Who Is Harp on ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 8, Episode 3

The Masked Singer Season 8 is here, and Harp is already one of the frontrunners to win the whole season! The female vocalist, who is decked out in a gold outfit with a harp-shaped attachment on her back, was the first singer to take the stage during the season premiere, and she set the bar high. However, we might have already gathered enough clues to spoil her identity! Scroll through for all the clues, performances and judge guesses for Harp on The Masked Singer Season 8 (if you haven’t already been watching via FuboTV or another live service).

Performances and Song Picks

• Episode 1: “Perfect” by P!nk
• Episode 2: “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston
• Episode 3: “Thank You for Being a Friend” by Andrew Gold (a.k.a. the theme song to The Golden Girls)

Show Clues

• Episode 1 monologue: “I can’t believe I’m here on premiere night. But I am telling you, life does have a funny way of putting you exactly where you need to be. 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. The ‘no’s’ in my life made me stronger, but I won’t be taking ‘no’ for an answer tonight.”
• Episode 1 visual clues: A cast sheet listing Harp as “Lead 1” alongside two more unlisted leads, a man in a witch (or scarecrow) hat handed her pink and red roses, and a pair of 3D glasses
• Episode 1 on-stage clue: As she told host Nick Cannon, she’s won awards for acting, singing and being part of a comedy ensemble.
• Episode 2 monologue: “It feels incredible to be crowned the first queen of Season 8. But I’m up against two new singers tonight, and I have to crush this performance if I want to keep this crown atop my head. I’ve been labeled ‘competitive’ my whole life. But I don’t see that as a bad thing. It means you worked hard to be the best. And I’m bringing that energy to the stage tonight. Now, quickly because I’m always on time! I’m going to give you, my loyal subjects, a new clue. Did that strike any chords?
• Episode 2 visual clues: opera glasses (a detail in last week’s package that we didn’t even realize was a clue) and a CD labeled “NIGHT NIGHT.”
• Episode 2 on-stage clue: She apparently collaborated with judge Nicole Scherzinger
• Episode 3 monologue: This queen lives to fight another day. But heavy is the head that wears the crown. And between me and you, it can be pretty nerve-racking knowing I have to go back into battle again. So this week, I’m trying to remind myself: “Have a little fun!” Live in the moment and just enjoy my reign. So by royal decree, I give to you, my next very delicious clue. Hey, I get royalties for these, right?
• Episode 3 visual clue: a Christmas cupcake with a red wrapper, green icing and a Santa Claus decoration.
• Episode 3 on-stage clue: purple mashed potatoes

The Guesses

• Robin Thicke’s Episode 1 guess: Queen Latifah (a triple threat)
• Jenny McCarthy’s Episode 1 guess: Jordin Sparks or Fantastia (citing possible American Idol ties)
• Ken Jeong’s Episode 1 guess: Jennifer Hudson (citing American Idol and her comedic appearance in Sex in the City)

• Our Episode 1 guess: Amber Riley (American Idol turned her down before she landed a role on Glee. The awards line matches up with her resume, including the comedy ensemble SAG award for Glee. She was the lead star of the Dreamgirls trio on Broadway, as the cast list clue suggested. She appeared in the PBS special WICKED in Concert, which ties into the hat clue. And from what we remember of the fever dream that is Glee, it sounds just like her. Oh, and the 3D glasses? Let us not forget Glee: The 3D Concert Movie.)
  
• Nicole Scherzinger’s Episode 2 guess: Amber Riley (NIGHT NIGHT = Dreamgirls, and they were both on Todrick Hall’s Straight Outta Oz project)
• McCarthy’s Episode 2 guess: Ashanti (“Always on Time” is a song she made with Ja Rule)
• Thicke’s Episode 2 guess: Yvette Nicole Brown (collaborated with the judges as a guest judge on the panel)
• Our Episode 2 guess: Still Amber Riley (Scherzinger’s connection details only make our hunch stronger.)
• Scherzinger’s Episode 3 guess: Jill Scott (an opener for Prince, who used a lot of purple), Fantasia (starring in the Color Purple movie remake), Amber Riley (pointing out she was on NBC live version of The Wiz, a credit we’ve completely overlooked)
• McCarthy’s Episode 3 guess: Ariana DeBose (because she was on So You Think You Can Dance? This was a bad guess.)
• Our Episode 3 guess: Amber Riley, once again. (The Christmas clue could be about her BET+ holiday movie Christmas Déjà Vu. As for the purple prop, her birthstone is Amethyst. The Wiz credit is also makes that previous hat clue tie much stronger than just that Wicked special.)

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.