‘The Masked Singer’: Harp Is Totally Amber Riley

The Masked Singer Season 8 kicked off on Wednesday, and we have a pretty good hunch on who the current frontrunner really is. Episode 1 viewers were treated to the incredible talents of Harp, a female celebrity with a powerful voice. However, as soon as we heard her vocal, we likely cracked her identity: Amber Riley.

Riley, 36, is best known for her tenure as Mercedes Jones on Fox’s musical comedy Glee. However, she’s been involved in lots of other projects, which helped us decipher some of the clues Fox gave us. Scroll through to see our reading of the clues and why we think Riley is behind the mask. (You can watch the show live each week via FuboTV or another live service).

‘American Idol’ Rejected Her

The main bit of Harp’s monologue clues was: “When I was a teenager, I auditioned for the biggest show in the world. It was my dream, but I didn’t fit the mold and was turned down. I was devastated, but I knew I had to keep going. It was my uniqueness that later landed me the opportunity of a lifetime and (I) became an idol for anyone who felt like an outsider.” This mirrors Riley’s real-life, in which she was rejected from American Idol Season 2 before going on to land her role as one of the “gleeks” on Glee.

Awards

On stage with Nick Cannon, Harp stated that she has won awards for acting, singing and comedy, the latter of which she shared with her friends. Riley won “Best Actress in a Musical” awards at both the WhatsOnStage Awards and Laurence Olivier Awards, “Best Musical Performance” at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, and a SAG Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series,” which she shared with the Glee cast.

Scarecrow/Witch Hat

Hm… do you accept this clue from #HarpMask? 🌹 #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/vSLJjg5qSv

— The Masked Singer (@MaskedSingerFOX) September 22, 2022

One of the visual clues was a scarecrow’s hat (or a witch’s hat). This brings to mind The Wizard of Oz. Riley appeared in the PBS special WICKED in Concert. (Wicked is a musical set in the land of Oz.)

Cast List

Another visual clue was a cast list, with spaces for three leads. Harp took the first of those three spots. Riley played Effie White in the stage version of Dreamgirls, which has three main leads.

3D Glasses

A pair of 3D glasses were also shown during Harp’s package. It’s a bit random, but ties in perfectly with the fact that Riley appeared in Glee: The 3D Concert Movie.

How to Watch

The Masked Singer airs on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. If you don’t have a traditional cable package, FuboTV allows you to watch The Masked Singer live (there’s even a free trial available). Additionally, all episodes of The Masked Singer are available on Hulu the following day.