[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Masked Singer Season 12 Episode 8 “Miley Cyrus Night.”]
The ice thawed for some celebrity contestant in the latest episode of The Masked Singer.
Ahead of the Group C finals next week, Royal Knight, Strawberry Shortcake, Sherlock Hound, and Ice King took to the stage to perform Miley Cyrus’ hits. And unfortunately for Ice King, it was his last. But that meant finding out who’s under the mask: actor and musician Drake Bell.
Below, Bell opens up about his time on the show.
What made you say yes to doing The Masked Singer?
Drake Bell: Well, I had done The Masked Singer in Mexico, and it just seemed like something so fun, something out of my comfort zone, and I had a blast doing that and was so surprised when the American version called and asked me to do it. So I kind of already had a little bit of experience and had a blast doing that, so I thought it’d be so fun to come and do the American version.
Michael Becker / FOX
Was there anything about that experience that you kept in mind for this one?
I think just being used to singing with that big head on. I mean, you really are kind of—being used to performing on stage and singing live and everything, it definitely got me ready to not be so encumbered by this outfit.
Did you have any hesitations about saying yes this time?
No, I was excited to do it and ready to have fun again, and surprisingly, this costume was a lot more accommodating than the one that I had in Mexico. Yeah, it was just a ton of fun.
Speaking of that costume, what appealed to you about it?
Yeah, the first time I saw my costume, I mean, I just saw the drawing and was blown away. I loved the whole concept. I loved the color scheme, the all kind of one color, but different tones, and yeah, I loved the big mustache and I loved it. And man, you don’t realize when you’re in rehearsal what the production value is going to be behind you. And so once you get on stage and you’re actually doing the performance and you have all the dancers and the dancers are in their amazing costumes and the amazing choreography happening around you, it’s kind of like you’re on a ride simulator at an amusement park or something, but in real life, it’s just amazing.
Did you have to make any changes to any of your performances because of the costume?
No. The choreographers and everyone were really good at accommodating for the costume, and we would learn some of the moves without the costume on and then go in and rehearse everything with the headpiece on and everything. And I’m not a dancer. Learning the choreography was—that’s what’s so fun about this show is it completely takes you out of your element. I mean, yes, I perform on stage, I’m on tour right now. I’m performing four nights a week, but I play with a guitar on and I have my dancers behind me and my band, and I am not up there doing these slick choreographed dance moves like we were learning for the show. So that’s another great experience is just kind of being completely taken out of your element and another part of the challenge as well.
What went into your song choices?
Well, each night has a certain theme and then we get to choose songs in those themes. The first song that I chose, “Tonight Tonight,” I love that song. And it was actually really cute because when I was rehearsing, my son was in the background and he’s three years old, and he would come in and start singing the song, and I’m like, oh, okay. That’s awesome. It was so cute. And then for the Miley Night, [“Midnight Sky”] was just the song I was drawn to the most. I just thought it had such a cool retro, ‘80s kind of vibe, and I really love vintage and retro things, and I’m an old soul, so I love old music, classic rock and stuff like that. So that’s what drew me to that song.
Because there are these theme nights, was there a genre that you would’ve liked to tackle if you continued?
Yeah, I would’ve loved to do an Elvis song or Michael Jackson or something from the era of music that I’m a huge fan of.
Talk about the panelists guesses, because Jenny did guess right.
Yeah, no, I was really surprised when Jenny got it. But it’s really interesting hearing panelists guess other singers—and other great singers like Joe Jonas, and I’m like, really? Because as a singer, I don’t know, maybe other singers have different experiences, but you never really love hearing the sound of your voice and you’re always like, man, is that any good? Does this sound any good? And so hearing the panelists’ guesses of other really talented singers was pretty humbling. It was a nice thing.
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Did you come into this expecting anyone from the panel specifically to figure you out?
No, I didn’t think anyone would guess me. But sometimes you think the clues are a dead giveaway, but then you think about it and you’re like, well, yeah, if you know who’s under there, then you can go, okay, I get how that connected. But if you have no clue, then you really got to do some investigative work.
And also sometimes the clues are open to interpretation.
Exactly, exactly.
What are you going to take away from the entire experience?
A lot. I think that putting yourself, like I said, in an experience that is totally out of your element, being really nervous about the choreography or singing live in front of the panel that also has talented singers and I think that it kind of gives you the opportunity, when you’re presented with other experiences or opportunities that you’re like, oh, I don’t know if I’d be able to do that, that might be too difficult, to kind of just go, you know what, let’s just go out there and have fun.
The Masked Singer, Wednesdays, 8/7c, Fox
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