‘The Masked Singer’ Live Updates: Pepper Unmasked

The competition on The Masked Singer is winding down. Group A — Bull, Pepper, Jester, and Skunk — returns this week for the semifinals. Which competitors will make it through to the Group A final? PopCulture.com will be here to keep you completely up to date on all of the action in the “Group A Semi-Final.”

This episode of the Nick-Cannon-hosted series will be a double elimination. So, while Pepper, Jester, Skunk, and Bull are sure to showcase their best vocals, only two of them will be making it through to the next round of the competition. They will eventually join the competitors from Group B (those who make it through the semi-finals) in the finale. At the moment, Group B includes Banana Split, Queen of Hearts, Mallard and Caterpillar. 

Since two masked singers will be leaving at the end of the night, there is no time to waste. Stay tuned! (You can also watch the show live using FuboTV, which is currently offering a free trial.)

9 p.m. ET — Another Singer Gets the Boot

Even though Pepper, Bull, and Skunk are all top contenders, one of them got the boot at the end of the episode. Cannon revealed that Pepper would not be making it to the Group A finals. So, that only leaves one thing — Pepper’s reveal. 

First and foremost, the show went back to the judges’ first impression guesses. Thicke’s was Carly Rae Jepsen, McCarthy’s was Lana Del Rey, Jeong’s was Kesha, and Scherzinger’s was Natasha Bedingfield. Everyone changed their guesses except for Scherzinger, with Jeong suggesting P!nk, Thicke guessing Mandy Moore, and McCarthy saying that it could be Dido. Since he wasn’t around for the first impression guesses, will.i.am’s suggestion was Sia. In the end, Pepper removed her mask and revealed that she was Natasha Bedingfield, best known for song like “Unwritten” and “Pocket Full of Sunshine.”

8:53 p.m. ET — The First Elimination

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It’s not easy, but the show had to say goodbye to two of the singers. The first one to be eliminated was the Jester. Of course, the show took things back to the judges’ first impression guesses. Jeong’s was Roger Daltrey, Scherzinger’s was Sammy Hagar, Thicke’s was Alice Cooper, and McCarthy’s was Dee Snider. Thicke changed his guess to Flea while Scherzinger changed hers to Gene Simmons. Guest judge will.i.am stuck with his guess of Joe Elliott. Ultimately, Jester was revealed to have been Johnny Rotten, the lead singer of the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd.

8:45 p.m. ET — Skunk Raises the Stakes

Skunk said that her fellow competitors, especially the Bull, have been raising the stakes of the competition week after week. When it comes to her own performances, she wants to incorporate more “passion” and “soul.” She said that she is going to bring out the big guns for her next performance of Etta James’ “At Last.” Skunk even noted that she was told that James wanted her to play her in a movie. 

Skunk really brought the passion for James’ classic hit. Her additional clue was the word “love.” The Skunk told Scherzinger that they have a “love connection.” Scherzinger thought that it could be Mary J. Blige, who has a song called “Real Love.” But, she really thinks that it’s been someone who Thicke has been thinking all along — Faith Evans. McCarthy suggested Jill Scott. Before the show went to commercial break, they shared another clue with the audience, showcasing a map of the United States. 

8:33 p.m. ET — Jester’s Got Jokes

Jester said that The Masked Singer had been a ton of fun, but it’s not without its difficulties. Still, he couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that he entered the competition late in the game while his fellow competitors were there from the beginning. Jester said that his wife will get the biggest kick out of his time on the show, sharing that they’ve been married for 45 years. While she has been battling an illness, it would never get in the way of how much Jester loves her. 

Jester showed off a different side to himself with his rendition of “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” by Soggy Bottom Boys. For his additional clue, Jester shared the word “cake.” He told his “twisted neighbor” Robin Thicke that he can have his cake and eat it. will.i.am shared a great guess of Joe Elliott from Def Leppard. Jeong went a different route with his guess of Elon Musk. Going off of the “neighbor” clue, Thicke said that it could be Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

8: 27 p.m. ET — Reveal Time?

For the first time this season, one of the judges pressed the “Take it Off” buzzer. Jeong felt confident that Pepper is Sara Bareilles. If it is indeed her, she would need to remove her mask on the spot and she would be eliminated from the competition. Alas, Jeong was wrong. 

So, not only is Bareilles off of the table for Pepper’s identity, the judges no longer have the option to use the “Take it Off” buzzer for the rest of Group A. Cannon then shared that the rest of the judges would not be able to make any guesses about Pepper as Jeong took up all of the time for the segment. They had to quickly move on to the next competitor — Jester. 

8: 19 p.m. ET — Pepper Brings the Heat

Pepper said that she was forced to adjust very quickly to the competition as she only joined it a few days before it began. She said that she’s enjoyed getting to explore a different side to herself with the Pepper, as it comes with a ton of “spice.” Her latest performance may just be her most emotional yet, as the song she chose reminds her of a loved one who she had to witness go through the “unthinkable.”

Pepper brought down the house with her rendition of Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times.” Her additional clue was the word “train.” Pepper told Jeong, “Ken, not even gravity could stop that train from getting to you.” This caused Jeong to say that he knew exactly who this was, leading him to the “Take it Off” buzzer. Jeong said that he’s sure Pepper is Sara Bareilles. He said that she guest starred on Community, has a connection to the group Train, and has a song called “Gravity.” But, is he correct?

8:10 p.m. ET — Bull Gets the Crowd Going

The Bull opened up about his Masked Singer journey thus far. He said that, at the moment, he’s feeling the most “nervous” he’s ever been in his career. Bull mentioned that they’re used to being a “solo performer,” so being on the Fox series is a whole different “kind of pressure.” When it comes to their latest performance, Bull shared that he wants everyone to know just how much of a triple threat he is. 

Bull did exactly that with his performance of Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me.” After his performance, Cannon shared one more clue for the masking singer — “ring.” Bull then said that he hopes it will ring a bell with guest judge will.i.am, whom he said he has a lot in common with. This all led to Keon Jeong guessing Billy Porter, saying that he previously got to “ring” in the New Year during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Scherzinger cited some triple threats that it could be, suggesting Usher, Jason Derulo, and Ne-Yo. 

Catch Up

The Masked Singer airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. If you’re not able to watch the show live, don’t worry. FuboTV is offering a free trial of its service to new subscribers so that they can watch their favorite singing competition live. As always, all episodes of The Masked Singer are available on Hulu the day after they air.