# The Masked Singer (American TV series) season 5

The fifth season of the American television series The Masked Singer premiered on Fox on March 10, 2021, and concluded on May 26, 2021. The season was won by singer Nick Lachey as "Piglet", with singer JoJo finishing second as "Black Swan", and rapper Wiz Khalifa placing third as "Chameleon".

## Panelists and hosts

Singer-songwriter Robin Thicke, television and radio personality Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, actor and comedian Ken Jeong, and recording artist Nicole Scherzinger all returned for their fifth season as panelists. The panelists once again competed for "The Golden Ear", with Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg winning for the second time. Regular host Nick Cannon tested positive for COVID-19 a few days before production was set to begin in February 2021; consequently, Niecy Nash guest hosted the first five episodes. Cannon returned after competing as "the Bulldog" in the fifth episode.
Guest panelists included Joel McHale in the third episode, Rita Wilson in the seventh episode, Chrissy Metz in the eighth episode, Rob Riggle in the ninth episode, Darius Rucker in the tenth episode, and season four winner LeAnn Rimes in the eleventh episode.

## Contestants

The season began with two groups of five, Group A and Group B. In a new twist, four wild card contestants entered the competition beginning with the third episode, replacing previously eliminated contestants. The contestants among the season have a combined, "26 Grammy nominations, nine multi-platinum singles, four Oscar nominations, three Super Bowl appearances, six gold medals and two world records among them". In addition, the opening scene for the season premiere revealed that cast has, "a combined net worth over $600 million, eight marriages, 25 gold and platinum records, 459 tattoos, over 55 million records sold, over 198 million followers, three Grammy wins, three Emmy nominations, one Oscar win, nine divorces, and 146 toes."
This season featured a non-contestant masked character called "Cluedle-Doo". Over the course of 10 episodes, Cluedle-Doo periodically disrupted the broadcast to provide additional clues to the audience from his secret studio, teasing the host and panelists, while challenging the audience to discover who he was. In the semi-final episode, he appeared in person to perform "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison for the panel, then challenged them to guess his identity. After the panelists made their guesses who he was, none of which was correct, he unmasked himself as singer Donnie Wahlberg, panelist Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg's husband, shocking McCarthy Wahlberg who did not recognize his voice.
Kermit the Frog ("Snail") is the first fictional character to have competed on the American version of The Masked Singer and "Russian Dolls" (Hanson) are the second costume to feature more than one person (the first being Clint and Lisa Black's "Snow Owls" costume from the previous season) and the first costume to feature a group of different celebrities.
Results :
| Stage name | Celebrity | Occupation(s) | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes | Episodes |
| Stage name | Celebrity | Occupation(s) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Stage name | Celebrity | Occupation(s) | Group A | Group B | A | B | B | A | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Piglet | Nick Lachey | Singer | | SAFE | | SAFE | SAFE | | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WINNER |
| Black Swan | JoJo | Singer | | SAFE | | SAFE | SAFE | | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | RUNNER-UP |
| Chameleon | Wiz Khalifa | Rapper | | SAFE | | SAFE | SAFE | | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | THIRD |
| Yeti (WC) | Omarion | Singer | | | | | | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |
| Russian Dolls | Hanson | Band | SAFE | | SAFE | | | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | | |
| Robopine | Tyrese Gibson | Actor/singer | SAFE | | SAFE | | | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | | | |
| Seashell | Tamera Mowry-Housley | Actor/TV host | SAFE | | SAFE | | | SAFE | OUT | | | | |
| Crab (WC) | Bobby Brown | Singer | | | | SAFE | SAFE | | OUT | | | | |
| Orca (WC) | Mark McGrath | Singer | | | SAFE | | | OUT | | | | | |
| Bulldog (WC) | Nick Cannon | Actor/TV host | | | | | OUT | | | | | | |
| Grandpa Monster | Logan Paul | Internet personality | | SAFE | | OUT | | | | | | | |
| Raccoon | Danny Trejo | Actor | SAFE | | OUT | | | | | | | | |
| Phoenix | Caitlyn Jenner | Decathlete/TV Personality | | OUT | | | | | | | | | |
| Snail | Kermit the Frog | Muppet | OUT | | | | | | | | | | |
(WC) This masked singer is a wild card contestant.
Caitlyn Jenner ("Phoenix"), Danny Trejo ("Raccoon"), Logan Paul ("Grandpa Monster"), Nick Cannon ("Bulldog"), Mark McGrath ("Orca"), Bobby Brown ("Crab"), Tamera Mowry-Housley ("Seashell"), Tyrese Gibson ("Robopine"), Hanson ("Russian Dolls"), Omarion ("Yeti"), Wiz Khalifa ("Chameleon"), JoJo ("Black Swan"), and Nick Lachey ("Piglet")

## Episodes
### Week 1 (March 10)

Performances on the first episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Russian Dolls | "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Snail | "You Make My Dreams (Come True)" by Hall & Oates | Kermit the Frog | OUT |
| 3 | Seashell | "Listen to Your Heart" by Roxette | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Raccoon | "Wild Thing" by The Troggs | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Robopine | "Never Too Much" by Luther Vandross | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 2 (March 17)

Performances on the second episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Black Swan | "Barracuda" by Heart | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Grandpa Monster | "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of...)" by Lou Bega | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Chameleon | "Ride wit Me" by Nelly | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Phoenix | "TiK ToK" by Kesha | Caitlyn Jenner | OUT |
| 5 | Piglet | "Speechless" by Dan + Shay | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 3 (March 24)

Performances on the third episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Russian Dolls | "Wonder" by Shawn Mendes | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Raccoon | "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash | Danny Trejo | OUT |
| 3 | Robopine | "All of Me" by John Legend | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Seashell | "Confident" by Demi Lovato | undisclosed | SAFE |
| Wild card | Orca | "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 4 (March 31)

Performances on the fourth episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Grandpa Monster | "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett | Logan Paul | OUT |
| 2 | Piglet | "Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)" by Andy Grammer | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Black Swan | "In My Blood" by Shawn Mendes | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Chameleon | "21 Questions" by 50 Cent feat. Nate Dogg | undisclosed | SAFE |
| Wild card | Crab | "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 5 (April 7)

Performances on the fifth episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Black Swan | "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Piglet | "7 Years" by Lukas Graham | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Crab | "Give It to Me Baby" by Rick James | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Chameleon | "Hip Hop" by Dead Prez | undisclosed | SAFE |
| Wild card | Bulldog | "Candy Girl" by New Edition | Nick Cannon | OUT |

### Week 6 (April 14)

Performances on the sixth episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Russian Dolls | "Want to Want Me" by Jason Derulo | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Robopine | "Killing Me Softly" by Roberta Flack | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Seashell | "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus feat. Chaka Khan | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Orca | "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison | Mark McGrath | OUT |
| Wild card | Yeti | "If It Isn't Love" by New Edition | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 7 (April 21)

Performances on the seventh episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Piglet | "The Pretender" by Foo Fighters | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Robopine | "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Chameleon | "Regulate" by Warren G feat. Nate Dogg | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Yeti | "Lonely" by Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Russian Dolls | "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 6 | Crab | "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins | Bobby Brown | OUT |
| 7 | Seashell | "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany | Tamera Mowry-Housley | OUT |
| 8 | Black Swan | "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 8 (May 5)

Performances on the eighth episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Yeti | "It Takes Two" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Robopine | "Water Runs Dry" by Boyz II Men | Tyrese Gibson | OUT |
| 3 | Piglet | "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" by Phil Collins | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Black Swan | "Do I Do" by Stevie Wonder | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Russian Dolls | "Shallow" by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 6 | Chameleon | "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" by Busta Rhymes | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 9 (May 12)

Performances on the ninth episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Russian Dolls | "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John | Hanson | OUT |
| 2 | Black Swan | "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Piglet | "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Yeti | "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Chameleon | "Drop It Like It's Hot" by Snoop Dogg ft. Pharrell Williams | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 10 (May 19)

Performance by the Cluedle-Doo (Donnie Walhberg): "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison
Performances on the tenth episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Yeti | "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang | Omarion | OUT |
| 2 | Black Swan | "Tequila" by Dan + Shay | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Chameleon | "Oh Boy" by Cam'ron feat. Juelz Santana | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Piglet | "Bruises" by Lewis Capaldi | undisclosed | SAFE |

### Week 11 (May 26) – Finale

Group performance: "How Do I Live" by LeAnn Rimes
Performances on the eleventh episode :
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
| 1 | Chameleon | "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio feat. L.V. | Wiz Khalifa | THIRD PLACE |
| 2 | Black Swan | "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" by Michael Bolton | JoJo | RUNNER-UP |
| 3 | Piglet | "Faithfully" by Journey | Nick Lachey | WINNER |

## Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of The Masked Singer (American TV series) season 5 :
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Season 5 Premiere - Return of the Masks" | March 10, 2021 | 1.3/9 | 5.66 | 0.7 | 2.33 | 2.1 | 7.99 |
| 2 | "Group B Premiere - Shamrock and Roll" | March 17, 2021 | 1.2/9 | 5.12 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | "Group A Wildcard Round - Enter The Wildcards!" | March 24, 2021 | 1.2/8 | 5.20 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | "Group B Wildcard Round - Rule of Claw!" | March 31, 2021 | 1.2/9 | 5.05 | 0.4 | 1.35 | 1.6 | 6.40 |
| 5 | "Group B Finals - The Ulti 'Mutt' Wildcard!" | April 7, 2021 | 1.1/8 | 4.79 | 0.6 | 1.81 | 1.7 | 6.60 |
| 6 | "Group A Finals - In the Nick of Time!" | April 14, 2021 | 1.2/8 | 5.17 | 0.5 | 1.75 | 1.8 | 6.92 |
| 7 | "Super 8 - The Plot Chickens!" | April 21, 2021 | 1.2/8 | 5.08 | 0.6 | 1.91 | 1.8 | 6.99 |
| Special | "The Sing-A-Long: The Maskie Awards" | April 28, 2021 | 0.8/6 | 3.62 | 0.2 | 0.79 | 1.0 | 4.41 |
| 8 | "The Spicy 6 - The Competition Heats Up!" | May 5, 2021 | 1.1/8 | 4.71 | 0.5 | 1.73 | 1.6 | 6.44 |
| 9 | "The Quarter Finals - Five Fan Favorites" | May 12, 2021 | 1.1/8 | 4.77 | 0.4 | 1.48 | 1.6 | 6.25 |
| 10 | "Semifinals" | May 19, 2021 | 1.2/8 | 5.23 | 0.5 | 1.71 | 1.8 | 6.95 |
| 11 | "Season 5 Finale" | May 26, 2021 | 1.4/9 | 5.51 | 0.4 | 1.54 | 1.8 | 7.05 |