Nick: Welcome to "the masked singer."
superstar comedian larry the cable guy!
- My man rob schneider! - Hello!
The one and only johnny rotten! Natasha bedingfield!
Oh, my gosh!
The competition is super stacked. Y'all ready for this?
I wanna win this thing. So you gotta, bam, kill it, every time.
I'm ready to get out there and absolutely earn my spot in the finals.
- ( vocalizing ) - whoa!
- Our group a finals. - Whoo!
- Oh! - Ken, I'm out!
Whoa!
- Nick: Oh, my goodness. - ( vocalizing )
you left every single note that you have in your body on that stage.
♪ yeah, yeah
the most entertaining performance we've ever had on the show.
The very talented jesse mccartney!
- ( vocalizing ) - yeah!
Grammy award-winning legend michael bolton!
- Whoo! - We have two legends.
Tonight's champion will go head-to-head
in our season finale.
Take it off!
Oh, it's gonna be hard. It's gonna be hard.
- Yeah! - Oh, my gosh!
♪ who are you?
♪ who, who, who, who
♪ come on, tell me, who are you? ♪
wow!
♪ who, who, who, who
- nick cannon! - ♪ oh, I really wanna know
♪ who are you?
Wow!
Nick cannon!
- Yeah! - Yes!
Welcome to "the masked singer" and our group a finals.
- Look at this crowd. - The competition is super stacked.
Y'all ready for this?
- Ow! - Whoo!
Tonight's champion will go head-to-head
in our season finale against the group b winner,
either queen of hearts or banana split.
And the other must take it off.
Now here's how tonight works.
Both the bull and skunk will perform twice.
And for the first time in "masked singer" history, one duet.
So that's pretty exciting.
- Wow. - Yes.
Bull's duet partner is season three runner-up turtle,
the very talented jesse mccartney!
- Yeah! - Whoo!
And skunk will be singing with a "masked singer" newcomer,
grammy award-winning legend michael bolton.
- Yes! - Yeah!
- Wow. - You guys ready to get this thing going?
Ow!
Give it up for our panel of celebrity detectives!
Come on!
Robin: Yeah!
- ( ken shouts ) - whoo!
Thank you, nick. Thank you.
Thank you guys.
Now they're all fighting for our golden ear trophy,
and, nicole, you got one.
I'm on the board, nick. I'm coming!
- ( hisses ) - I'm coming, jenny, for you!
You're coming for jenny, but you're tied with me,
so I don't think you're gonna win.
Why are you coughing like it's-- come on.
Because I'm really scared I'm not gonna win.
- Oh. - I think there's a conspiracy going on.
Usually, I mean, ever since donny was on the show
and you didn't get him right,
you've been going downhill from there.
- Whoa! Nick. - You are our double golden ear champion,
but it's not looking pretty for you right now.
Ken: Aww.
Now let's get this group a final started!
We're kicking things off with the bull.
Robin swears he's never heard his amazing voice before
and nicole thinks she knows who it is.
But what do you think?
After years of chasing my destiny,
I got a big break.
That is a checkered flag.
- Racing flag. - Yep.
I thought it would change my life, but instead,
I changed myself...
Because of what people around me were saying,
which I regretted for a long time.
But one day, I woke up and I realized
that the qualities that I was hiding were actually what gave me my superpowers.
When I was true to myself, my success skyrocketed.
- Amen. - That's right.
And now I have the opportunity to inspire others
who maybe think that they don't fit in with their herd.
And as you can see, I'll never miss the chance again to express myself.
How do you not root for him hearing that?
- He has an amazing story. - Right?
( dice clacking )
♪ lost in a dream
♪ don't know which way to go
oh, my god!
♪ if you are all that you seem ♪
♪ then, baby, I'm moving way too slow ♪
♪ hey, I've been a fool before ♪
♪ wouldn't like to see my love caught in the slamming door ♪
♪ how about some information please? ♪
- whoa! - ♪ straight up, now tell me
♪ do you really wanna love me forever ♪
♪ or am I caught in a hit and run? ♪
♪ oh, straight up, now tell me ♪
♪ is it gonna be you and me together ♪
♪ are we just having fun?
Come on, girls!
Whoo!
Oh, my god!
♪ do-do you love me?
♪ whoo
♪ do-do you love me?
Put your hands together! Come on!
♪ straight up, now tell me
♪ do you really want to love me forever ♪
♪ or am I caught in a hit and run? ♪
♪ oh, straight up, now tell me ♪
♪ is it gonna be you and me together ♪
♪ or are we just having fun?
♪ yeah, yeah
♪ do-do you love me?
- Whoa! - No way!
Oh, my gosh!
( no audible dialogue )
I am, out too, ken! I'm out!
Nicole: I'm out! I'm out!
This is the best season ever!
- Straight up. - I'm done with you.
The bull is not playing.
This is definitely his ring. My goodness!
I mean, what an incredible way to kick off the group a finale
with your best performance, and the most entertaining
performance we've ever had on the show.
- For real. - Mr. Bull, I can't believe
what you're able to do in that costume.
Can you imagine seeing him in concert without all that,
what he would do?
Nicole: Yeah!
"masked singer" has never even played in this league,
- this caliber! - Nick: Straight up.
All right, this far along in the competition,
the panelists are getting closer to working out who these singers are,
but to make things easier, we're going to rule out a name
that has been on the tip of their tongue.
Men in black, roll out the tongue.
- Robin: Whoa. - Jenny: Oh, my gosh. That's awesome.
Oh, my gosh. That is weird.
All right, let's see what's on the tip of this tongue.
- Ken: Oh. - Well, this is what was on the tip of your tongue.
- See this guy? - Look at that.
- Jenny: Who is it? - Is that alexander hamilton?
- Look at you, history! - Whoa!
So it's not someone from broadway.
Or not someone from "hamilton."
- nick: From "hamilton." - oh.
Nick: Bull, help us out.
Well, nick, I am not alexander hamilton,
nor was in the broadway show.
- Yet. - Whoa.
I did perform at the same venue
where "hamilton" had its broadway debut.
- Mm! - Ken, is that helping?
No, no, no. I feel like he's trying to swerve us,
because I swear this is someone from "hamilton."
- he just said he wasn't. - But I'm trying to find a loophole, nick!
- I'm trying to figure it out. - Maybe it's a load of bull.
- Ken: I mean... - ( bull chuckles )
- good one, robin. - Ken: I mean, I'm honestly thinking
it could be jesse tyler ferguson
who has been on broadway, who is a triple threat.
And I was hanging out with jesse tyler the other day,
and he was doing that kind of flips on a pool.
- Why? - Because he invited me, nick!
And I was like, "whoa! I love this!"
'cause he's a liar. He's a liar.
And he was playing "opposites attract" by paula abdul.
Now where's my golden ear trophy, hmm?
Right? Huh?
Nick: Jenny, make some sense out of this, please.
Jenny: Well, nick, there were some big lgbtq clues,
and then I saw a racing flag.
He was on "rupaul's drag race" many times,
and recently on tour-- "wicked."
it could be adam lambert.
Ken: Oh.
Vocally, definitely a possibility,
however, the list gets shorter and shorter
- from the acrobatics. - Nicole: Yeah.
There's a few other really talented people
that I cannot believe I have not brought up.
- Okay. - Someone who stands out from the herd.
I'm thinking someone like jaden smith, right?
Or there is a brilliant broadway superstar
by the name of jeremy pope.
He can dance like that,
he can sing, he can do everything.
Ken: Good guess.
Nicole, we could beauty and the beast,
but you playing games.
- Wow. - Oh!
Bull is flirting with nicole.
We'll be right back with "the masked flirter" after this.
- Jenny: Right? - Nick: Before nicole takes the bull by the horns,
let's give it up for that amazing performance.
- Not bad. - Yeah.
- Incredible. - Unbelievable.
Now head on backstage and prep yourself for that big duet you got coming up.
That was crazy.
Hey, bull, it's your bestie matthew morrison here.
You know, I just have to say,
it fills my heart with glee to see you strutting
those beautiful hooves and that gorgeous voice of yours on "the masked singer."
now I know you're gonna kill it,
probably gonna make it all the way to the end,
and that's no bull.
Good luck, my friend.
Nick: Coming up, for the first time
in "masked singer" history,
musical superstars join our finalists
for duets you do not want to miss.
How insane was that?
Only one can make it through,
and you won't believe who gets unmasked.
Oh, my gosh!
After seeing bull's performance,
it's certainly raising the stakes for me.
The skunk has inspired me to not hold back.
So tonight, I'm gonna crush it, and I'm trying to win it.
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, it's skunk time.
Welcome back to "the masked singer"
and our group a finals.
It's the bull versus the skunk.
Every celebrated r&b singer of the last three decades
has been guessed for skunk.
But if you're still not sure, here's a little more guidance.
Skunk: Throughout my career, I would say just as many people
have been inspired by my person as by my music.
- New york. - New york? Alicia keys.
One time I was at church with my good friend whitney houston,
rest in peace, and there was a young lady, who was, like, boo-hoo crying.
I'm thinking, "clearly she's crying 'cause she sees whitney houston," you know?
And so the lady got up and she was saying that
my song got her through so much.
She was literally crying like, "I know god is real
because I never thought I'd ever see you in my life."
and then I started crying,
'cause I'm thinking she's talking about whitney.
And I was like, "oh, my god."
wow.
It made me realize that my actions
and the hardships I've been through
didn't just make me stronger, they helped other people too,
and I'll take that with me forever.
♪ you're a no good heartbreaker ♪
♪ you're a liar and you're a cheat ♪
♪ and I don't know why
♪ I let you do these things to me ♪
♪ my friends keep telling me
♪ that you ain't no good
♪ but, oh, they don't know
♪ that I would leave you if I could ♪
♪ I guess I'm uptight
♪ and I'm stuck like glue
♪ but I ain't never, I ain't never ♪
♪ I ain't never, no, no
♪ loved a man
♪ the way that I, I love you
♪ I can't sleep at night
♪ and I can't even fight
come on! Come on!
♪ I guess I'll never be free
♪ since you got
♪ your hooks in me
♪ oh, oh, oh
- ♪ yeah! Yeah! - Yeah!
♪ I ain't never loved a man, baby ♪
♪ I ain't never loved a man
♪ that hurt me so bad
♪ yeah
♪ let me tell you what I'm gonna do about it ♪
♪ I ain't never
♪ loved a man
♪ the way that I
♪ I love, I love, I love you
♪ yeah, you, I love you
- yeah! - Chills, chills, chills, chills!
Yeah!
- Holy cow. - Whoo!
The skunk with everyone on their feet
as she dropped to her knees.
Well, mrs. Skunk,
that was absolutely stunning, gorgeous,
and I really mean it, you could be our next winner.
Robin: Yes.
- Preach. - No, you said it.
You dig so much deeper into your soul when you sing
that we can feel the pain that you have to go through
- to love a man... - That's right.
The pain that it takes to make a relationship work.
- Come on, preach, robin. - Yes!
- Preach, robin! Preach, robin! - Preach!
- That-- - come on, robin.
- Ken: Yes! - That's what we're all feeling,
and that performance, you got on your knees,
you left every single note that you have in your body on that stage.
- Thank you. - Yes, you did.
But we still don't know who the skunk is!
So which wrong celebrity guess
has been on the tip of the panel's tongues?
- Roll the tongue out. - We're about to find out.
Roll out the tongue.
Let's see what's on the tip of this tongue.
Oh.
- See what I got here? - Robin: What is that? Jill scott?
Okay, so it's not jill scott.
However, we have performed together
a few times in the past.
Oh, really?
Performed with jill scott. Jenny?
- I need a hot minute, nick. - I'll come back to you.
I don't need a hot minute.
I don't waste time thinking and, like, planning.
We know. We know.
I just go off the flab of my stomach,
and my stomach tells me
that the skunk is definitely mary j. "bligh."
put the g on the-- when you say "blige."
- huh? - It's not "bligh." it's blige.
She's a family friend, nick.
She told me, and I quote, "ken, I prefer that you,
because we're so close, that you call me bligh."
I said, "but nick cannon said--"
- that's a "blie!" - no, she said blige.
You're "blying" right now.
- How dare you! How dare you! - You're blying!
You're the biggest "bliar" I know.
Ken: But you know what's not a blie?
Is that mary j. Has been friends with whitney houston over the years.
I honestly, in my heart of hearts,
believe and I hope that this is mary j. Bligh...
- "juh!" - there you go.
Yep, yep.
Well, our once clue expert now seems to be a little bit frustrated with the clues.
I'm very frustrated with the clues.
Okay, whitney houston happened to play
the fairy godmother in "cinderella."
- brandy. - ( jeering )
I hear you saying no, but this is all I got, okay?
Jenny, you're a two-time champion.
- It's okay to be dethroned. - You need to spread the love.
I thought it was brandy for a hot second.
Okay.
Brandy definitely has that voice and has a whitney connection,
'cause when brandy first came out,
a lot of people dubbed her as the next whitney
- when she was 14, 15 years old. - Thanks, robin and nicole.
And I've been back and forth a little bit, but, you know,
the clues and the story and now that I see the whitney clue,
and also a lot of you might know this,
used to be neighbors with whitney,
is faith evans.
The audience is on your side, robin.
You know, I do think it's faith,
but no matter who it is,
how lucky are we to have you on this season?
- I mean, we've been so blessed. - Yeah.
So blessed.
And we just witnessed one of the best performances on television.
- Robin: Yeah! - Great job, skunk.
Now head on backstage, because you get to perform again with michael bolton.
So, guys, I mean, this is insanely competitive.
This might be the closest competitors we've ever seen.
They're both really strong in their lanes.
Nicole: Yeah, the skunk is, like, soulful, takes us to church,
but then the bull is the everything entertainer.
This feels like the season finale...
- It does. - And it's just group a.
Hey, skunk, judge mathis here.
I see you doing your thing on "masked singer,"
and I'm sure out of all those competitors,
nobody will be able to stand up to the heat you're bringing.
So good luck to you,
and go out there and show them that your stuff don't stink.
♪ who is that?
It's me, miss masky.
Before we get to see bull's dynamic duet,
he left me this far-out clue that'll have you seeing stars.
Can you figure it out before it jets away?
Whoo!
♪ who is that?
Welcome back to "the masked singer" group a finals.
Before we go any further,
let's take a look at what the panel is competing for,
the highly coveted golden ear trophy.
That's what they fighting for, y'all,
the golden ear trophy.
Jenny has two at home,
but ken and nicole are in the lead for this year's trophy.
- Whoa! Jenny! - Nick: Oh, my goodness.
- Jenny! - Jenny!
- Ken: Jenny! - Robin: Poor men in black.
I am so sorry.
- Oh, my goodness. - Jenny, get ahold of yourself.
- Ken: Oh, my goodness. - Nick: My goodness.
- Whoa! - Whoa!
Hey, more importantly, is the trophy okay?
Put it down, ken.
And now let's get back to our group a finals.
The bull and the skunk are getting mic-ed up backstage,
preparing for their show-stopping duets.
How does our bovine contender feel about his journey so far...
Yeah!
...As he prepares for his collaboration
with "masked singer" alum jesse mccartney?
- Whoo! - Let's find out.
Crowd: Bull! Bull! Bull! Bull!
The fact I'm so close to the end of this competition,
it's just mind-boggling to me.
I'm a person who's never really believed in my voice,
and I'm gonna be honest,
when I first saw the bull, I was not 100% sold on it.
It didn't really feel like it resonated with who I am.
♪ tell me, did venus blow your mind? ♪
can I ask you, were you nervous? Are you nervous?
Every single time.
- Wow. - Wow.
But with every round, I discovered what I had in common with the bull.
I am tough, I'm a romantic,
I'm a fighter.
I think that I've learned that in order to find out who you are,
you have to forget everything you already think you know,
and this did that for me.
This week, I've been learning a duet with turtle himself,
jesse mccartney.
My first impression of bull
was this guy can really, really sing.
I really have no idea who this guy is,
so here I am rehearsing for a duet with an unknown partner.
But, hey, I'm up for the challenge,
and from what I've seen, so is the bull.
- I'm, like, whop, bop. It's very extra. - Okay.
They ain't ready for it.
I'm ready to get out there and absolutely earn my spot in the finale.
♪ I'm still alive, but I'm barely breathing ♪
♪ just pray to a god that I don't believe in ♪
yeah!
♪ 'cause I've time, but she got freedom ♪
♪ 'cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break even ♪
♪ her best days will be some of my worst ♪
♪ ooh
♪ she finally met a man who's gonna put her first ♪
♪ while I'm wide awake, she has no trouble sleeping ♪
♪ 'cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break even ♪
♪ even, no
♪ what am I supposed to do when the best part of me ♪
♪ was always you?
♪ and what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up ♪
♪ and you're okay?
Both: ♪ I'm falling to pieces
♪ yeah
both: ♪ I'm falling to pieces
♪ you've got his heart and my heart and none of the pain ♪
♪ you took the suitcase and I took the blame ♪
♪ now I'm trying make sense of what little remains ♪
♪ whoa
♪ 'cause you left me with no love and no love to my name ♪
♪ I'm still alive, but I'm barely breathing ♪
- go, jesse, go! - ♪ 'cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break ♪
♪ no, it don't break, no, it don't break even ♪
- ( vocalizing ) - ♪ what am I supposed to do
both: ♪ when the best part of me was always you? ♪
yes!
♪ what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up ♪
♪ and you're okay?
Both: ♪ I'm falling to pieces
♪ yeah
both: ♪ I'm falling to pieces
- whoo! Yeah! - Yeah!
Both: ♪ I'm falling to pieces
( both vocalizing )
♪ 'cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break even ♪
robin: Yeah!
Jenny: That was awesome!
- That was incredible! - Ken: That was great.
- Yes! - Whoo!
Great job.
What's up, guys?
Such an amazing performance,
the bull and the one and only jesse mccartney.
- Jesse! - Jesse!
Wow.
Oh, my goodness.
I was just telling jenny how much I love this so much.
Bull, phenomenal as always, and, jesse, it is so good
- to have you back on "the masked singer." - good to see you, ken!
Literally, this made my day to see you and to see you two together.
This is, like, just nothing but smiling.
- Love this guy. - Yeah, bull, you always crush it,
and, jesse, we loved you as the turtle,
but that handsome smile and that voice.
- I mean, come on. - So good to see you guys.
This entire experience feels like coming back to an old family.
I'm just so happy that I could say I was a part of it.
- I love it. - You're family!
I mean, he's amazing. I think he's gonna go all the way.
Ken: Wow.
You know, coming off the show, I have a lot of empathy.
You know, with the costume, I know how hard it is.
This even looks heavier than the turtle outfit to move.
And I know that you're doing splits and everything,
like, I can't even imagine, you know? So kudos to you.
Maybe I'll make a robin thicke dad joke in this moment.
Go for it.
So I don't know who this bull is,
but it ain't his first rodeo.
- Oh! - Ay!
- Yeah! - Robin, you can have that one.
Nicole: That's right.
All right, thank you so much. Ladies and gentlemen, jesse mccartney.
Thank you, guys.
Jesse!
- And of course, the bull! - Bull!
You guys can head on backstage.
Help him out! Bull, await your fate,
'cause it's almost time for the big vote.
Singing duet with the jesse mccartney, it was so much fun.
I'm hoping that singing with the turtle may be good luck.
Nick: Next, skunk duets with a legend
before the final vote of group a.
The closest votes in "masked singer" history.
Oh!
Nick: Next week, tune in for more duets
and a "masked singer" first, a pussycat doll onstage.
But it wasn't easy to pull off.
For the behind the scenes scoop, head to tmz.Com.
Welcome back to "the masked singer" group a finals.
Next up is skunk.
As she prepares for her michael bolton collaboration,
how does the ultimate diva feel about her journey so far?
Let's find out.
You know, it's been a while since I've done anything like this.
My focus lately has been on my family, especially my youngest son.
He's unique, and faces challenges others maybe don't,
but getting to see the world through his eyes has been so touching.
It actually gave me the courage to do this,
to put myself out there in a crazy skunk costume.
( laughs )
♪ at last
yeah!
Come on!
Oh, I just melted!
♪ at last
throughout this process, it's reminded me
I can be bad-ass mom and performer.
♪ nothing without a woman or a girl ♪
- what? - Whoa!
♪ yeah
one the best vocal performances
I've ever witnessed in my life.
I've had such a great time performing again,
and I'm not ready for it to end tonight.
I'm really excited to be singing a duet with michael bolton.
The key to a great duet is chemistry,
so it's a little challenging
because we can't see each other
and make eye contact.
But she's a great,
her voice is great,
so it's a total pleasure.
I have tried to make sure
that nothing stunk about the performance.
Yeah, thank you very much.
( crew laughs )
little does he know,
this isn't the first time we sang together.
Oh, that's cool.
That makes me a little more confident.
( laughs )
♪ listen, baby
♪ ain't no mountain high
♪ ain't no valley low
♪ ain't no river wide enough, baby ♪
♪ if you need me, call me
♪ no matter where you are
♪ no matter how far
♪ don't worry, baby
♪ just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry ♪
♪ you don't have to worry
both: ♪ cause, baby, there ain't no mountain high enough ♪
♪ ain't no valley low enough
♪ ain't no river wide enough
♪ to keep me from getting to you, babe ♪
whoo!
♪ oh, no, darling
♪ no wind, no rain
♪ nor winter's cold
♪ can't stop me, baby
- ♪ no, no, baby - ♪ 'cause you are my goal
♪ if you're ever in trouble, I'll be there on the double ♪
♪ just send for me
both: ♪ oh, baby
♪ my love is alive, way down in my heart ♪
♪ although we are miles apart
♪ if you ever need a helping hand ♪
♪ I'll be there on the double just as fast as I can ♪
both: ♪ 'cause, baby, there
♪ ain't no mountain high enough ♪
♪ ain't no valley low enough
♪ ain't no river wide enough
♪ to keep me from getting to you, babe ♪
♪ ain't no mountain high enough ♪
♪ to keep me from you
♪ ain't no valley low enough
♪ to keep me from you
♪ ain't no river wide enough
both: ♪ to keep me from getting to you, babe ♪
♪ ain't no mountain high enough ♪
- robin: Yeah! - Jenny: Yes! Yes!
- Yes! - Whoo!
Nicole: Wow.
- Nick: Wow. - How insane was that?
Ken: Yes!
The skunk and the one and only michael bolton.
Nicole: That's crazy.
We have two legends right before us.
That was classic performance.
Thank you, nicole.
Michael, it's an honor to have you on our stage.
It's an honor to be on this stage, and my pleasure.
Nicole: That tone that you, only you--
there's only one michael bolton in the world with that tone.
True indeed.
I couldn't hear the last thing you said. What was that?
I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I heard you.
You're very kind.
What I have to say is, first stop, "masked singer."
second stop will be skunk/michael bolton tour,
- and we're gonna be there front row. - We'll be there.
- That was amazing. - Okay, you said it.
- We love you, michael. - Thank you so much.
That was a blast for me.
I mean, the skunk has been my favorite singer this whole season.
- Jenny: Yes! - Robin: It's a pleasure to have you here, brother.
I never thought or imagined it would be so great
to be able to sing with skunk.
You were such a pleasure to sing with.
- Thank you. Likewise. - Thanks for having me.
- It's an honor. - One of the things she did say
is that this probably isn't your first time performing together.
- Oh. - In the package, she said it, if you were listening.
- Oh, she said in the package. - You wasn't paying attention to the package, ken?
I was enthralled with michael bolton, nick.
I apologize as well. Sit your ass down.
- Okay, I'm sorry. - We've got company, and you up here acting up.
All right, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
So do you have any idea who this could possibly be?
- I got zip. Zilch. - Zip and zilch, indeed.
We're gonna find out sooner or later, right, y'all?
Ladies and gentlemen, one more time for the skunk
and the one and only michael bolton.
Thank you for being a part of our group a finals.
And, of course, the skunk ripped it down once again.
We'll see the skunk for the next big vote.
- Skunk! Skunk! Skunk! - I absolutely enjoyed
performing with michael bolton.
The first time we performed together
was actually at a party,
and I'm not even sure if he remembers that night.
He kept saying, "I wish I knew who you were."
♪ who is that?
Welcome back to "the masked singer" group a finals.
I'm here with the bull and the skunk.
Whoo!
They've done all they can and left it all on the stage
with their celebrity duets,
but now someone's journey will come to an end.
Nerve-wracking. I'm legit nervous.
It's time for the audience, panel,
and our super fans across america
to vote for their favorite.
- Whoo! - ( fanfare playing )
I'm so nervous, ken.
Only one can advance to the finale,
and the other has to unmask.
Jenny: I hate that we have to say goodbye to somebody.
The results are in.
In one of the closest votes in "masked singer" history...
- Wow. - What?
The winner of group a is...
- Uh-oh. - Oh!
( dramatic music playing )
it's so hard! Oh, it's gonna be hard! It's gonna be hard!
The bull!
- Congratulations. - Wow, wow!
We'll see you in our finale
taking on queen of hearts or banana split.
- How do you feel? - Uh, there are no words to describe this.
I haven't really believed in myself that much in this competition,
but now I know I've got what it takes to make it to the end,
and I'm so stoked.
Nick: Now go ahead and give skunk some love.
- We love you, skunk! - Now hit the lair.
The finals are gonna be off the chain.
We gotta keep it going for skunk.
We hate to see you go,
but we love that we finally get to see who you are!
Whoo!
However, we must find out what our panel's first impression guesses are first though.
- Oh! Oh, snap. - No, let's skip that today.
No, we're not gonna skip it. Men in black, bring them out.
Now a reminder, nicole and ken are tied with one point each.
So this golden ear trophy could be either one of yours.
Let's see what we got over here.
Ken, your first impression guess was anita baker.
Robin: Okay.
Nick: Are you sticking with that?
You know, no.
With tonight's whitney houston story,
I really think this is mary j. Blige,
and that's how you pronounce it, nick.
I've been correcting you all day.
- I bet you have. - Ugh! It's blige.
All right, now, jenny, you were once our clue expert.
You said gloria gaynor and roberta flack.
- Robin: And? - Nicole: Uh-oh.
- There's two people in there. - That's what I'm saying.
It's "guess" not "guesses."
when I really don't know, I just do "all of the above."
- wow. That's amazing. - Well, I mean, the skunk has an enormous tail.
Maybe gloria gaynor's back there somewhere.
So, clearly, you can't have both.
You know, weeks ago,
the brilliant will.I.Am had mentioned mary j. Blige.
And I thought that sounds right.
Even though ken just said the same thing
and I'm kind of copying off of him,
I'm going to go with mary j. Blige.
Ken: Good guess. Good guess, jenny.
- Thanks, ken! Pow. - Nick: Now, nicole,
I guess not following the rules is quite contagious.
- Yes! Sisters! That's what we are. - Ken: Nicole.
- Did I do the same thing? - You believed it to be
deborah cox, fantasia, and mary j. Blige.
- Three? Oh, my god. That's hilarious. - Come on, man!
- What is going on around here? - Come on, man!
- I'm open. - So are you sticking
with any of those guesses?
I am not, actually.
After that whitney story,
I am checking into that heartbreak hotel.
This is faith evans!
All right. She said it with confidence.
- Faith evans! - Mr. Robin thicke.
Who's 0 for everything so far this season.
- But we love you. - Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
His first impression guess, faith evans.
Jenny: 'ey! I like it.
Robin: Well, you know, like I said,
all the clues that we've seen, new york city,
we've seen her tell a heartbreaking tale
of not getting to say goodbye
to somebody who passed in her life many years ago.
I believe that the person that she didn't get
to say goodbye to was the notorious b.I.G.
I just love her, I love the voice,
and I really do hope that this is faith evans.
- Nicole: Yes! - Well done, robin.
- That's amazing. - Well done. Well said.
Panel, you have made your final guesses,
and we'll see if any of you are correct.
Skunk, it's time to show your famous face.
Whoo!
Audience, say it with me.
All: Take it off! Take it off!
- ♪ who, who, who, who - take it off! Take it off!
- ♪ who are you? - Take it off! Take it off!
Come on, mary!
- All: Take it off! - Who is this?
- ♪ I really wanna know - come on!
All: Take it off! Take it off!
Oh, my god. I can't take it anymore.
- ♪ who are you? - What?
Ken: Really?
All: Take it off! Take it off!
Take it off! Take it off!
♪ who are you?
Faith, get me on the board!
- Who is this? - All: Take it off!
- Mary! - ♪ I really wanna know
♪ oh, I really wanna know
come on, faith!
♪ come on, tell me, who are you? ♪
- ♪ you, you, are you? - I have faith!
The legendary, grammy award-winning faith evans!
Jenny: Oh, my gosh!
- Yeah! I'm on the board! - I'm so happy for you!
- I'm on the board! - You're on the board, baby!
- Come on! - I'm on the board!
- Such a pleasure and honor... - Thank you.
...To have the icon in the building.
- Wow! - Ken: Yes!
- Thank you, guys. - So beautiful.
- Nick: My goodness. - Hey, hey.
Singing the roof off of this place.
Wow, the skunk-- this is a lot of work.
However, it was so much fun.
Man, you blessed us with each and every performance.
- I mean, panel, let's talk to y'all. - Thank you.
- But we gotta start with the man who got on... - Let's go, robin!
...The board with his first impression guess!
- Yeah, I got one right! - Yeah!
- You knew it. - Thank you.
Honestly, you know how I feel about you, faith.
Every time I see you out, there's just nothing but outpouring love
and appreciation and gratitude.
I love you. You know I love you.
Robin: So there's nothing else, really.
I've said it every time she sang.
The goosebumps, the soul, the passion,
you are and will always be one my favorite singers ever,
- so thank you. - Thank you, robin.
We are privileged and honored to have you here,
and we know that you took some time off to take care of your family,
so how does it feel to be back onstage?
Um, it feels good. It feels like I never left.
Like, "this what I do. What you mean?"
it feels like I came back with about 20 extra pounds on my back.
But my son ryder, he's 14, he's on the autism spectrum.
So we've been kind of home-schooling him for three years.
So I really haven't done nothing except for be a mom to him.
- Wow. - So this was my first time actually saying,
"okay, I'm gonna actually do something."
- robin: Yes. - Nick: Yes.
I reminded myself that when it's time to do what I gotta do,
I gotta make it do what it do.
- Yes! Yes! - Come on now. Come on now.
When it's time to do what I gotta do,
both: I gotta make it do what it do!
Nick: I love it.
Nicole: If you don't mind me asking, in the package you said
that you didn't get to speak to someone at a party.
What was that story?
That was the night that my ex-husband
the late great christopher wallace passed away.
We were at the same party, and we were separated at the time,
and, you know, just kind of being immature.
And, you know, I knew that we were supposed to go to an afterparty,
so I'm like, "well, I'll speak to him then."
and on the way to that party is when I got news
that I should go to the hospital
because something happened to him.
And we truly appreciate you sharing that story...
- Yes. - ...Your passion, your pain, and your heart with us.
Thank you to everybody who has just been a skunk supporter.
I appreciate it.
And to the panel, thank you guys so much
for the great compliments, you know?
You make a girl feel good, you know what I'm saying?
- Nick: Real talk! - Yeah.
We gotta say, give it up for the mom, the icon, the legendary singer,
the one and only faith evans.
Great job. So great.
Next week, it's the group b finals.
It's banana split versus queen of hearts.
Who will end up in our finale against the bull?
You do not want to miss this.
Now you ready to do what it do?
- I think so. - All right.
"just give me the microphone and get out the way."
right now, give it up for the artist formerly known as the skunk,
it's the queen, faith evans!
( vocalizing )
♪ I can't sleep at night
- wow! - ♪ I can't eat a bite
♪ I guess I'll never be free
♪ since you got your hooks
♪ in me
( vocalizing )
♪ yeah
♪ yeah, yeah
♪ let me tell you what I'm gonna do ♪
♪ I ain't never loved a man
♪ the way that I
♪ love you
♪ yeah, yeah
♪ yeah
thank you!
- Nicole: Wow. Wow. - Whoo!
- Faith: Thank you, guys. - Whoo!