Gargoyle, Mantis, and Medusa will battle it out in next week's Wild Card round to see which of them will move on to face this season's three Champsions, California Roll, Macaw, and UFO.
This week, the "Masked Singer" competition pauses for a breather with no eliminations, but a deeper dive into the remaining six contenders.
Fans are treated to new clues for all six of them, while the three Champions thus far this season -- California Roll, Macaw, and UFO -- treated us to fresh, new performances to further entice us with their talent, and tantalize us regarding their identities.
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View StoryWe also got spotlights on this season's three Wild Card contenders -- Gargoyle, Mantis, and Medusa -- who must first battle against one another in next week's Wild Card round. Only one will survive the night to move into the Quarterfinals with the Champions.
In lieu of any unmaskings, we've gathered up the clue videos below as well as the new performances and pored through all of it to come up with our final guesses (for now) for all six of these contenders. Some of them have changed from when we first saw them, but we've got the evidence to back our picks!
So if you're willing to dive deep into who these people might be and won't be mad -- let's just say we're confident enough in all (or most) of these picks to drop a SPOILER WARNING: If you have no idea who these people are and don't want all the evidence laid out before you, tread carefully beyond this point!
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View StoryCHAMPIONS
CALIFORNIA ROLL
("Total Eclipse of the Heart," Bonnie Tyler) California Roll is the only group in the competition and they proved once again that they have killer vocals and harmonies. Their arrangement here makes it clear they know what they're about and how to best spotlight all of their individual ranges and talents. It was a beautiful performance from an established singing group.
Current Guess: For a fun new element -- that had to be risky for those costumes -- California Roll went out into the street to ask fans who they thought was under the masks. The first two guesses were Backstreet Boys, New Edition, and One Direction, which were odd guesses as there is an obvious female voice in the group.
Their clue package included soy sauce, a rack of "cool shades," and revealed that they'd been on Broadway. We also saw a "group project" and "spicy may cones," while at least one of them shared that they moonlighted as a DJ and another got married.
All of the clues were in the first person, so it was a confusing hybrid of wondering if the clues were specific to the member saying them. They did reveal they'd had the chance to work with the likes of Dolly Parton and Snoop Dogg.
Their on-stage clue was 5 billion. "Five billion and growing," said one of the rolls. "But who's counting." Well, we were, and Twitter was right there with us, as all the clues pointed to one iconic a cappella group.
After watching them tonight, it was even easier to identify who was who among the members of Pentatonix as they performed. Everything from vocal range in the solo parts to height on strengthened our resolve. On top of that, they fit the clues perfectly.
PTX has 5.9 billion views on their YouTue channel (more now, though). They've worked with Dolly Parton and Snoop Dogg and their whole existence was a "group project" that broke into the mainstream after they won "The Sing Off" in 2011. The tiger in the package could refer to their winning performance of "Eye of the Tiger." They've won three Grammys, scored their silver screen mention from the clues with a "Pitch Perfect 2" cameo.
The solo members even got clue shout-outs. "Gleeful rays" isn't a reference to a "Glee" star, but rather Scott Hoying entering a contest to meet the cast. Kirstin Moldonado starred on Broadway, Kevin Olusola's Yale degree is their Ivy League pedigree, while the DJ refers to Mitch Grassi's moonlighting gig. The one who got married is Matt Sallee.
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View StoryMACAW
("Photograph," Ed Sheeran) Macaw gave a pretty straightforward delivery of Ed's track, filled with a lot of heart and sincerity. We kind of enjoyed how he's still leaning into this character, showing off his wings at any turn, but even better was the sweet tenderness of his vocals, which showed off power and range as well as heartfelt emotional connection. This is a definite pro.
Current Guess: Macaw has been performing since he was really young, saying that his father used to bribe him into it with quesadillas. He was pushed into performing at a local Mexican restaurant. Was he a dancer? Musician?
His parents were a bit part of what got him into entertainment, though the pressure of trying to please them and "be the good son" left him overwhelmed and having panic attacks. Ultimately, though, he said what started as a way to make them happy ultimately brought him "glee." Was that a pointed use of that word?
He also talked about melted cheese, had images including dolphins, a telescope (telenovela?), arrows, and a jar of salsa, while talking about how he learned to finally take breaks and reset when needed. He also said that this is the year he's decided to be brave both on stage and in his life, with this show a big part of that.
His on-stage clue was a silver medal that looks kind of like a sun. To explain, Macaw said, "It wasn't until I left the nest that I struck gold." He went out to talk to the people, receiving guesses like Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, Nick Jonas, or Charlie Puth. While there were a lot of guesses, the growing consensus seems to be that this is definitely "American Idol" runner-up, David Archuleta.
He's spoken before about the tremendous stress he endured even going on that show at 17 years old; and that silver medal could represent his second-place finish. He "struck gold" after that with a gold record. And all of that came after he won "Star Search" five years earlier, encouraged by his father and even promised Mexican food for his efforts.
His talk about being brave in his personal life and on stage could be a reference to the fact that he's only recently come out as gay, which has created challenges in his relationships with several family members. As for that "glee" nod, it could refer to his collaboration with Kevin McHale for his "Faith in Me" music video last year.
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View StoryUFO
("Stargazing," Kygo) UFO has a gentle tone, but it was definitely lacking in that extra sense of confidence you expect to hear from a professional, suggesting she's not. It's in the way she holds her notes. They just kind of sit there, rather than have any vibrato or punch to them. She has a very nice tone, but this only further convinced us that singing is something she does on the side.
Current Guess: Interrupting a broadcast of "Moose on the Loose," UFO's clues talked about a "New York runway" before culminating in a shot of her and her "several sister ships" flying over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. She talked tonight about how "beauty can sometimes be in the eye of the beholder."
We also saw the message "I [Heart] It" on a flag, another one reading, "GG! Time to Sing!," and a headstone reading "R.I.P. Queen Victoria." There was also a shot of her making a scarf on a sewing machine, which could just reference her connections to the fashion world. While one of the Men in Black wore that scarf, the other was adorned with a sparkly tiara. Her on-stage clue was a space helmet with the message, "Planet Wide."
"I don't like to brag, but I'm not just known in America, but the whole galaxy," UFO explained, which would seem to indicate this is a Miss Universe winner. Certainly, the panel was thinking supermodels, and that's definitely the vibe we're getting, as well. In fact, we've landed on 2012 winner Olivia Culpo, who went on to a huge modeling career. After all, tonight she debunked the Hadid sisters' audience guess by saying how flattered she was with the comparison.
The New England references could be Olivia's Rhode Island roots or her New York runway work, while that trip out west would tie in to Culpo relocating to California. She's now married to San Franscisco 49er Christian McCaffrey, which could explain that Golden Gate Bridge image. And perhaps the "I [Heart] It" is actually "IT" and a reference to her Italian heritage.
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View StoryWILD CARDS
MEDUSA
Current Guess: She described herself in her clue package as a "dancer in the dark" who grew up far away from the spotlight. Her imagery was of a giant chess board that wound up floating in space. We also saw a heart tattoo with the words "True Love," as well as a picture of Buckingham Palace being put on balancing scales, and hints of the Super Bowl.
She said she learned to embrace her oddities, and the weirdness of this stage is what drew her to the show. But the most tantalizing clue was when she said she'd "technically" been here before, only now she was here to compete. A random guest star or possibly even a dancer with an absolutely incredible hidden talent?
Her "swag bag" clue was a DVD of a fake movie, "Medusa: Snakes on the Astral Plane." It also touted $340 million sold! "Sometimes success comes in the grayest of places," Medusa responded to this clue. Tonight, She offered up a couple of new clues, "Piano" and "Dragon" and "Prize."
While Fergie is a popular guess, and certainly has pipes similar to what Medusa has displayed, a stronger guess is Bishop Briggs. This newest "Dragon" clue could be a nod to Imagine Dragons, who toured with Bishop back in 2019.
The chess pieces could be as obvious as the bishop piece, while "the grayest of places" could refer to her song that featured on "Fifty Shades Freed," which grossed … you guessed it, $340 million. As for ties to the big game, Bishop's "Wild Horses" (another chess piece) was used in a 2016 ad.
Later clues included a shot of Coldplay's Chris Martin, who Bishop has toured with, and a ticket to Tokyo, which could refer to her family moving there. Her mention of ties to this stage could refer to when Queen of Hearts (Jewel) sang her song "River" back in Season 6 on her way to winning the crown. Could Medusa follow suit with a win of her own?
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View StoryGARGOYLE
Current Guess: His clues were so athlete driven, from talking about how his peers "seemed to fly" while he was "stuck on the sidelines" earlier in his life to the point later he became the guy they passed to. He also spoke of his father giving him the advice, "Don't ever let anyone tell you you can't do something."
The advice came while papa was holding a video game controller and wearing a "World's Greatest Dad" t-shirt. The clue package was filled with images, including a jukebox, an "I [Heart] LA" bumper sticker, a taco and hot sauce being held by a guy with a classic barbershop quartet hat and fake mustache, as well as an express charge card. Even tonight, he made another "game" reference and very pointedly said that Nick was in "charge," emphasis on that last word.
He also added the clue that he loves video games, referencing "Kool Aliens" and "Tic Tac Toe," with him noting that latter would require him to find his "Player 2." His on-stage clue was the phrase "Record Maker," to which Gargoyle added, "I'm keen on making waves in the field, but being a part of history is the best bonus I could ask for."
Could he be part of history as the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2017? Or the fact he was the first player to have 10 or more catches, 100 or more receiving yards, and at least one touchdown in three consecutive games, which happened that same year.
Is Gargoyle LA Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen? Fans who follow him online know he's got the pipes and there was a charge card. This guess would also explain the "I [Heart] LA" sticker. He was also "stuck on the sidelines" for four seasons with injuries, before definitely becoming the guy they passed to as a receiver. Can he pass the rest of the underdogs to fight his way into the quarterfinals?
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View StoryMANTIS
Current Guess: Mantis said he was looking to show another side of himself, but he wasn't talking about singing. Instead, it was comedy. His clue package further said that Mantis is best known for his brooding persona.
When he said he was finally ready to show how good he is at comedy, he suggested he almost won an Emmy for it. Imagery through his clue package included cowboy boots, poker chips and all kinds of action movie cliches, including a gasoline can, a chopper, and Mantis walking in slow motion away from an explosion.
He also said he's done Shakespeare, appeared on Broadway and is a published author. Dropping the line" dance with the wolves." "Representing a legend was instrumental to my success and it was an honor to do so," Mantis said to explain his "True Story" pair of sunglasses. This week he added "Radioactive Insects II" and "Eyes on the Crown" as "box office" clues.
The most likely candidate for all these clues and this talent is Lou Diamond Phillips, who starred as Ritchie Valens in the 1987 "true story" film "La Bamba." His hint about possibly winning an Emmy for comedy would be his 2016 nod for "The Crossroads of History."
He has published a book, and is well-known as a great poker player. As for "dances with wolves," he wasn't in that movie, but he did star in "Wolf Lake" for television. He was also up for a Tony Award -- giving the Broadway connection -- for his work in "The King and I."
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View StoryPREDICTIONS
Just for fun, we'll throw out who we think will be able to fight their way back into the competition, and then who will win it all. Mantis surprised us with his vocal dexterity across his performances, so we suspect he'll switch it up again and really try to connect. Unless Medusa shows a different side or something more, we think it will come down to Mantis and Gargoyle with Mantis pulling out a narrow victory.
However, that won't be enough for him to take the overall crown because there's some stiff competition among the three Champions. Right now, though, we see California Roll and Macaw really battling it out in the end, with UFO and Mantis coming in right behind them.
Our frontrunners have such different styles, with Macaw's soaring and beautiful vocals ,as well as his ability to touch our hearts, pairing off against California Roll's intricate arrangements and incredible harmonies. This could be the tightest competition in "Masked Singer" history, but we have a feeling California Roll will roll away with the final trophy.
The three Wild Cards battle it out next week to see which of them will join the Champions on "The Masked Singer," Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.