Multi-platinum opera singer and actress is revealed on 'The Masked Singer'

On Wednesday’s top five The Masked Singer semifinals, the Kitty confessed that the people in her life didn’t want her to grow up. But ironically, she did just that by playing dress-up. When she made it through her ninth life this week and was unmasked at the end of the night, the Kitty turned out to be former opera-singing child prodigy Jackie Evancho. “I wanted to show a different side of myself. I have been stuck in the stereotype of a 10-year-old girl,” she explained. “Now I'm almost 20, and I'm glad that this experience has given me the chance to kind of break out of that.” Everyone was shocked by Jackie’s purrfect metamorphosis — even host Nick Cannon, who first met Jackie a decade ago when she placed second on another talent show he used to emcee, America’s Got Talent. Jackie had certainly transformed since then, and not just because she was dressed like Taylor Swift in Cats. “I want to thank you guys, because without you, I don’t think I would have discovered where I want to take my career and how I want to represent myself as in the future,” Jackie told the Masked Singer judges. Honestly, I don’t think getting gussied up as heterochromatic-eyed, bipedal feline in a wild-west saloon-showgirl dress should be the next or permanent phase of Jackie’s career, but throughout this Masked Singer season she showed off her seductive and sultry side (this week’s vampy “Back to Black” performance was the cat’s meow), so I do think she might have a 10th professional life coming up. So now there are only four more masquerade ballers left, and any of them have a shot at snagging Season 3’s Golden Mask trophy in just two weeks’ time, on what just might be the most competitive finale in Masked Singer history. May the best mask win!

Video Transcript

[MUSIC - "BACK TO BLACK"]

JACKIE EVANCHO: (SINGING) We only said goodbye with words. I died a hundred times. You go back to her, and I go back to black.

- The final five singers competed in the quarter finals on "The Masked Singer." And fans of the show were so surprised that the kitty, who had one of the best voices in the competition, was not the pick of the litter, Wednesday.

- Take it off!

CROWD: Take it off! Take it off!

NICK CANNON: Oh! Jackie Evancho!

- Jackie!

- After Jackie Evancho was unmasked, host Nick Cannon reminisced on the last time he saw the multi-platinum opera singer and actress, who first gained recognition as a finalist in the fifth season of "America's Got Talent."

NICK CANNON: Almost 10 years ago, her and I stood on this very stage. And she was a finalist, and now, still holds the record for the youngest selling platinum artist of all time.

- Wow.

- Jackie also shared that she is thankful to the show for helping her discover where she wants to take her career, moving forward.

JACKIE EVANCHO: I wanted to show a different side of myself. I have been stuck in the stereotype of a 10-year-old girl since I was 10 years old. And now, I'm almost 20. And I'm glad that this experience has given me the chance to kind of break out of that.

- And while Jackie has just scratched at the surface of her potential, viewers were treated to one last performance.

JACKIE EVANCHO: (SINGING) I died a hundred times. You go back to her, and I go back to black.

[CHEERING]