Who Is the Russian Doll in 'The Masked Singer' Season 5?
The Masked Singer Season 5 is back for another week of mysteries, and Russian Doll might just be [...]
The Masked Singer Season 5 is back for another week of mysteries, and Russian Doll might just be the most unorthodox performer/costume yet. Russian Doll is one of five acts originally sorted into Group A, which also included Robopine, Raccoon, Seashell and Snail, among others. It's a rare act, with multiple celebrities being a part of it. To see this multifaceted act live, the show can be streamed weekly via FuboTV — a live TV streamer that currently offers a free trial.
Fans of the reality competition can look no further than PopCulture.com for all the clues, guess and performances for The Masked Singer's Russian Doll. While there have already been some early guesses — including the Hanson brothers — there's truly no telling until you can piece the clues together. Scroll through to learn what we know about Russian Doll. It's worth noting that this post contains spoilers for those who have not watched the current episode.
Season 5, Episode 8 - "The Spicy 6 - The Competition Heats Up!"
Two of the Russian Dolls greeted fans in reflective visors instead of their customary masks for this week's clue package. They were in a finely decorated dressing room, with patterned wallpaper and old-style furniture, with a bird-shaped crest on the wall behind them. At an off-screen producer's request, they told a story that they suspected not many people knew about them already.
"Even though it's just the two of us here, I think I speak for all of us when I say that when we first started, we never would have expected that putting ourselves out there like that would open us up to some pretty harsh criticism." The other added: "Growing up, we were laughed at. Even the way we looked was criticized — like we could help it. You know, the haters are gonna hate, but what we were doing was what we loved to do."
It hasn't always been easy for the #RussianDollsMask.
Do these clues give you any new leads on their identity? #TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/Zeqeo0w4rc
— The Masked Singer (@MaskedSingerFOX) May 6, 2021
The camera panned around the room to show a giant nickel and a giant dime on display, as well as a fancy tea set with a golden chain draped around one carafe and a golden belt buckle nestled in the middle.
"We embraced not being the coolest, because we've reached a lot of people who maybe felt like outsiders — just like us," one doll said. The other added: "Now, we know it's what's inside that matters most — especially here, am I right?"
"Exactly, and tonight we've chosen a song that strips us back to our core and lets our voices stand on their own," the first doll concluded. With that, the two began to sing "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Only two of the dolls took part, making the judges all the more confused about their identities.
The "mind-reader" machine came out on stage to x-ray one of the dolls' heads, revealing a kangaroo on their mind. They explained: "Just like a kangaroo with its joeys, you never know how many of us are going to pop out." This made Jenny McCarthy think of The Hansons, while Ken Jeong focused in on the nickel in the clue package, which made him think of Nickelback. He took a wild swing guessing that these two Russian Dolls are Nickelback lead singer Chad Kroeger and his ex-wife Avril Lavigne.
"Why did she agree to sing with him? It's 'complicated,' as the song goes," Jeong joked.
Season 5, Episode 7 - "Super 8 - The Plot Chickens!"
The triple (or quadruple?) threat of the Russian Dolls shared even more clues about their identity in their clue package. They explained while sitting on top of the Statue of Liberty, that they felt that people gave up on them at one point in their careers. The Russian Dolls continued — while jumping off of a Made in Milwaukee block — that they looked around and "everybody was gone." They next traveled in front of a poster that read, "Indiana Ave." The dolls were forced to go around in circles, which they exemplified by circling through the turnstiles of London's subway system (the Tube). The masked singers said that they received a blessing from the King "herself." Eventually, they got back on top and sold out a major venue. The group could also be seen sipping on teacups that read, "Eat," "Pray," and "?."
Russian Dolls showcased their energy for Bruno Mars' "24K Magic." Their performance did cause some confusion over just how many Russian Dolls there are, though. Jeong said that it could be the Jonas Brothers. Scherzinger guessed a different set of brothers, the Hansons. Guest judge Rita Wilson suggested Boyz II Men.
Season 5, Episode 6 - "In the Nick of Time!"
The Russian Dolls kicked off their Group A finale clue package at the Lincoln Monument, but the scenery shifted to match their words. They rode on a tour bus and performed in a few locations, while the camera zoomed in on some props. They included a bull horn, a bowl of fruit and a snow globe containing white owls.
"When this duo became a trio last time, it was a game-changer, for real," they said. "Performing on this epic stage is a far cry from where we started. Life on the road was definitely not glamorous. We performed everywhere, from parking lots to softball fields — even pizza restaurants. But we put our heart and soul into every performance, and the years of hustle paid off when we finally got the chance to perform for the president. And we crushed it! We raised the roof — of the White House! And now, we're leaning on that same hard-working spirit to take us all the way to that Super 8."
With that, three Russian Dolls appeared on stage this week to perform "Want to Want Me" by Jason Derulo. For a moment, it looked like a fourth doll had joined them, but it turned out to be a set dressing. After the performance, Cannon introduced the clue of the week: "The Nick Cannon." It was a bedazzled t-shirt cannon that he fired at the panel, revealing a shirt with a clue printed on it. It said "what goes around... comes around," and the Russian Dolls explained: "We've been together for some time, and as fate would have it, it was time for us to come back together again to the stage."
The panelists had difficulty guessing, noting that they still couldn't even verify the genders of the Russian Dolls, nor the actual number of teammates. Nicole Scherzinger proposed pop group Pentatonix, while Ken Jeong went with the Jonas Brothers. Jenny McCarthy disagreed, arguing that this was 98 Degrees in disguise.
Season 5, Episode 3 - "Enter the Wildcards!"
This week, the Russian Dolls described the "trauma" they experienced together and how it made them stronger as a team. The clue package showed them together in a hospital, with one holding the other's hand. However, the real shock came when they began singing and a third Russian Doll joined them on stage for the first time. The dolls then presented their self-portraits -- a Warhol-esque painting of people sitting in cars.
After their performance, Cluedle-Doo confirmed that there was a fourth Russian Doll on the way. He also showed behind the scenes footage of the Dolls bragging that no one would ever guess who they are.
The judges marvelled at the harmonies, while also fearing how many more dolls might be coming their way. Jenny McCarthy felt even more strongly about her guess that the Russian Dolls are the band Lady A, while Robin Thicke went with Sugarland.
Season 5 Premiere — "Return Of The Masks"
Russian Doll explained that they "used to be" "the hottest toy," and that they were left behind. However, they said: "I knew I was more than just something to be toyed with. A puppet. And as much as they tried to put me in a box, I just didn't fit. Newer, shinier, manufactured toys filled the shelves. So I was cast to the side." The animation also showed them passing by a "Garden State" sign, indicating that they have some connection to New Jersey. The fact that Russian Doll represents a duo makes it one of the most confounding mysteries of the season.
Cluedle-Do told the audience: "A Russian doll can sometimes have 15 replicas of itself." The dolls themselves said: "Our ideas work very well together. You can see what our dynamic is now."
Russian Doll performed a duet of Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," raising lots of eyebrows in the audience. The panelists were delighted, but their guesses were all over the board. Jenny McCarthy guessed a couple of country music stars, but couldn't think of any with connections to the Garden State Parkway. Nichole Scherzinger suggested that they might be cast members from Glee, and Ken Jeong took a big swing guessing it might be Gwen Stefani and another No Doubt band member.
Who are the mystery voices behind the Russian Doll? And how many singers are even part of the act? Tune in to The Masked Singer on FOX Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET to find out. You can watch live via FuboTV, which has a free trial promotion. (Hulu is also streaming the show after the fact, but that means spoilers will be floating around online in the meantime.) Keep it locked to PopCulture.com for ongoing coverage of The Masked Singer Season 5!