| The Masked Singer | |
|---|---|
| Season 5 | |
Promotional poster for season five, featuring costumes from previous seasons in the background | |
| Starring | |
| Hosted by | |
| No. of contestants | 14 |
| Winner | Nick Lachey as "Piglet" |
| Runner-up | JoJo as "Black Swan" |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Fox |
| Original release | March 10 (2021-03-10) – May 26, 2021 (2021-05-26) |
| Season chronology | |
← Previous Season 4 Next → Season 6 | |
| List of episodes | |
The fifth season of the American television seriesThe Masked Singer premiered onFox on March 10, 2021,[1] and concluded on May 26, 2021.[2] The season was won by singerNick Lachey as "Piglet", with singerJoJo finishing second as "Black Swan", and rapperWiz Khalifa placing third as "Chameleon".
Singer-songwriterRobin Thicke, television and radio personalityJenny McCarthy Wahlberg, actor and comedianKen Jeong, and recording artistNicole Scherzinger all returned for their fifth season as panelists. The panelists once again competed for "The Golden Ear", with Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg winning for the second time. Regular hostNick Cannon tested positive forCOVID-19 a few days before production was set to begin in February 2021; consequently,Niecy Nash guest hosted the first five episodes.[3] Cannon returned after competing as "the Bulldog" in the fifth episode.[4]
Guest panelists includedJoel McHale in the third episode,Rita Wilson in the seventh episode,Chrissy Metz in the eighth episode,Rob Riggle in the ninth episode,Darius Rucker in the tenth episode, andseason four winnerLeAnn Rimes in the eleventh episode.[5][6]
The season began with two groups of five, Group A and Group B. In a new twist, four wild card contestants entered the competition beginning with the third episode, replacing previously eliminated contestants. The contestants among the season have a combined, "26Grammy nominations, nine multi-platinum singles, fourOscar nominations, threeSuper Bowl appearances, six gold medals and two world records among them".[7] In addition, the opening scene for the season premiere revealed that cast has, "a combined net worth over $600 million, eight marriages, 25 gold and platinum records, 459 tattoos, over 55 million records sold, over 198 million followers, three Grammy wins, threeEmmy nominations, one Oscar win, nine divorces, and 146 toes."[8]
This season featured a non-contestant masked character called "Cluedle-Doo".[9][10] Over the course of 10 episodes, Cluedle-Doo periodically disrupted the broadcast to provide additional clues to the audience from his secret studio, teasing the host and panelists, while challenging the audience to discover who he was. In the semi-final episode, he appeared in person to perform "Return of the Mack" byMark Morrison for the panel, then challenged them to guess his identity. After the panelists made their guesses who he was, none of which was correct, he unmasked himself as singerDonnie Wahlberg, panelist Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg's husband, shocking McCarthy Wahlberg, who did not recognize his voice.
Kermit the Frog ("Snail") is the first fictional character to have competed on the American version ofThe Masked Singer and "Russian Dolls" (Hanson) are the second costume to feature more than one person (the first beingClint andLisa Black's "Snow Owls" costume fromthe previous season) and the first costume to feature a group of different celebrities.
| Stage name | Celebrity | Occupation(s) | Episodes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |||
| Group A | Group B | A | B | A | |||||||||
| Piglet | Nick Lachey | Singer | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WINNER | |||
| Black Swan | JoJo | Singer | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | RUNNER-UP | |||
| Chameleon | Wiz Khalifa | Rapper | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | THIRD | |||
| Yeti (WC) | Omarion | Singer | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| Russian Dolls[a] | Hanson | Band | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||
| Robopine[b] | Tyrese Gibson | Actor/singer | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| Seashell | Tamera Mowry-Housley | Actor/TV host | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||
| Crab (WC) | Bobby Brown | Singer | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||
| Orca (WC) | Mark McGrath | Singer | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||
| Bulldog (WC) | Nick Cannon | Actor/TV host | OUT[c] | ||||||||||
| Grandpa Monster | Logan Paul | Internet personality | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||
| Raccoon | Danny Trejo | Actor | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||
| Phoenix | Caitlyn Jenner | Decathlete/TV Personality | OUT | ||||||||||
| Snail | Kermit the Frog[d] | Muppet | OUT | ||||||||||
(WC) This masked singer is a wild card contestant.
Caitlyn Jenner ("Phoenix"),Danny Trejo ("Raccoon"),Logan Paul ("Grandpa Monster"),Nick Cannon ("Bulldog"),Mark McGrath ("Orca"),Bobby Brown ("Crab"),Tamera Mowry-Housley ("Seashell"),Tyrese Gibson ("Robopine"),Hanson ("Russian Dolls"),Omarion ("Yeti"),Wiz Khalifa ("Chameleon"),JoJo ("Black Swan"), andNick Lachey ("Piglet")
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian Dolls | "Man in the Mirror" byMichael Jackson | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Snail | "You Make My Dreams (Come True)" byHall & Oates | Kermit the Frog | OUT |
| 3 | Seashell | "Listen to Your Heart" byRoxette | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Raccoon | "Wild Thing" byThe Troggs | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Robopine | "Never Too Much" byLuther Vandross | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Swan | "Barracuda" byHeart | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Grandpa Monster | "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of...)" byLou Bega | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Chameleon | "Ride wit Me" byNelly | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Phoenix | "TiK ToK" byKesha | Caitlyn Jenner | OUT |
| 5 | Piglet | "Speechless" byDan + Shay | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian Dolls | "Wonder" byShawn Mendes | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Raccoon | "Ring of Fire" byJohnny Cash | Danny Trejo | OUT |
| 3 | Robopine | "All of Me" byJohn Legend | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Seashell | "Confident" byDemi Lovato | undisclosed | SAFE |
| Wild card | Orca | "We're Not Gonna Take It" byTwisted Sister | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grandpa Monster | "Bad Reputation" byJoan Jett | Logan Paul | OUT |
| 2 | Piglet | "Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)" byAndy Grammer | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Black Swan | "In My Blood" byShawn Mendes | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Chameleon | "21 Questions" by50 Cent feat.Nate Dogg | undisclosed | SAFE |
| Wild card | Crab | "Ain't No Sunshine" byBill Withers | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Swan | "How Will I Know" byWhitney Houston | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Piglet | "7 Years" byLukas Graham | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Crab | "Give It to Me Baby" byRick James[e] | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Chameleon | "Hip Hop" byDead Prez | undisclosed | SAFE |
| Wild card | Bulldog | "Candy Girl" byNew Edition | Nick Cannon | OUT |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian Dolls | "Want to Want Me" byJason Derulo | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Robopine | "Killing Me Softly" byRoberta Flack | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Seashell | "Tell Me Something Good" byRufus feat.Chaka Khan | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Orca | "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" byPoison | Mark McGrath | OUT |
| Wild card | Yeti | "If It Isn't Love" byNew Edition | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piglet | "The Pretender" byFoo Fighters | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Robopine | "Let's Get It On" byMarvin Gaye | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Chameleon | "Regulate" byWarren G feat.Nate Dogg | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Yeti | "Lonely" byJustin Bieber andBenny Blanco | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Russian Dolls | "24K Magic" byBruno Mars | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 6 | Crab | "In the Air Tonight" byPhil Collins | Bobby Brown | OUT |
| 7 | Seashell | "I Think We're Alone Now" byTiffany | Tamera Mowry-Housley | OUT |
| 8 | Black Swan | "Use Somebody" byKings of Leon | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yeti | "It Takes Two" byRob Base and DJ E-Z Rock | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Robopine | "Water Runs Dry" byBoyz II Men | Tyrese Gibson | OUT |
| 3 | Piglet | "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" byPhil Collins | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Black Swan | "Do I Do" byStevie Wonder | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Russian Dolls | "Shallow" byBradley Cooper andLady Gaga | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 6 | Chameleon | "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" byBusta Rhymes | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian Dolls | "I'm Still Standing" byElton John | Hanson | OUT |
| 2 | Black Swan | "Thinking Out Loud" byEd Sheeran | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Piglet | "Superstition" byStevie Wonder | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Yeti | "Bless the Broken Road" byRascal Flatts | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Chameleon | "Drop It Like It's Hot" bySnoop Dogg ft.Pharrell Williams | undisclosed | SAFE |
Performance by Cluedle-Doo (Donnie Walhberg): "Return of the Mack" byMark Morrison[14]
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yeti | "Celebration" byKool & the Gang | Omarion | OUT |
| 2 | Black Swan | "Tequila" byDan + Shay | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Chameleon | "Oh Boy" byCam'ron feat.Juelz Santana | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Piglet | "Bruises" byLewis Capaldi | undisclosed | SAFE |
Group performance: "How Do I Live" byLeAnn Rimes[f]
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chameleon | "Gangsta's Paradise" byCoolio feat.L.V. | Wiz Khalifa | THIRD PLACE |
| 2 | Black Swan | "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" byMichael Bolton | JoJo | RUNNER-UP |
| 3 | Piglet | "Faithfully" byJourney | Nick Lachey | WINNER |
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Season 5 Premiere - Return of the Masks" | March 10, 2021 | 1.3/9 | 5.66 | 0.7 | 2.33 | 2.1 | 7.99 | [15][16] |
| 2 | "Group B Premiere - Shamrock and Roll" | March 17, 2021 | 1.2/9 | 5.12 | — | — | — | — | [17] |
| 3 | "Group A Wildcard Round - Enter The Wildcards!" | March 24, 2021 | 1.2/8 | 5.20 | — | — | — | — | [18] |
| 4 | "Group B Wildcard Round - Rule of Claw!" | March 31, 2021 | 1.2/9 | 5.05 | 0.4 | 1.35 | 1.6 | 6.40 | [19][20][g] |
| 5 | "Group B Finals - The Ulti 'Mutt' Wildcard!" | April 7, 2021 | 1.1/8 | 4.79 | 0.6 | 1.81 | 1.7 | 6.60 | [21][22] |
| 6 | "Group A Finals - In the Nick of Time!" | April 14, 2021 | 1.2/8 | 5.17 | 0.5 | 1.75 | 1.8 | 6.92 | [23][24] |
| 7 | "Super 8 - The Plot Chickens!" | April 21, 2021 | 1.2/8 | 5.08 | 0.6 | 1.91 | 1.8 | 6.99 | [25][26] |
| Special | "The Sing-A-Long: The Maskie Awards" | April 28, 2021 | 0.8/6 | 3.62 | 0.2 | 0.79 | 1.0 | 4.41 | [27][28] |
| 8 | "The Spicy 6 - The Competition Heats Up!" | May 5, 2021 | 1.1/8 | 4.71 | 0.5 | 1.73 | 1.6 | 6.44 | [29][30] |
| 9 | "The Quarter Finals - Five Fan Favorites" | May 12, 2021 | 1.1/8 | 4.77 | 0.4 | 1.48 | 1.6 | 6.25 | [31] |
| 10 | "Semifinals" | May 19, 2021 | 1.2/8 | 5.23 | 0.5 | 1.71 | 1.8 | 6.95 | [32] |
| 11 | "Finale" | May 26, 2021 | 1.4/9 | 5.51 | 0.4 | 1.54 | 1.8 | 7.05 | [33] |