‘The Masked Singer’ season 10 finale recap: Did Cow, Donut, Gazelle or Sea Queen win? And who was unmasked? [LIVE BLOG]
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Tonight on “The Masked Singer,” the final four celebrity contestants will each perform all-new songs in the season finale episode before the audience and panel votes. The bottom two singers will unmask, then the final two will go head-to-head one last time. Only one will take home the Golden Mask trophy and be crowned the Season 10 Winner!
With 16 total celebrity singers, Season 10 contestants boast a combined 40 medals, 33 Grammy nominations, 7 Hall of Fame Awards, 3 Lifetime Achievement Awards and over 50 tattoos (!!).
More from GoldDerby
Play along with host Nick Cannon and panelists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and Nicole Scherzinger. Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Masked Singer” recap of the Season 10 finale to find out what happened Wednesday, December 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on FOX. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite costumed characters on Fox’s reality TV show and who you think has what it takes to win the entire competition.
Keep refreshing/reloading this “The Masked Singer” live blog for the most recent updates.
8:00 p.m. — “Previously on ‘The Masked Singer’!” In episode 10, the Group C finalists finalists performed songs representing a key moment in their life. In the end, Anteater was forced to unmask following his performance of “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry. He was revealed to be Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Oates. Next, Candelabra was voted out after a tough Battle Royale against Donut. The fiery diva pulled off her mask to reveal Grammy-nominated singer Keyshia Cole. But enough about last week! Let’s find out who the Season 10 winner is!
8:05 p.m. — To kick off tonight’s festivities, Cow, Donut, Gazelle and Sea Queen perform together for the first time, belting out a party-starting rendition of “What I Like About You” by The Romantics.
8:10 p.m. — Cow will be showing off her chops first. In her clue package she reveals, “I originally chose to become the Cow because I thought it would be a super fun way to get my friends on the panel off my scent. But, even though I’m used to wearing different hats, being here has challenged me in a whole new way. I’ve had to relearn how to express myself entirely, from the way I move, to the way I dance. When you get to my level of success and fame, there are certain expectations and pressures to perform the same old way, so it’s been a blast getting to take on this whole new persona. The Cow, in a way, has also become a tribute to my mother, who showed me it’s okay to be strong and sensitive. So tonight, I’m channeling that same fierceness into the finale so I can win this thing for her and all the strong women who made me who I am today.”
8:15 p.m. — Cow is singing “Rhythm Nation” by Janet Jackson. What a great song choice! It’s definitely not one we hear on a lot of singing competitions. This is a world class male R&B singer, no doubt. There is even a great dance break, where we hear Nicole scream, “Is it Usher?!” That’s a high bar for the others to reach! Robin calls it “undoubtedly one of the best performances we’ve ever had on any season.” Cow says, “I was a fan of the show before I got here. I’ve always wanted to do this show, so this is already a dream come true. I’m just having a ball!” The panelists guess Cow is Ne-Yo (Robin), Usher (Nicole and Ken) or Billy Porter (Jenny).
8:20 p.m. — Up next is Gazelle. In her clue package she reveals, “I would be surprised if anyone in ‘Masked Singer’ history was any more suited to their costume than I am to the Gazelle. I’ve mentioned before that deer are really meaningful to me because of my loved one that I lost. But what I didn’t say is that I actually have a deer tattoo for that person with flowers growing out of the antlers. So when I saw the sketch of the Gazelle that looked so much like my tattoo, I broke down shaking and sobbing. It just felt like fate. Now, having gotten to be in the Gazelle mask for a while, I can definitely say that she feels like this alter-ego of me that I’ve been craving. When I put her on, all my insecurities and fears are gone. I was given a second chance to keep this mask on and I’m not going to waste it. Becoming the Gazelle has really helped me come into my inner goddess, and while this may be our last act together, the power she’s given me is a feeling I’ll never forget.”
8:30 p.m. — Gazelle is singing “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol. It’s another beautifully sung ballad that Gazelle has become known for nailing. She puts so much emotion and conviction into each performance and I think this may just her best yet. Ken says, “Honestly, I’d have to say my favorite moment of the show I’ve ever had was using the bell to save you. You more than earned it.” The panelists believe Gazelle could be Ashley Tisdale (Jenny), Gina Rodriguez (Nicole) or Constance Wu (Ken).
8:40 p.m. — Next to the stage is Sea Queen. In her clue package she reveals, “Becoming the Sea Queen has been a real experience. I love her regal, commanding presence, but I’m going to be honest with you, wearing this costume hasn’t been all smooth sailing. I’m a seasoned performer, but I’m used to being myself on stage and having to learn new songs and choreography, all while wearing a giant mask, has really stretched me as an entertainer. It is hot in there! It is so claustrophobic. This whole experience has made me feel nervous again in a way that I haven’t in a long time. But I fought my way through it and I’m still here. As the first wildcard to make it into the finale in ‘Masked Singer’ history, yes, I am looking forward to taking this mask off. But only after I win the crown for this Sea Queen!”
8:45 p.m. — Sea Queen is singing “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass. As she said, she certainly is a seasoned performer and she’s got an unmistakable tone. She gives the crowd a show and by the end she falls to her knees and drops the mic. After the men in black help her up, Sea Queen raises her arms in victory! Next, she makes sure to tell Nick she’s okay and, “I did it on purpose.” Robin says, “There are so many things that just happened that I don’t even know what’s going on, but that was entertaining times 10!” Jenny calls her an example of what a legend sounds like. Sea Queen says, “It’s been amazing. I’ve learned so much. It’s very challenging. I feel like I’m a better entertainer now because of this show.” The panelists guess Sea Queen is Macy Gray across the board, and I agree with them.
8:50 p.m. — Donut is the last finalist to perform. In his clue package he reveals, “I came into this competition at the lowest point in my life, but as soon as I saw that Donut mask, his smile made me happy in a way I had not felt in a long time. I knew right then and there, becoming the Donut was what I needed to heal from my wife’s passing. I know that she’s getting a big kick out of me in this donut costume because every Saturday morning I would make the coffee and my wife would go out and get donuts, and an apple fritter especially for me. In fact, her nickname for me was ‘Fritter.’ I still miss her more than I can possibly say, but putting on this costume every night has helped me remember all the beautiful memories we had together. Tonight, under this mask, I’m finally smiling again, just like she always was.”
8:55 p.m. — Donut is singing “You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker. He’s got a soulful, seasoned voice that fits perfectly with this classic. Knowing his story only makes it more emotional to listen to. You can’t help but love this guy! And what a powerhouse. Nicole is in tears as she says Donut as “all of our hearts” and it’s “an honor” to witness him on the stage. Donut says, “It was actually my beautiful wife who first said she wanted me to be on this show. Being able to check this off of her bucket list has given me great joy.” The panelists think Donut could be Engelbert Humperdinck (Nicole), Tom Jones (Robin) or John Schneider (Jenny).
9:00 p.m. — Well, we’ve danced, we’ve cried, but the votes have been cast! The two singers with the least amount of votes will unmask. The first to take it off will be Sea Queen. But before she reveals all, the panelists submit their final guesses — and they all say this is Grammy winner Macy Gray. In a not-so-surprising unveiling, we learn they are right! Sea Queen is in fact music superstar Macy Gray!
9:10 p.m. — The second singer to unmask will be Gazelle. That means Cow and Donut will move on to the final round. Before Gazelle unmasks, the panelists make their final guesses: Ashley Tisdale (Robin and Jenny), Constance Wu (Ken) and Gina Rodriguez (Nicole). Finally Gazelle reveals herself and the panelists are all wrong! It’s “Pretty Little Liars” star Janel Parrish!
9:20 p.m. — Donut will now give his second performance. He says, “This has been a really great experience because most people don’t know that I love to sing. My wife would say, ‘I don’t understand why you’ve done 18-19 albums, have five number one songs, 10 or 15 top tens songs. There was a lot of stuff and nobody knows that you sing.’ So a couple years ago she said, ‘Hey baby, one of these days we’re going to get you on ‘The Masked Singer’ so people can finally see what you can do. This is really a dream come true for me because I can honor her through doing it. Every performance has been a love letter to her and I know she’s been with me on that stage every step of the way. I know if she could see me know, and I believe she can see me now, my wife would say, ‘You’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to win this.’ And I’m gonna try! I’m gonna try, but it will be for her. It will be for my ‘Smile.'”
9:25 p.m. — Donut is singing “Drift Away” by Dobie Gray. He’s having fun with this one, but that voice is just as strong as ever. Jenny says she’s “blown away” that he’s not known for his singing. Nicole says she “filled our hearts and souls” with his version of that song. When Nick asks what winning “The Masked Singer” would mean to him, Donut responds, “Oh my goodness! God knows that I could really, really use a little joy in my life right now. Winning would give me great, great, great joy.”
9:35 p.m. — Cow is up next. Before he hits the stage he says, “I’ve been very blessed to have a lot of success in my career, and trust me, I’m grateful. But even though I’ve won Grammys, I’ve never had the moment televised. I’ve never gotten to give my acceptance speech and, most importantly, I’ve never gotten to give credit to the person that made it all possible, my mother. I’ve helped so many other artists achieve their dreams and make their big moments possible, but sometimes I feel like I haven’t truly had my moment to be recognized not only as an artist, but as a creator. Here, I’ve certainly felt that shine. I hope you fall in love with this Cow the same way I have, because at the end of the day, connecting with all of you is the most important thing to me. Tonight, I’m singing a song that I helped bring to life and is near and dear to my heart. I’m hoping that when I win the Golden Mask Trophy, I can finally read that acceptance speech after all these years.”
9:40 p.m. — Cow is singing “Take a Bow” by Rihanna. It’s the ballad moment we’ve been waiting for from this Cow. Nicole utters, “I know who that is now.” What a performance! That may have just been Cow’s winning moment. This is a close finale! Jenny says Cow is “no doubt a legendary artist.” When Nick asks what winning would mean to him, Cow responds, “This has been an absolute dream come true because I’ve always been a fan of the show. To win the trophy would just be the icing on top of a very beautiful cake.”
9:45 p.m. — It’s time to crown a winner. After the final vote, the winner of Season 10’s Golden Mask Trophy is Cow! He says, “I feel amazing!” before sashaying his way to the winner’s circle. Cow’s identity will be revealed at the end of tonight’s episode.
9:50 p.m. — Sadly, Cow’s winning moment comes at the expense of Donut, who is the Season 10 runner-up. He was a great competitor and fun to watch, but now it’s time for the judges to make their final guesses: Tom Jones (Robin and Ken), Engelbert Humperdinck (Nicole) and John Schneider (Jenny). Finally, it comes time for Donut to unmask and Jenny is right! Donut is “The Dukes of Hazzard” star John Schneider!
10:00 p.m. — The night will end with the reveal of Season 10’s big winner, Cow. But before he takes it off, the panelists submit their final guesses: Ne-Yo (Robin and Nicole), Usher (Ken) and Billy Porter (Jenny). The time has come for Cow to reveal himself. This singing Moo-sician is none other than Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, Ne-Yo! Robin and Nicole were right! That’s a wrap for Season 10. Cow will enter “The Masked Singer” Hall of Fame as Ne-Yo finally gets a chance to make that televised acceptance speech.
Best of GoldDerby
Everything to know about 'Survivor 46': Watch the preview trailer
'Survivor 45' winner predictions: Dee Valladares leads finale odds [UPDATED DECEMBER 20]
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
