy. The episode kicked off with a holiday performance from Season 5 winner Nick Lachey (aka Piglet), who sang “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams.
For their first performance of the night, Buffalos took the stage to perform a powerhouse rendition of “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye. Later in the show, they took on Sam Smith’s “Too Good at Goodbyes,” showing off some amazing a cappella harmonies.
That seemed to be the clue the panel needed to figure out who was under the Buffalo masks. At the end of the night, host Nick Cannon announced them as the winner, pointing out that it was the first time in the show’s history that a group act had ever taken home the Golden Mask trophy.
When it came time to guess Buffalos’ identity, all four panelists were in agreement that Boyz II Men were under the mask. They turned out to be correct, as group members Nathan Morris, Wanyá Morris, and Shawn Stockman revealed their identities. They ended the show with an unmasked performance of their famous song “Motownphilly,” as they were joined by the panelists on stage.
SEE ALSO: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE UNMASKS IN ‘THE MASKED SINGER’ SEMIFINALS
Wasp Unmasked as Singer Mario
Wasp ended up finishing the competition in second place. His first performance of the night was a powerful cover of “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars, dedicated to his late mother. Later in the show, he returned to the stage to sing “I’m Your Baby Tonight” by Whitney Houston.
When it came time to guess who was under the mask, Jenny McCarthy thought it could be Jason Derulo, while Ken Jeong suggested it was Usher. However, only Rita Ora and Robin Thicke were correct in guessing that Wasp was actually Mario.
After he was unmasked, Mario explained that the show allowed him to embrace his inner child, explaining that he “didn’t get a chance to be a kid” as he started in the industry when he was young. He also shared that he thought he knew who was under the Buffalo masks (and later turned out to be right). To say goodbye, he performed his famous song “Let Me Love You.”
Fans of The Masked Singer won’t have to wait long to watch new episodes of the show. Season 13 is set to premiere on FOX on Wednesday, February 12. According to Entertainment Weekly, panelists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong, and Rita Ora will all be back, along with host Nick Cannon. The season will reportedly have a “Lucky 13” theme, and a mysterious character called Lucky Duck will appear during the episodes — to be unmasked at the end of the season.
