- I think it's outta here! - It's outta here!
Nick: Tonight, it's the group a semi-finals,
and only four all-star mvps remain.
Skunk, the soulful diva.
- ( vocalizing ) - we are in the presence of greatness right here.
Bull, the triple-threat showman.
- ( vocalizing ) - that's never happened on this stage before.
Jester, the rocker who came out of left field.
( trilling, laughing )
and pepper, the powerhouse vocalist.
- ( vocalizing ) - that is legit!
They're all battling for their spot
in the group a finale.
( vocalizing )
but there's a curveball.
Where's the take it off buzzer?
- Take it off! - No!
Tonight is a double elimination.
- ( vocalizes ) - whoo!
Who will knock it out of the park?
( vocalizing )
I don't know how two people are going home tonight.
And who will strike out?
Oh, my gosh!
The group a semi-finals start right now.
- Who is this?
Oh, my god!
♪ who are you?
♪ who, who, who, who
♪ come on, tell me, who are you? ♪
♪ who are you?
♪ who, who, who, who
♪ oh, I really wanna know, who are you? ♪
wow!
Welcome to "the masked singer" and our group a semi-finals!
Robin: Yeah!
The contenders are four very different singers,
each one bringing something uniquely special to this competition.
But we can't get too attached
because two of them are getting unmasked tonight.
- Yes. - Aw, man.
It's double elimination night here at "the masked singer."
no!
But first, let's give it up
for our celebrity detectives.
- Yeah! - Yeah!
Thank you.
And, since it's our high-stakes semi-final,
we got a superstar in the building.
We must treat him as such.
I got a feeling y'all already know who this is.
Say it with me. Take it off!
( chanting ) take it off! Take it off!
- Hey, hey. - Oh, he got the moves.
Uh-oh. Will.I.Am!
Judge on "alter ego"
and founding and lead member of the black eyed peas.
- Salute, king. - Chilling, bro.
How you doing, man?
Aw, man. I'm not-- I thought I was chilling,
but then I saw your neck.
This is-- it's cold up here. It's drippy.
You got all the connecting parts.
You got the wrist, the neck.
- Totally. - Ankles.
I'm a glacier of a host.
All right, will, let me catch you up on what's going on so far.
We've added something new called the take it off buzzer, y'all.
Whoo!
- Nicole: Wow. - Nick: Oh, yes.
Steaming hot.
That's scary, that take it off buzzer.
Nick: It's about to get good.
Nicole: Some danger. That's dangerous.
This is how they serve nick's dinner.
Now, the take it off buzzer can only be hit once per group,
and that's only if you are 100% certain
that you know who the superstar is behind the mask.
They gotta stop everything they doing,
take it off, and then they're headed home immediately.
So don't screw it up for any of us.
All right, well, let's get to it.
The singers have been rehearsing like crazy,
doing all they can to make it to the group a finals,
starting with the bull.
I'll let him explain.
Last time, that number was very vulnerable.
I had to dig deep and I showed the panel exactly what I could do.
♪ there's nothing that I wouldn't do ♪
nicole: You stripped it all back and you just said,
"I'm gonna let my voice and my soul just speak for itself."
I cannot believe that I am in the semi-finals.
I'm absolutely the most nervous I've ever been
in my entire life/career.
- Really, he's nervous? - Wow.
I'm used to being a solo performer,
but this is a whole new level of pressure.
Solo performer. Not a boy bander.
Oh, no, he's not a boy bander.
Not a boy bander.
I have a habit of comparing myself
to other people, to the point where it can be almost crippling.
Skunk is incredible.
I think I know who that voice is--
somebody I listened to since I was a child.
So for this round, I've chosen a song
that I hope will let everybody know
that I am a true triple threat.
If I were unmasked, I would definitely be devastated
because I so desperately want to get into the group a finals.
( thunder )
♪ I didn't ask for a free ride ♪
♪ I only asked you to show me a real good time ♪
♪ I never asked for the rainfall ♪
♪ at least you showed up, you showed me nothing at all ♪
♪ mm, it's coming down on me
♪ yeah
♪ water like misery
♪ mm, it's coming down on me
♪ yeah
♪ I'm ready, rain on me
♪ I'd rather be dry, but at least I'm alive ♪
♪ rain on me, rain, rain
♪ I'd rather be dry, but at least I'm alive ♪
♪ rain on me, rain, rain
♪ rain on me
♪ rain, rain
oh, my god!
Put your hooves together! Let's sing, come on!
- Yeah! - ♪ rain on, rain, yeah
come on, y'all.
♪ hands up to the sky
♪ I'll be your galaxy
♪ I'm about to fly
♪ rain on me, tsunami
♪ hands up to the sky
♪ I'll be your galaxy
♪ I'm about to fly
( vocalizing )
wow!
- ♪ rain on me - oh, my gosh.
♪ I hear the thunder coming down ♪
♪ won't you rain on me?
♪ rain on me
- oh, my god! - Yeah!
- Look at that! - Yes!
The bull has done it again.
- Yeah! - Yes!
Will.I.Am, welcome to "the masked singer."
come on!
That's never, ever happened on this stage before.
- You did a kick... - Yeah.
...And you almost kicked one of your horns off.
- I never seen no bull do no back-kick they hoof up. - Crazy, right?
That was pure talent. That was natural up there, my dude.
Robin: Yeah.
By the way, is it real that you're that worried about your competition?
Every single time.
- Wow. - Robin: Yeah.
Well, tonight we're seeing how our singers are connected to the panel.
So I'm gonna send a clue to the panelist
that our singer has a connection with.
And I'm gonna shoot it by using a contraption
that I created myself, of my own design.
- Uh-oh. - Is it really?
- What's this? - The bling shot.
- Ooh, I like it. - Is this made of diamonds?
- What is this? - Are you going to sling us your diamonds?
Do you get a free diamond if we catch it?
- Yeah. - Okay.
Nicole: Wow, that is very bling.
Oh, nick cannon with the cannon.
- Yeah, there you go. - Oh.
- There you go, will. - Robin: I'm the rover.
Jenny: I got some blonde ambition in me. I'm gonna get this.
- Robin: Get it up in the air. - Jenny: Come on!
- Oh! Almost. Almost. - Aw, man!
- Almost. Not bad. - Ken: Robin and I will get it.
- I got it! - Robin: Yeah, teamwork.
- Whoa, whoa! - Jenny!
- Yeah, let me just stick my boob back in. - How'd we do?
( fanfare plays )
the clue is "ring."
oh! Got it.
No way. That quick?
No, for real, for real.
Will, we have more in common than you think.
Does that ring a bell?
- Oh! - Yes!
- He's like... - So, he knows you.
You, him, and a ring.
- Me, him, and a ring. - Chicago bulls ring.
Oh, super bowl ring. Super bowl halftime show.
You guys did the super bowl.
Will: Oh, oh, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Okay, look.
I got a ring for christmas two years ago.
- Okay. - Somebody broke into my car and stole that.
- Oh! - Oh! Maybe it was!
You fit in perfectly on this show.
Yeah. I love it, I love it. I love it.
Maybe the rings-- just like, you know,
billy porter was on the new year's eve show
and he was ringing in the new year.
- Oh, okay! - Metaphor!
- All right. - So I'm thinking billy porter.
- Yes. - Okay.
Nicole: Well, we're talking triple threat.
- Jenny: Yeah. - We got usher. He can do it all.
We got jason derulo. He was dancing all up in there.
Neo. I don't know. Take your pick.
Sometimes the clues, all they do
is throw you for a loop, you know what I mean?
And that's what bull has done all season.
But you don't have to worry because
you're gonna be here all the way through.
Nicole: Yes.
Nick: The bull did an incredible job.
Y'all gotta keep it going for him.
- Love him. - Run on back there.
Is tonight the night the take it off buzzer is finally hit?
I know exactly who this is.
- Don't go anywhere. - No!
Welcome back to "the masked singer" group a semi-finals.
- Yes. - Tonight, two singers are getting unmasked,
and pepper is up next.
What's inspiring tonight's performance?
Let's find out.
You know, joining the competition just a few days before it started,
I really had to adjust very quickly.
I can't believe that I made it to the semi-finals.
You're rapidly becoming one of my favorites.
Amazing job.
My whole goal is just to explore another side of myself.
I kind of had, like, a good girl thing for a long time,
and with the pepper comes a lot of spice and hotness and energy.
Tonight, I'm gonna really dig into my ability
to tell a story.
All the songs I've sung so far,
they've got a lot of emotion in them,
like recovering from pain.
But the hardest thing I've experienced
is watching the one I love and care for most
face the unthinkable.
Wow.
I just remember wanting things to get better.
And this song reminds me of that.
♪ just stop your crying
♪ it's a sign of the times
♪ welcome to the final show - whoo.
♪ I hope you're wearing your best clothes ♪
♪ we never learn, we been here before ♪
♪ why are we always stuck and running from ♪
♪ your bullets?
♪ your bullets
♪ just stop your crying
♪ it's a sign of the times
♪ we've gotta get away from here ♪
♪ we gotta get away from here
come on!
♪ just stop your crying
♪ it'll be all right
♪ they told me that the end is near ♪
♪ we gotta get away from here ♪
♪ we don't talk enough
♪ we should open up
♪ before it's all too much
♪ just stop your crying
♪ it's a sign of the times
♪ we gotta get away
♪ we got to get away
- jenny: Oh, my gosh! - Nicole: Wow.
- Oh, my god. - There it is.
- So hot. Pepper. - Pepper! Pepper! Pepper!
( chanting continues )
keeping it hot up here.
Oh, man. Great singers can carry a tune,
but great artists can tap into their pain.
- Truly, truly magical. - Yes, ken.
- Ken: Truly. - All right, now before we get the panel's guesses,
bring out the bling shot.
Come on.
- I'm gonna try this one more time. - You can do it!
- Ken, this one's for you. - Give it to me, daddy.
- Aah! - Oh!
Nick: I don't have no aim.
All: "train." jenny: Train.
Ken, not even gravity
could stop that train from getting to you.
- Gravity. Gravity. - What is going on?
Okay, honestly,
I know exactly
- who this is. - Nicole: ...This is.
Nick: You said that like you seriously know. Ken: No, no, no, no, no, no.
Where's the take it off buzzer?
- Yeah! - No!
- Let's go. - No! Pepper's saying no!
Ken: The take it off buzzer!
- Jenny: Ken! No! - Take it off! Take it off!
- Don't do it! - I got you.
Ken! Are you really gonna hit it?
- I'm really gonna do this. - You don't want to get it wrong.
This is not a joke.
I honestly believe the pepper
is sarah bareilles.
( crowd gasps )
she was a guest star on "community"
in a scene with me, and I've been a fan ever since.
- Is he right? - "gravity."
that's an amazing sarah bareilles song.
Also, if you look at the clue package right now-- storyteller.
She wrote the entire broadway adaptation of "waitress."
- yes. - But what about the train?
Let me tell you about the train, will.I.Am!
- Can I, will? - "can I, will."
I am good friends with the lead singer of train, pat monahan.
He's one of my best friends.
And sarah bareilles has a song with common
called "the train."
jenny: He's kinda selling it.
( crowd cheering )
I'm very confident that the pepper
is sarah bareilles.
No!
- No! - Oh, my god!
( siren blaring )
ken!
If you're wrong, you screw it up for the rest of us!
- Is he right?
- Audience, say it with me! - Take it off!
( all chanting ) take it off! Take it off!
- Wait, are we taking it off? - ♪ who, who, who, who
yes! Yes!
- ♪ who are you? - Oh, my god, he's right.
♪ who, who, who, who
♪ I really wanna know
( all chanting ) take it off! Take it off!
- ♪ tell me, who are you? - Yes! Yes!
♪ are you
audience, say it with me.
( all chanting ) take it off! Take it off!
- ♪ who, who, who, who - yes!
- Oh, my god, he's right. - ( chanting continues )
♪ I really wanna know
- take it off! - ♪ who are you, you
- yes! Yes! - ♪ are you
- ( music stops ) - ( applause stops )
what?
Ken.
- What? What? - Oh!
You got it wrong.
- What? - Got it wrong! Got it wrong!
Are you kidding me?
- Ken jeong wrong. - What?
Wasted to the button. You wasted to the button.
You did that for nothing.
Wait, I gotta say, I gotta say.
- You would be an amazing attorney. - Thank you.
- I thought that was really sarah. - Ken: It is sarah.
Take it off, sarah, please.
Are you gonna take her-- are you gonna unmask?
No! You got it wrong.
Well, if you're not gonna do it, I'm gonna do it.
- Nick: Hey! - I'm gonna do it.
- Ken, no! - I'm gonna take off the mask.
Ken, get up here!
- Please, sarah! - Jenny: Run, pepper, run!
Please, sarah!
Behave yourself, ken jeong!
Nick: Somebody get the doctor a doctor.
Put him back in his booster.
Nick: Sit your ass down.
And, you know what? Your punishment is
you gotta wash all my cars.
- Oh! - Jenny: Yes!
- Nick: Full detail. - Oh, man!
Now, audience, since we know this is not sarah bareilles,
that's about as far as we're gonna go.
Since ken took up all of our time, no one else gets to guess.
- ( all groan ) - oh, come on.
Now head on backstage, pepper. Awesome job.
Men in black, help her out.
You told me you thought it was sarah bareilles.
I said it was a good guess and then I said, "no!"
now let's get this show back on the road.
Next up is the crazy rock 'n' roll clown, jester.
What made the headbanger join this crazy game?
It may surprise you.
This show's a riot. So much fun.
But it's very difficult,
because it's a completely different way of working.
♪ school's out for summer
we have never had pure metal like that on this show.
That was awesome.
As the wild card, I must seem like some sort of scallywag
who's just bumped in at the last minute.
( laughs )
- this could be a comedian. - I think it is a comedian.
The other singers have all slogged their way through the season,
and in comes the jester,
the man who came in from the cold.
Is that a real british accent?
Sometimes they fake it.
The person who I think is gonna get
the biggest kick outta this is my wife.
We've been together 45 years.
But unfortunately, her health isn't what it used to be.
But no illness can stand in the way of how much I love her.
And when she sees this, it's gonna be a complete blast to her,
and she'll know it's me without a doubt.
♪ I am a man
♪ of constant sorrow
♪ I've seen troubles
♪ all my day
- what? - What?
He's flipped it up on us.
♪ for six long years
♪ I've had to ramble
♪ I had no friends
♪ to help me there
♪ for in this world
♪ I'm bound to ramble
♪ I have no friends
♪ to help me now
♪ will you help me?
♪ there's-- there is one promise ♪
♪ that is given
♪ I'll meet you on
♪ god's golden shore
ken: Yeah!
( sighs )
nick: Uh, okay. Uh...
- That was-- - ( barks )
- that was something. - It was something.
- That was-- - how you doing, old nick?
A little disturbed at the moment.
I'm gonna keep my distance.
When this goes online on social media,
when he's dancing, I'm gonna caption it "mood."
you know what I mean? It's gonna be great.
You had a good time and so did I.
Well done, sir.
All right, men in black, bring out the bling shot.
All blinged out.
- For robin thicke. - Oh, yeah. Oh?
- Uh-oh. Give me my pillow. - Ready?
- Oh! - Oh.
We got it. No cause for alarm.
- "cake." - hey, twisted neighbor!
Have you cake and eat it.
Oh! He lives next to you.
That's scary.
That doesn't really give me a clue. Cake.
All I can think of is rihanna when I hear "cake, cake, cake."
- well, I'm not rihanna. - Nick: We know that.
Um, you know, the last performance you did
was an incredible metal, rock performance,
but this was so different.
This was, uh, interpretive dance.
Please help me.
Will.I.Am: Okay, maybe you are, like, a true rocker.
I heard your accent through your singing.
So you are, like, british for real.
You are joe elliot from def leppard,
because you sang "pour some sugar on me,"
and that's an ingredient in cake.
- Ooh. - Oh!
- Ken: Respect. - Ken, who is it?
Last week it said this is one of the most influential people of all time.
This could be elon musk. He's hosted snl.
Hear me out. Let me finish before you start laughing.
How dare you, robin?
- I put a lot of... - Sorry, I wasn't expecting
- you to say elon musk. - ...Dramatic thought into this guess.
- It all fits. It all fits. - Will: Wow. Wow.
Did you just say that?
This is what the jester has done to us.
Now, I'm saying it could be elon musk,
who is very influential.
But then could it be-- maybe this is simon cowell?
He's got that kind of vibe.
Yeah, he's got this kind of body, too.
- You've worked with simon. - He's my man.
He looks exactly like simon cowell to me.
That's not a bad guess.
That's how he stretches out in the green room.
Now, robin, are any of those people your neighbors?
No. It's a big neighborhood.
But I'm gonna go with somebody a little different--
him and I do have some neighborly history together--
would be flea from the red hot chili peppers.
Nick: All right. That's a good--
- wow. That's a good guess. - Yeah, that's good, robin.
Great guesses up there and a great job up here.
- Slither on backstage. - Huggy!
Hee-hee!
Keep it going for him, y'all.
Who is this?
This was a challenge to see if I could drive
through this competition with proper dignity.
I hope that's what I achieved.
( laughs )
♪ who is that?
The take it off buzzer has officially been activated.
- Nicole: No! - Jenny: Oh, my god!
But will it be used again? And when? Tmz knows.
Log on to tmz.Com for the exclusive details.
♪ who, who, who, who
welcome back to "the masked singer" and our group a semi-finals.
The final performance of the night is from skunk.
Tonight, she's raising the stakes and the roof. Watch this.
Now it's the semi-finals and the pressure is on.
Pressure is on.
There is some stiff competition here.
It's raising the stakes for me as a performer.
Bull, to me, would be the one to beat.
He's bringing all the energy.
It's making me rethink some things.
I need more passion. I need more emotion.
I need more soul, honey.
We gotta win this thing.
No matter what these other contestants bring,
every song I do, I make it my own.
Tonight, I'm bringing out the big guns.
I'm doing etta james' "at last."
and, you know, I've been told
she would want me to portray her in a movie.
But honestly, the thing I'm most proud of these days
is that my kids get to see me perform on this stage.
Their mama's still got it,
and I hope I can make it to the finals.
♪ at last
♪ my love has come along
♪ my lonely days are over
♪ and life is like a song
- ♪ yeah - whoo!
♪ I found a dream
♪ that I can speak to
♪ a dream that I
♪ I never known
♪ I found a thrill
♪ to press my cheek to
♪ a thrill that I
♪ never known
♪ oh, oh, oh
♪ you smile
♪ yes, you do
♪ and then
♪ the spell was cast
♪ yeah
♪ now we are
♪ in heaven
♪ yeah
♪ for you are mine
♪ at
♪ at last
( vocalizing )
♪ at last
♪ ooh
yeah!
Yeah!
( cheering continues ) - what a day, what a day what a day.
Nick: Wow. I've said it once,
we are not worthy.
You had robin standing up on the desk.
Oh, I get so-- like, when you sing,
I hang on to your every note.
I can't wait for the next phrase.
And I just-- I can't get enough of your voice.
Thank you. Thank you for that.
Um, there are certain people that can sing,
then there's certain people that have this special quality
to just make you feel what they're feeling.
You've got that. It's like, wow.
Nick: Well said.
So, it's time to find out who the skunk
- has a connection with. - Uh-oh.
Men in black, it's time to get back with this bling shot.
This one's for nicole.
- Nicole, it's coming your way. - Oh, snap!
- Don't hurt nobody. - Oh, my gosh.
Come on, nick. Let's focus.
Robin: Put some stank on it.
Oh, my god!
- Oh, my-- - touchdown!
- Whoo! "love." - jenny: "love."
- I like this clue. - Nicole, I think you could say
that we have a love connection.
Nick: Maybe y'all worked together before?
Did you date the same person?
- Ooh. - No. We both like, "no."
I think it could be mary j. Blige.
One of her biggest songs is "real love."
woman: Yeah!
She got excited in the audience.
She said, "yeah!"
or I'm feeling what robin's been thinking this whole time as well.
Yeah. I feel like I know this voice.
The reason is 'cause I believe I sang a duet with her
on one of my albums, and I think this faith evans.
You know who I'm thinking?
We've mentioned this name before.
She has a few songs-- "love rain," "it's love."
I think all signs are pointing to jill scott.
- All right. - Good guess.
- That could be it, too. - I think the "love" pillow--
and I don't know how this relates to you, nicole, maybe you can figure it out.
- Diddy has changed his name to love. - Oh!
- That's right. Sorry. - That's what it is.
But diddy also has a connection to mary j. Blige.
Right, so it could be mary j. Blige or faith evans in the "love" connection.
Oh, my god, it could be, 'cause of puff.
- Yeah. - Yes.
And-- and-- and-- and mary j. Blige
gave me some of her wine for christmas last year,
and I loved it.
And what we loved was this legendary performance, right?
That was amazing.
I just can't believe two people are going home tonight.
It's going to be impossible.
Hi, it's me again, miss masky.
Are you as lost as the panel?
Well, skunk gave me this big clue.
Does it give you some direction to who she is?
♪ who is that?
Well, it's been a semi-final for the history books, indeed.
Our four singers sang their tails off tonight,
but only two will advance to the group a finals.
Audience, panel, and our super fans across america,
vote now for your favorite.
The top two will advance to the group a finals in a few weeks.
So hard.
The bottom two will unmask and head home
in the trunk of will.I.Am's suburban.
The votes are in,
and the first singer headed home tonight is...
I'm so sorry.
- Jester. - Oh, man.
The rest of you, you're safe for now.
Show the jester some love and head back to the lair.
- We love you, jester. - We'll see you in a minute for the second unmasking.
- Jester! Jester! Jester! - We hate to see you leave,
- but we love to get to see who you truly are. - Yeah!
But first let's bring them first impression guesses out from the vault.
- Oh, I can't wait. - He already knows ain't none of us get it.
All right. Now, panel, remember,
if your first impression guess is correct, you get a point.
Ken, your first impression guess was roger daltry.
Are you going to stick with that one?
Man, I've been all over the place with jester.
But I think this is legendary rocker
from the who, roger daltry.
All right. He's sticking with it.
Nicole, your first impression guess was sammy hagar.
- I'm not sticking with it. - Okay.
We saw "cake."
cake makes me think of sweets,
like hershey's kisses.
I think this could be gene simmons from kiss.
He has been with his partner shannon for about 40 years.
Nick: There it is. All right, robin?
Alice cooper.
Yes, he sang an alice cooper song and it was spot on.
"school's out." but I think it might be
one of the red hot chili peppers, mr. Flea.
- All right. - Ken: Good guess.
Flea's fun.
Flea is definitely fun. All right, jenny.
- Yes. - Dee snyder.
Well, y'know, he did give us a twisted clue when he was onstage.
He has been married for 40 years.
- Mm. - I'm not gonna take it anymore.
I need to know. This is dee snyder!
- There you go, jenny. - Not bad.
Will.I.Am, who is this?
Joe elliot, lead singer of def leppard.
Yeah.
Been married to his wife for a real long time.
- Come on, will! - Yes!
All right. These guys made their final guesses.
Let's see if any of you are even close.
Jester, we need to know who you are.
Audience, say it with me.
( chanting ) take it off! Take it off!
♪ who, who, who, who
♪ who are you?
Take it off!
♪ I really wanna know
oh, this is killing me!
♪ I really wanna know
are you gonna take it off or what?
♪ tell me, who are you, you, you ♪
- who is this? - Ta-da!
- Legendary rock star! - What the what?
The one and only johnny rotten!
- Johnny rotten? - Ken: Wow.
Lead singer of the sex pistols!
Johnny rotten in the building!
- Johnny rotten? - Wow.
- A legend. Punk legend. - Literally the inventor of punk rock.
Johnny freaking rotten?
Nick: Johnny rotten right here, will.I.Am.
Wow! You know, it's very rare,
like, you meet people that have inspired generations,
that gave liberty to people to express themselves and rebel.
You mean so much to the world of music,
and I just want to thank you for all that you've done for music.
- Aww, thank you, will. - Well said, well said.
Johnny: We've only got one life,
and we must explore all the possibilities,
and be limited by no one for no reason.
True punk rock, baby.
I need to know about the cake. That's driving me crazy.
Ah, in britain, we were banned everywhere, couldn't play.
And so we managed to get this gig playing for orphans,
and they had cake and they smothered us in it.
So children got us, but adults didn't.
- Ah! - I love that.
Now, when we saw you talk about your wife
and that you're doing this for her,
please can you expound on that a little?
We've been married 45 years.
- Wow. - That's success.
And, uh, no sadness, you know,
but she's at a certain point now in her life
where she's suffering from alzheimer's.
And it's my job as her main protector
and love of my life to look after her,
and she will love this.
- Bless you. - That's what this show is all about.
Thank you so much for joining us. Johnny rotten, y'all.
Y'all gotta make some noise for the legend.
It was a pleasure having you.
And to sing one last time unmasked,
the artist formerly known as the jester,
johnny rotten!
♪ I am a man
♪ of constant sorrow
♪ I sing trouble
after the break, we find out
who the second singer getting eliminated tonight is.
♪ I'll meet you on
♪ god's golden shore
welcome back to "the masked singer."
- whoo! - Jester was just unmasked,
so who is joining him in a very awkward ride home tonight?
It's time to find out.
The second singer unmasking is...
None of them deserve to go home.
♪ who are they going to unmask? ♪
pepper?
You guys make some noise for pepper.
Keep it going.
That means bull and skunk will be battling it out
for the title of group a champion in two weeks.
I don't like this! Pepper, we love you.
Y'all keep it going for pepper.
Robin: Pepper! Pepper!
That was probably the hardest vote you guys ever had to do.
- Ever. - Yes. - All amazing voices.
Pepper, I'm so sorry that you are leaving us.
But we are so happy we get to see who you are.
- But before we get to that... - No.
...It's time for your first impression guesses.
Men in black, bring them out.
- All right. - Uh-oh.
Mr. Robin thicke, your first impression guess
for pepper was carly rae jepson.
Okay. A new name came to mind when she was singing.
She definitely had the good girl image, was known for that.
I think this is the lovely, talented mandy moore.
- All right. Good guess. - Wow.
- That's a great guess, but mine is better. - Always.
All right, jenny, you chose lana del rey.
Are you sticking with it?
No, I'm not, nick.
Well, this artist, she's definitely a songwriter,
knows how to tell a story, and, ken, she toured with train.
- ( gasps ) - ooh.
I think this is the beautiful, wonderful dido.
Ooh, wow.
- Not a bad guess at all. - Good guess.
Thanks, right? Thanks, guys. Thank you very much.
- Ken, your first impression guess was kesha. - Ken: Oh!
- Okay. I like that guess. - What were you thinking?
- No, that's pretty good. - You sticking with it?
Still not happy about the sarah bareilles situation.
But if it's truly not her,
I'm gonna steal jenny's guess from weeks ago.
I think pepper is pink.
- There you go. - Oh! I like that.
- Some things never change. - Boom!
Now, nicole, you chose natasha beddingfield.
- Ooh. - Oh, I love that.
- Are you sticking with it? - I'm sticking with it.
I don't know if y'all remember,
there was a hollywood sign in the clue package, too.
'cause "unwritten" was, uh, you know, on "the hills."
- oh. - That's gotta be my girl natasha beddingfield.
- All right. - All right.
I'm a huge fan of natasha beddingfield.
She's quite confident.
Our superstar guest panelist, will.I.Am, who is the pepper?
I'm just going off of my favorite singer...
- Uh-huh. - ...Coupled with the tone of voice.
So I'm thinking maybe it's sia.
- Jenny: Ooh! - Nicole: I love sia.
- Robin: Great guess. - Me, too.
Okay, panel, you made your final guesses.
Let's see if any of you are correct.
Audience, say it with me!
( chanting ) take it off! Take it off!
Take it off! Take it off!
Come on, natasha.
♪ who, who, who, who
- take it off! Take it off! - ♪ I really wanna know
who are you?
- Sia! - Come on, baby!
♪ you, you, are you
nicole was right! Superstar singer...
- Oh, my god!
- Whoo! - ...Natasha beddingfield!
Whoo!
- Nicole was right! - I'm on the board!
- I'm on the board, guys. - Scherzie's on the board.
Amazing job. Amazing vocals. Amazing performance.
Tell me about being pepper.
Well, um, you know, it's fun to be spicy.
- Hey! - Yes!
Your performances were crushing it.
- Like, jaw-dropping. - Outstanding.
Thank you. I just want people to feel something.
And so I'm really trying to tell a story,
- and that's what I'm hoping-- - jenny: I felt it.
- Thank you. - Felt it.
- Terrific writer, too. - Thank you.
Natasha, you talked about someone you were close to in your package.
- You-- who was that? - Oh, my son,
he had brain surgery just before the pandemic.
He's three. We were, like, five weeks in the hospital.
You go through something like that and you see, like,
just how many strong people there are,
and it makes you stop caring about things
that you used to care about.
- That's so true. - How's he doing?
He's so incredible. Perfect.
- I'm so glad! - Yeah, he's great.
- And his favorite color is red! - There it is.
- Oh, yes. - He's going to see mom as the pepper.
- Truly a blessing. - We love you.
I mean, all of you guys, I'm just so--
seriously, I'm so honored, and thank you for having me.
- Thank you. - With one point correct for pepper,
nicole is now tied with ken in first impression guesses.
- Yes. - And right now,
give it up for the artist formerly known as the pepper,
- natasha beddingfield! - Yeah!
Whoo!
♪ just stop your crying
♪ it's a sign of the times, yeah ♪
♪ we've gotta get away from here ♪
- ♪ we got to get away - whoa!
- ♪ we've got to get away