The Quarterfinals

After an amazing episode last week with the Group C Finals in Peanuts Night, it was time for the Quarterfinals! I was looking forward to this episode, as I knew that we had four amazing contestants left, and as a result, we would be in for four amazing performances. The episode didn’t begin with a group performance, but with Nick introducing each of the four remaining contestants while “Just Like Fire” by Pink was playing, which I was okay with as this was also how the Quarterfinals began last season. After that, Nick explained how the episode was going to work, as he said that the contestants would perform, the audience and panel would vote, the top two singers would advance to the Semifinals, while the bottom two singers would compete in a Smackdown. 

The first performer of the night was The Wasp. In his clue package, he said that he really felt the love making it this far in the competition. He then said that growing up without a consistent definition of what true love looked like, he was left to rely on the stories and the songs surrounding him, such as the romcoms and the happily ever afters. He then said that he lived his life in the fast lane, thinking that it would be his destination, but love is different in real life, and he has failed more than a few times, taken a couple of wrong turns, faced a lot of dead ends, and even made a few U-turns. He then said that he used to think that even if he was stung by the love bug, he didn’t know if he would see the signs, but at this moment in time, he has someone riding alongside him, and he then said that he’ll see what the future holds and that he might be on the right track. He then went on to give an amazing performance of “Standing Next to You” by Jungkook, during which he showed off the power in his voice and what an amazing dancer he is. After each performance, an additional clue was brought out, which was a phone call that each contestant received from a loved one. Wasp received a phone call from someone who is his cousin and his best friend, who said that he was capable of so many things, such as putting out hits, live theater, and starring in one of the biggest shows of the decade. I am still confident in the internet and Rita’s guess, which is that Wasp is R&B singer Mario. He has several hit songs, like “Let Me Love You,” he was in a TV production of the musical “Rent,” and he starred in the show “Empire.”

The second performer of the night was Goo. In his clue package, he said that it had been meaningful to hear to hear the panel’s comments because he doesn’t sing for a living. He then said he has always been a Goo with two dreams, singing, and what everyone might know him for in real life, and everyone said he couldn’t do both, but he never wavered. He then said that being on the show has been the time of his life, and he described it as a test drive of his other passion. He then went on to give an amazing performance of “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls, during which he started off in a lower register before showing off all the power he has in his voice. After the performance, Goo got a phone call from his fiancé, who said that she hadn’t been this proud of him since the day he got the call that changed his life forever. These clues made me even more confident that Goo was Rams player Kobie Turner, and much to my shock, Jenny guessed correctly, which I didn’t see coming, as I didn’t think he was the kind of celebrity any of them would guess correctly. 

The third performer of the night was Strawberry Shortcake. In her clue package, she said that the fact that she has taken this time for herself is what’s most sweet about her time on the show. She then said that for her entire life, she has been part of a packaged bunch, which she loves, but she has never really taken the chance to stand on her own until now. She then said that her being on The Masked Singer came at the perfect time, as her friends and family were on other exciting new adventures, so that convinced her to do the show. She then said that with each round, she has been discovering all of her inner ingredients, the sassy, the sweet, and the silly, and it’s showing her what she is capable of. She then said that she knows her loved ones are proud of her for boldly braving the stage alone, which is what’s pushing her to make it to the Semifinals. She then went on to give an amazing performance of “Closer” by Tegan and Sara, which let her show off how perfect her voice is for upbeat pop songs. After the performance, Strawberry Shortcake got a phone call from her sister, who said that she was so proud of her, and that she and her nephew were rooting for her. I still agree with the popular guess on the internet, which is that Strawberry Shortcake is AJ Michalka. She is known for being part of the duo Aly & AJ, and her sister Aly has a daughter, which makes her an aunt. 

The final performers of the night were The Buffalos. In their clue package, they said that they have been on a journey like no other three friends have ever been on, and that journey took a new turn when they arrived on The Masked Singer. They then said that putting on the costumes opened them up to who they really are, as they are more than friends, more than brothers, and they have a bond beyond words. They then said that something happened years ago to one of them that ruined the delicate blend they created, and everything they did together was called off, and they thought it was the end. They then said that through a miracle and God’s grace, they overcame it and became even stronger, and now they do everything they do not for themselves, but for the next generation, as they now know that without family, they are nothing. They then went on to give an amazing performance of “You’re Still the One” by Shania Twain, during which they showed off their beautiful harmonies. After the performance, The Buffalos got a phone call from legendary singer and songwriter Babyface, who told them that they were killing it and that he has never seen them look better or more ridiculous. I am still confident that The Buffalos are Boyz II Men, as Babyface wrote some of their songs. I also think that the panelists know that it’s Boyz II Men but are coming up with other guesses to make it look harder, and Jenny wasn’t shown making a guess for them, even though she correctly guessed them to be The Buffalos earlier on in the season.

After everybody had performed, it was time for the Smackdown. The two singers that ended up in the Smackdown were Goo and Strawberry Shortcake, which didn’t surprise me, as while everybody was great in this episode, I felt that Wasp and The Buffalos were stronger. Nick then explained that how it would work would be that Goo and Strawberry Shortcake would take turns performing a different song, much like how it was in the earlier seasons, and the panel would then vote on who was their favorite. Somehow, I completely missed the part where Nick said they would be performing different songs, so I thought they would be performing the same song. Goo was up first, and he gave an amazing performance of “Hold On, I’m Comin’” by Sam & Dave, during which he showed all the power he has in his voice, and because me and my family thought they would both be performing this song, we thought it was going to be a one-sided battle. Strawberry Shortcake was next, and she gave an amazing performance of “Scars to Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara, which was perfect for her voice, and it also sounded like it was a song that she had been performing for years. 

After both of them had performed, it was time to announce the last singer who made it to the Semifinals, and it was revealed to be Strawberry Shortcake, which didn’t surprise me, as I knew that it could have gone either way, but my mom was very disappointed that Goo was going to get unmasked. As the panelists were making their final guesses, I found it funny that Ken guessed Shaquille O’Neal, as I feel that if it was him, the costume would have been much bigger. I was still surprised that Jenny was able to come up with the correct answer, but like my dad and my uncle said, they probably know more people living in Hollywood. Goo was then unmasked, and the internet and Jenny were shown to be correct, as he was revealed to be Kobie Turner from the Los Angeles Rams. After he was unmasked, he said that his biggest goal was to show that he is so much more than just an athlete, which I think he definitely proved, and I think that it would be great if he put out some music or turned to a career in music after he is done in the NFL. I also found it funny that one of the biggest clues was right in front of us the whole time, as the bowtie on the costume had a ram in the center.

Overall, this was another amazing episode of Season 12 of The Masked Singer, and I’ll see you all next week with the Semifinals!