‘The Masked Singer’ Season 4 Premiere Spoilers & Reveals Recap

Popcorn in the "The Masks Return" season four premiere of THE MASKED SINGER airing Wednesday, Sept. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

FOX Popcorn in the "The Masks Return" season four premiere of THE MASKED SINGER airing Wednesday, Sept. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

The Masked Singer season four premiered Wednesday, September 23 on FOX, featuring the first six contestants of the season in Group A, with one of them getting unmasked by the end of the episode.

Nick Cannon returned as host and Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke returned as the judges. The season four costumes include two snow owls in a nest, a giraffe, a sun, a bucket of popcorn, a dragon, a squiggly monster, a pair of lips, a jellyfish, the whatchamacallit, a mushroom, a baby alien, a seahorse, a serpent, a crocodile, broccoli, and a gremlin.

Below is a live recap of who performed during the premiere, the clues and guesses for each performer, and which celebrity was unmasked, but BEWARE OF SPOILERS. Do not keep reading if you don’t want to be spoiled.


The Masked Singer Season 4 Premiere Live Recap

At the top of the show, Cannon revealed that there’s a new prize up for grabs this year. For season four, the panelist with the most correct first impression guesses wins the Golden Ear Trophy. According to FOX, Robin has the best chance of winning because to date, he has made 20 correct guesses. Nicole is second with 17 correct guesses, Jenny is third with 16, and Ken is last with three.

The season four premiere episode featured performances and video packages from the Group A contestants: Sun, Giraffe, Popcorn, Dragon, and the Snow Owls.

Sun was up first, performing “Cuz I Love You” by Lizzo. The clue package featured a Mickey Mouse silhouette, talking about falling into a deep depression, and this show being the singer’s big comeback from that. There was also a reference to feeling “frozen,” but “within the darkness of a quiet place,” she “transformed into a ray of light, springing back to life.” The judges guessed that Sun was Kat McPhee (Nicole), Demi Lovato (Jenny), and Madonna (Ken). Robin didn’t name a person. Here’s who we think it is.

The second singer was Giraffe, performing “Let’s Get It Started” by Black Eyed Peas. His video package included a carnival and roller coast, with the Giraffe talking about sticking his neck out and taking a gigantic risk, but it didn’t work and he “became the butt of everyone’s jokes.” At that point, he was “in knots and felt so lonely, like the party was over.” But that “crash and burn” drove him to “swing even higher” and then he “drummed up towering success.” Now he is in the driver’s seat and off to the races. Ken talked about a Garth Brooks vibe. Jenny guessed Travis Barker, which is not bad. Robin brought up Vanilla Ice. Read more about the clues and guesses for Giraffe here.

Popcorn was third, singing “What About Us” by P!NK. The video package was set in New York and was called “Snacks and the City.” There were a lot of animals — tiger, fish, snake — but also an apple and some meatloaf. She also said she goes “jet setting to exotic places with royalty” and “while you may think I’m a little cheesy, I worked for what I got” while standing in front of a “Proud Merry-Go-Round,” which might indicate Tina Turner — and that’s who Jenny guessed. Ken mentioned Carole Baskin, then Nicole guessed Mary J. Blige. We think we it’s actually somebody else entirely.

The fourth singer of the night was Dragon, who sang “Mama Said Knock You Out” by LL Cool J. The video clue package featured a mansion with a treasure room and the Dragon talking about how at first, his “fire was dangerous,” but then he “got a tip that helped [him] calm down and switch gears.” In the trophy room was a gold dog bone and the Statue of Liberty. Jenny guessed DMX, Ken guessed Michael Phelps, and Robin and Nicole both guessed Busta Rhymes. Read more about the clues and guesses for Dragon here.

The final performers were the Snow Owls, the first double costume on the show. They performed “Say Something” by Great Big World. Their video package alluded to the idea that they are a family reuniting after not being together for a while. It showed a pearl in an oyster and also a castle with a sign that said “Jam-a-Lot.” There were two other signs that read “Magnolia” and “Quarrel Canyon,” then a birdhouse covered in snow and Christmas lights. The package also said the brother was a “prankster” and a “real wiseguy” who would do “anything for a laugh.”

Robin guessed it was Amy Grant and Vince Gill, who are married. Jenny thought brother/sister and guessed Donny and Marie Osmond, which is what Nicole said too — but Donny has already been on the show, so it’s probably not them. Then Ken guessed Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, which is a pretty solid guess. But we actually think we figured this one out.


The Elimination

The five premiere performances were all really strong, so the elimination was tough. But in the end, the Dragon was the performer who was sent home. Before they revealed his identity, they read off the panel’s first impression guesses:

Robin: Busta Rhymes, stuck with it
Jenny: Adrian Peterson, switched to DMX
Nicole: Busta Rhymes, stuck with it
Ken: Marshawn Lynch, switched to Michael Phelps

The dragon was revealed to indeed be Busta Rhymes. He said he felt like he was in an oxygen tank without oxygen when he was in the costume.

“You know how much I love you. You are rap royalty, there will never be another artist like you,” said Nicole afterward. “Thank you for being on our show.”

The Masked Singer season four airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX

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