'The Masked Singer': Macaw Unmasked as an 'American Idol' Fan-Favorite

By Daniel S. Levine

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The Masked Singer Season 9 featured a whopping 21 contestants, and it all came down to the final two. Macaw and Medusa took the stage in Wednesday night's epic finale. Unfortunately, only one of them could go home with the golden mask trophy. Macaw, who performed first, finished in second place and was revealed to be a singer made beloved via American Idol! Continue on to learn Macaw's true identity (if you weren't already watching via FuboTV or another live service). Spoilers ahead!

In his clue package, Macaw mentioned how the costume helped him show viewers his true colors in ways he could not have without it. He was anxious because he was not sure he could be judged again, which was confirmation that he had previously appeared in a singing competition. He then performed James Bay's "Hold Back the River" for his first performance. He later performed Eric Carmen's "All By Myself." The panelists had several guesses, but Nicole Scherzinger was the one who got it right! It was David Archuleta under that mask.

Archuleta competed on American Idol in 2008 and finished in second place, hence his remark about getting a chance to finally win a competition. There were clues during his appearance that he came out as gay, which Archuleta did publicly in June 2021. He has also talked publicly about anxiety attacks. Macaw also mentioned that he started perming at a young age. Archuleta was 12 when he won Junior Vocal Champion on Star Search and 17 when he was on American Idol. The singer released his latest album, Therapy Sessions, in May 2020.

Previously revealed celebrities for Season 9 are Pentatonix (California Roll), Olivia Culpo (UFO), Keenan Allen (Gargoyle), Lou Diamond Phillips (Mantis), Melissa Joan Hart (Lamp), Alicia Witt (Dandelion), Dee Snider (Doll), Christine Quinn (Scorpio), George Wendt (Moose), Holly Robinson Peete (Fairy), Alexa Bliss (Axolotl),  Lele Pons (Jackalope), Malin Åkerman (Squirrel), Michael Bolton (Wolf), Grandmaster Flash (Polar Bear), Debbie Gibson (Night Owl), Rock Lobster (Howie Mandel), Sara Evans (Mustang) and Dick Van Dyke (Gnome).

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.    

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