SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 9, episode 14 season finale of “The Masked Singer,” which aired May 17 on Fox.
Like a river, Bishop Briggs kept a steady flow throughout Season 9 of Fox’s “The Masked Singer” — and her perseverance was rewarded with the championship. Briggs, as Medusa, won this season’s top prize and was finally unmasked on Wednesday night’s finale, along with runner-up David Archuleta, revealed as the Macaw.
Briggs, who performed the most of any contestant this season, sealed her victory with performances of “Elastic Heart,” by Sia, and “Welcome to the Black Parade,” by My Chemical Romance. Although Briggs said singing under the Medusa costume was a challenge, she pointed out that it was nothing compared to what she did last year.
“When I was on the show, I was six months postpartum,” she said. “My most recent memory was performing at Coachella while pregnant, which was such an undertaking. I feel like compared to that, this was okay. That made a huge difference that I had something so intense to compare it to, being six months pregnant and performing in the desert heat. And so, I think that helped my endurance a little bit.”
Briggs is known for hits including “Wild Horses” and “River”; she recently released the new single “Baggage” and has the new EP “When Everything Went Dark” coming out next month, followed by a North American tour this fall with MisterWives.
In participating in “The Masked Singer,” Briggs said she was a fan of the show and was curious about “having the opportunity to really make it about my voice… it was an adventure performing underneath the costume, for sure. I feel like I could see at the beginning of each song and then by the end of it, who knows what I could see. But my expectations going in were just to be as authentic as possible. And my hope was that the emotion would come through.”
Briggs was almost eliminated earlier in the season but saved by the show’s “Ding Dong Keep It On” bell. Asked to choose her favorite performance of the season, she went with her cover of Hozier’s “Take Me to Church.” “I got to do all the things that I love to do in my own sets,” she said. “I got to lean into the passion of the song, I got to run around, and I love Hozier.”
For Medusa, panelist Nicole Scherzinger got it right with Bishop Briggs. Robin Thicke thought it was Grimes. Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg picked Fergie. Ken Jeong went rogue with Susan Boyle.
As for Macaw, Scherzinger got it right again, this time with David Archuleta. Jeong agreed. Thicke thought it was Jason Mraz. McCarthy Wahlberg went with Neil Patrick Harris.
Like last season, “The Masked Singer” has once again adopted a “Champion of Masked Singer” format during the regular season. Each episode, three costumed celebrities performed, but only one would win and move on to compete again the following week.
New this season was “Ding Dong Keep It On.” In the new twist to the competition, panelists had the opportunity to save a singer from looming elimination, but the bell can only be rung three times during the first three rounds. Those three singers then faced off on a special episode in a battle to rejoin the competition — which wound up including Medusa.
Bishop Briggs as Medusa and David Archuleta as Macaw join Pentatonix as California Roll, Olivia Culpo as UFO, Lou Diamond Phillips as Mantis, Keenan Allen as Gargoyle, Melissa Joan Hart as Lamp, Alicia Witt as Dandelion, Dee Snider as the Doll, Christine Quinn as Scorpio, George Wendt as Moose, Holly Robinson Peete as Fairy, Alexa Bliss as Axolotl, Lele Pons as Jackalope, Malin Akerman as Squirrel, Michael Bolton as the Wolf, Grandmaster Flash as Polar Bear, Debbie Gibson as Night Owl, Howie Mandel as Rock Lobster, Sara Evans as Mustang and Dick Van Dyke as Gnome as the celebrities unmasked this season.
“The Masked Singer” entered Season 9 with 21 contestants include “Mustang,” “Axolotl,” “California Roll,” “Dandelion,” “Moose,” “Gargoyle,” “Jackalope,” “Doll,” Polar Bear,” “Night Owl,” “Rock Lobster,” “Gnome,” “Macaw,” “Squirrel,” “Wolf” and more. Tim Chappel is this season’s costume designer.
The Season 9 contestants “boast a combined 28 Emmy nominations, six Grammy wins, 10 gold albums, four Golden Globe nominations, five medals, 26 books, two Tony Award nominations, five Lifetime Achievement Awards, four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a combined 95,231,000 records sold.” Season nine will introduce all-new themed episodes, including “ABBA Night,” “New York Night,” “DC Superheroes Night,” “Sesame Street Night,” “80s Night,” “Movie Night” and more.
Here were the final two contestants and their performances on night fourteen:
Nick Cannon and Medusa, “The Masked Singer” (Michael Becker/Fox)
Pete Dadds
Medusa (BISHOP BRIGGS)
Songs: “Elastic Heart,” by Sia; “Welcome to the Black Parade,” by My Chemical Romance
Panel guesses: Elle Goulding, Fergie, Kesha, Grimes, Lorde, Shirley Manson, Bishop Briggs
Package voiceover: “I think people who know me wouldn’t be the least bit surprised I’m wearing a costume with a bunch of snakes all over it and looking creepy. Being a cheeky, reptilian enchantress is basically my aesthetic. The truth is, I feel really grateful I have such a powerful costume to embody. Medusa has become my second skin. The truth is I feel really grateful that I have such a powerful costume to embody. Medusa has become my second skin. I’m actually afraid I’ll get too used to it and won’t take it off when I go on tour. I fought hard to get here, and it would mean so much to me to join the ranks of past winners like the amazing Queen of Hearts [Jewel]. This experience is something I’ll carry with me forever… I cannot believe I am here in the finale! It has been such a journey. I am grateful but deep down in my stomach there is a fire that makes me really want to win. Because more than any other singer this season, I had to fight the hardest to earn my place here tonight. I was almost sent home, but all of those obstacles prepared me for this moment right now. Because no matter the circumstances, my priority is the connection with the people in front of me. And the hope that they’ll feel less alone because of my music. I hope when my son watches this he’ll hear Medusa’s message that we are capable of being so many different things at once. That with great loss, there is always still joy. And more than anything, it’s worth fighting for. I hope I make him proud.”
Previous songs: “Someone Like You,” by Adele; “Happier Than Ever,” by Billie Eilish; “Dancing Queen,” by ABBA; “New York, New York,” by Frank Sinatra; “Mercy,” by Shawn Mendes; “Take Me to Church,” by Hozier
Previous panel guesses: Elle Goulding, Megan Markle, Jessie J, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Lorde, Tove Lo, Apple Martin, Dakota Johnson, Florence Welch, Shirley Manson, Susan Boyle, Kesha, Imogen Heap, Regina Spektor, Bishop Briggs, Amy Lee, Halsey, Ashlee Simpson, Grimes, Natalie Merchant, Paula Cole, Hailee Steinfeld, Dove Cameron, Dido. And when she was about to be voted off: Ken Jeong picked Susan Boyle, Robin Thicke went with Kesha, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg said it was Halsey, Nicole Scherzinger guessed Lorde.
Nick Cannon and Macaw, “The Masked Singer” (Michael Becker/Fox)
Pete Dadds
Macaw (DAVID ARCHULETA)
Songs: “Hold Back the River,” by James Bay; “All by Myself,” by Eric Carmen
Panel guesses: Zayn Malik, Neil Patrick Harris, Doug Robb of Hoobastank, David Archuleta, Darren Criss
Package voiceover: “Becoming the Macaw is exciting because it’s like I’m becoming a new person. Even though people can’t see me in this, in a way it lets me show a lot more of myself. I can show the colors I was too afraid to show, and I’m able to tap deeper emotionally in my performances. You know, I had a lot of anxiety coming here because I wasn’t sure I could handle an environment of being judged again. Especially with millions watching me on TV. But being the Macaw makes it a lot more fun. And if I win, it means I actually can win something. Maybe the last night for Macaw, but he’ll live in me forever. When I first started this competition, I didn’t think I’d make it this far. And honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d still be singing at all. Not a lot of people know this about me, but I had a major injury last year that made me completely silent for three months. I was also going through some pretty big life events, and I began to wonder if this is really for me. But after taking time to reflect, I realized there was still a part of me in performing and that I should keep trying, even with all the changes. I once thought I would be alone. But from this bird’s eye view, I can see I deserve to be loved.”
Previous songs: “Your Song,” by Elton John; “Live Like You’re Dying,” by Tim McGraw; “What Makes You Beautiful,” by One Direction
Previous panel guesses: Elijah Wood, Zayn Malik, Doug Robb, Macaulay Culkin, Gavin McGraw, Ryan Cabrera, Darren Criss, David Archuleta, Daniel Bedingfield, Daniel Radcliffe