‘The Masked Singer’ Season 12 Premieres with the First Unmasking
CR: Michael Becker Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Masked Singer Season 12 premiered on Wednesday night, as fans were introduced to the first five competitors in Group A. The episode featured a big twist early on, and the night finished with the first unmasking of the season, as Leaf Sheep was revealed to be NFL legend John Elway.
The Masked Singer Season 12 Premieres with New Contestants
This season, the show has introduced something called Masked Ambassadors — former The Masked Singer stars who have a connection to each of the masked celebrities. They introduced the first five contestants during Wednesday’s premiere.
First up was Buffalo, who was introduced by Season 5 winner Nick Lachey (Piglet). At first, everyone thought there was just one Buffalo. But the panelists were shocked when two more stepped on stage to join in on a soulful cover of “(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight” by Cutting Crew. Guesses from the panel included Earth, Wind & Fire and 98 Degrees.
Next up was Woodpecker, who was introduced by Season 11 contestant Jenifer Lewis (Cleocatra). Woodpecker sang “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, showing off an impressive voice. Guesses from the panel about their identity included Keke Palmer and Willow Smith.
Wednesday’s episode also introduced us to Showbird, who was introduced by past frequent guest panelist Joel McHale. Showbird performed “Just Fine” by Mary J. Blige, and their talent was definitely more than just fine. Guesses included Jennifer Hudson and Kerry Washington.
Before Wednesday night’s unmasking, we were introduced to new contestant Ship by Season 6 winner Jewel (Queen of Hearts). Ship’s sweeping performance of “Pompeii” by Bastille was teased ahead of the show, but this was the first time we heard the panel’s guesses about their identity. They included Enya and Cyndi Lauper.
SEE ALSO: ‘THE MASKED SINGER’ TEASES FIRST FULL PERFORMANCE OF SEASON 12, FEATURING SHIP
Leaf Sheep Unmasked as John Elway
At the end of the night, the panel and audience voted, and one contestant had to be eliminated and unmasked. That contestant was Leaf Sheep, whose costume mystified the judges. (In case you don’t know, a leaf sheep is a type of sea slug.) After being introduced by Season 11’s DeMarcus Ware (Koala), Leaf Sheep performed “I Like It, I Love It” by Tim McGraw, and it’s really no surprise he went home.
Final guesses from the panel about Leaf Sheep’s identity included Troy Aikman, Billy Bob Thornton, and Tom Brady. However, only Ken Jeong was correct in guessing that it was former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway.
Elway admitted that he was “definitely not in my comfort zone” performing on the show, but he added, “I’m in retirement now. I had the opportunity and took advantage of it.” He said he had a “great time,” and he thought his grandkids would be excited to see him on the show.
The Masked Singer will return next Wednesday on FOX for a night themed to the musical Footloose, as Group A takes the stage once again for their chance to stay in the competition. What did you think of this week’s premiere? Any guesses about who could be under the masks this season? Let us know in the comments below.
