Half of the remaining eight take the stage for face-offs and smackdowns, but was it Astronaut, Kangaroo, Night Angel or Turtle who had to "take it off"?
Yvette Nicole Brown joined the insanity this week on "The Masked Singer" for an epic night of face-offs and smackdowns as one of the most famous faces from television was unmasked.
It was another epic unmasking that sent Twitter both reeling and patting themselves on the back that they were guessing someone no one else on the panel had even considered. But as Yvette and other guests have pointed out, it's a lot harder when you don't have the internet in your corner and your comfortable couch at your back.
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View StoryWe also got the stunning revelation that one of the favorites to win this whole competition had never sang before anyone before they hit the "Masked Singer" stage for the first time. That means they've been sitting on that talent as a secret all these years? Come on, now!
So was it Astronaut, Kangaroo, Night Angel or Turtle who'd never performed before this show? And which two had to face off in the return of the Smackdown? And perhaps most importantly, who shocked the world this time with the biggest reveal since Governor Sarah Palin?
As always, the weakest performer got the boot, but we're still going to make you power through the terrible (and occasionally good) guesses made by our illustrious panel of Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong and Nicole Scherzinger first. We do this because we love ... to torture you.
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View StoryFACE-OFF 1: Night Angel vs Kangaroo
Night Angel
Night Angel picked up the tempo for Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like a Woman," and while it still proved she can sing, we think this might have been her weakest performance. It lacked authenticity and the strength we've come to expect from her. It's as if she wasn't feeling the song and thus she wasn't translating that connection to us.It. She did manage to sneak in a couple of wails to remind us what she's capable of.
Guesses: For tonight's clues, we got to see a TSA scan of the singers' luggage. For Night Angel it revealed an ostrich, a bee (wasp?), a crown and a snow globe with her in it. The bag was also labeled "This Bag Is Mine" and "Boss."
Ken is still thinking it might be Taraji P. Henson, but the new clues had Nicole switching up to Keke Palmer becuse of "Scream Queens" and "Akeelah and the Bee," while Yvette spitballed the crown could mean beauty queen Vanessa Williams.
The internet, though, has been rock solid that this is Kandi Burruss since the first week, and it's really all we can hear. They're so sure, they didn't even bother with guesses really this week, instead wondering what the hell happened with this performance.
yikes night angel this is a really bad song choice #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/19RlFpNBUe
@mmithstylinson
Dont get me wrong I love the Night Angel but um Shania Twain is not for you girl #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/a3Phvrbywu
@RufflesMcGee
Night Angel's song choice tonight. Yikes. I was sleep and missed it #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/eysMuY6ixK
@dmvrebuild
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View StoryKangaroo
Kangaroo actually proved she wasn't Jordin Sparks by singing Jordin Sparks' "No Air." She still has a lovely tone, but she doesn't quite have the same level of power and control. That said, she hit some lovely range and notes with that long hold. She's got real talent, but we're still not sure she's a pro singer..
Guesses: Kangaroo's bag was labeled "First" and included an old-school record player, Big Ben, lipstick and a ship in a bottle. Kangaroo then confirmed our theory by admitting that "Masked Singer" is the first time she's ever sung in front of anyone! That's a remarkable talent to keep so buried.
It also throws a lot of guesses right out the window. Robin Thicke followed clues to La La Anthony, while Ken got all excited to wrongly guess Keira Knightley. We don't know this for sure yet, but we know, right?
Nicole thinks it might have a connection to the Kardashians and went with Blac Chyna. Nicole thinks it might be Ayesha Curry, but we're not buying that one, either. That's not a basketball in the middle of that record.
Despite having never heard her sing, Twitter has been clamoring louder and louder each week that the clues point to former "Kardashian" friend Jordyn Woods, and they were impressed Nicole's guess came as close as it did.
when you realize Nicole guessing Blac Chyna is the closest the judges will ever get to guessing Kangaroo aka Jordyn Woods correctly #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/Nxy2uRViZF
@thatsrach
Nicole Guessed Blacc Chyna For The Kangaroo ... #TheMaskedSinger #maskedsinger pic.twitter.com/S0OWWhZnRp
@DomoSchon
That's gotta be jordyn woods, And she is the kangaroo #TheMaskedSinger . pic.twitter.com/mhvvJSZBrP
@NicholasSye1
FACE-OFF 1 RESULTS
This one would be a nailbiter if based on these two performances alone -- which technically we guess it is considering the audience hasn't seen prior episodes. But based on the overall season, Night Angel should win this, which is a heartbreaker as we agree with Ken, Kangaroo is the sentimental favorite and she was stronger tonight. Night Angel just kind of dropped the lead..
Alas, it did not go well for Kangaroo, who found herself headed to the Smackdown. The reality is that none of them are bad at this point, so it's going to be a touch blow each week when someone gets eliminated. Can Kangaroo survive the night?
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View StoryFACE-OFF 2: Astronaut vs Turtle
Astronaut
Astronaut again showed his nerves this week as this track began. He was actually much stronger in his falsetto than his normal voice. Maybe it was the more uptempo song, but again we weren't feeling the strong connection to him and that performance as we have in the past. And the breath issues he had us wondering if he was struggling a bit out there.
Guesses: His bag included an airplane, the White House, an accordion and a light bulb. But there's no way this is Weird Al Yankovic, right? He then told the judges to "unearth" who he is, and said he's an "open book."
That was enough to send Jenny thinking "Book of Mormon" star Ben Platt. But Ken was feeling the short-guy synergy and got absolutely no one on board his Seth Green guess. Nick told him to sit down, and Nicole said he was hanging out in "Stretch City."
Nicole thinks maybe it's Austin Mahone, who performed at the White House and had a song called "The Secret." So once again, they're just not sure, while Twitter still feels confidently they -- as Ken would say -- know exactly who this is.
They have not budged for weeks that this is Hunter Hayes and each performance only makes them more sure. But mostly, they were ticked that he was pitted against Turtle so early as they didn't want to see either go.
Okay the astronaut HAS TO BE Hunter Hayes #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/18FOGWsh20
@infamousKIM
Why would y'all put Astronaut and Turtle against each other so early on? #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/9bddSNKvdc
@chroniclesofz
Me when the judges don't guess that Hunter Hayes is the astronaut #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/jpjGYfkTdj
@amandac826
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View StoryTurtle
Turtle pretty much locked this up with his first breathy note on James Bay's "Let It Go." In fact, he just gave Night Angel a run for her money for predicted winner of this whole season, and actually outsang her on the night. This was one of the best performances of the whole season, heartfelt, passionate and absolutely beautiful.
Guesses: Well his bag being labeled "Never Keep Open This Bag" gives a clear NKOTB (New Kids on the Block) reference, but is that too obvious, a red herring? There's also an arrow, which could mean One Direction. Maybe he's just hinting huge boy bands.
The panel has been thinking that anyway. Jenny took him suggesting the clues would "fit like a glove" and the queen passport to Adam Lambert, who definitely has a big old voice. Nicole, though, couldn't let NKOTB go, though, and went with Joey McIntyre.
Ken not only guessed Niall Horan because of his "Slow Hands" song, but he also revealed he was in a video for it that was rejected for being "too weird" and now we need to see that video. It's all we can think about!
Like Astronaut, the internet has been all over Turtle like wax since day one. They're convinced this is Jesse McCartney, and if it is he's been hiding even better pipes than he shared in his actual career.
Y'all if someone DOESN'T guess Jesse McCartney when Turtle sings... #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/iPHdfD6870
@kikabelle
Live footage of the producers planning out Astronaut vs. Turtle... #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/wVB8SgiC74
@kikabelle
I mean if you DON'T get by now that the Turtle is Jesse McCartney... #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/gsSO7dXmkq
@kikabelle
FACE-OFF 2 RESULTS
As much as we've enjoyed Astronaut pouring his heart out each week on this show, Turtle has always had the edge on him. And this week, he mopped the floor with his opponent leaving Turtle quivering in his shell. It was the difference between a professional and a talented amateur (and we say that having no idea who either of them are).
The audience totally agreed with us, too, sending Astronaut to face off against Kangaroo in what certainly looked like a tough matchup on paper.
Both sing with their hearts and both are sentimental favorites that have touched the panel and audience with their voices on more than one occasion. This one's down to the judges, and they were already thinking he might win. Does he have the edge?
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View StorySMACKDOWN: Kangaroo vs Astronaut
Kangaroo didn't quite rise up to the energy level of Donna Summer on "Hot Stuff," as she seemed to be sliding just behind the beat through a lot of it. It was as if her fighting spirit just wasn't in this, despite the gloves. This wasn't a great night for her, but she does have a nice natural tone. With some confidence she can really be impressive.
Astronaut also lagged behind the energy of *NSync on "Bye Bye Bye," but he brought a little more pep than Kangaroo did. Did we hear his voice quavering, though? Is that a natural quality to his voice or is he that nervous every time he performs?
SMACKDOWN RESULTS
The truth is neither one of them were stellar in this Smackdown. Astronaut seemed a slightly better fit vocally with his song than Kangaroo, who just couldn't sell that disco fever with her more melancholy tone. Still, for the duration of the show, she's our favorite of the two.
That said we're also desperately curious who it is now that we know she's never sang publicly before this show. We can't help but wonder if that curiosity crept into the judges' minds as well because Kangaroo lost this match-up. It was a close battle, though, in our eyes that could have really gone either way.
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View StoryUNMASKING
Ken went on an interesting journey here thinking of British model Cat Deeley might have stunned everyone with a secret talent here. Robin is still thinking La La Anthony as his final guess, but Nicole can't ignore all those Kardashian references.
After all the twerking on stage, she's even more sure that Kangaroo is Blac Chyna. Jenny, though, mixed things up a bit while staying Kardashian adjacent. She locked in on them being thrust into the spotlight for the wrong reasons and found the internet's best guess, Jordyn Woods.
Nicole liked Jenny's guess, but wasn't ready to abandon her own, so she stuck with Ayesha Curry, but this might just be another in the win column for Jenny.
The guy with his jaw hanging wide open confirmed that Jenny and Twitter were right. Jordyn Woods emerged after having just shown us over the weeks a whole new side to her. This girl has a real talent for singing. It's raw yet, but if she pursued it, she could really go somewhere with it.
As reveals go, this one may have broken the internet even bigger than Sarah Palin as "Kardashian" fans and reality fans alike cannot believe that Jordyn Woods was doing this show and could sing like that.
Kris Jenner watching Jordyn Woods get eliminated tonight and realizing she needs to get a Kardashian/Jenner on next season of #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/y8aP4vvsoR
@CharlesAOKeefe
Jordyn Woods? Somebody adjacent to the Kardashians actually has talent. Who would've thought? #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/DznEijoezH
@RufusDeWayne
*Jordyn Woods removing her mask*
@_sjcpa
Me even though I knew it was her: #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/G3ijUu4o9C
The fact that Jordyn Woods proved that she has more talent than the Kardashians after they tried to cancel her is sending me! 🤣 #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/EOQ1f3Atps
@MorganBerner22
so hold on ... jordyn woods can sing?? #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/6Asw0tIzLR
@genebene_
Omg I am shocked I would have never thought it was Jordyn Woods
@BlackMermaid34
I'm shooked#TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/PVQLbZdher
The madness continues as "The Masked Singer" takes a break from the competition for a special "sing-along" edition next Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Yeah, we don't know either but we really want it to include Ken Jeong's "Slow Hands."
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