The Masked Singer season 5 kicks off with guest host Niecy Nash being carried in on her throne. She’s filling in for Nick Cannon as he recovers from COVID-19. The first masked celebrity is the Russian Doll, who is rolled in. The Russian Doll reveals he’s been “doing my own thing for quite some time.” The masked singer drops a number of physical hints, including the helm of a ship and a Garden State Highway sign.
The Russian Doll sings “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson and is soon joined by a second Russian Doll! The panelists have a number of guesses for this Russian Doll duo, including Vanessa Hudgens and Darren Criss, Matthew Morrison and Kevin McHale, Boyz II Men, and more.
Next up is the Snail. He’s acted, directed, produced, recorded albums, and been on the Oscars stage. He’s crossed paths with celebs like Robert De Niro, Lady Gaga, and Michelle Obama. The Snail’s physical clues include a human-size teddy bear and meatballs. The Snail says he wants to prove he can shine on his own. He performs “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Hall & Oates.
Robin Thicke guesses Seth MacFarlane and Jay Leno. Ken sticks with just Leno. Nicole thinks the Snail could be Jimmy Kimmel or Adam Sandler. Jenny wonders why they’re not guessing Mark Wahlberg with all the Ted clues.
The Seashell graces us with her presence in the season 5 premiere. The Seashell admits she was “always adrift” growing up and “never felt grounded.” She says her career was like a “massive tsunami of success,” and she’s worn many hats. The Seashell also hasn’t sung in a really long time, but she wants to “face my fears.” She slays her performance of “Listen To Your Heart” by Roxette. The Seashell tells the panelists that she’s always wanted to sing on stage and did “way back in the day.” The guesses include Kristin Chenoweth, Hilary Duff, Jessica Simpson, and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
The first clue for the Raccoon is that he’s “known for being sharp.” The Raccoon admits that he “faced death” in my “darkest days.” His favorite story is The Hunchback of Notre Dame. While Quasimodo was innocent, the Raccoon says he was “actually a monster.” The Raccoon reveals that he promised he’d “do good” if he was given a second chance. The Raccoon rocks out to “Wild Thing” by The Troggs. The panelists throw out names like Sammy Hagar, Nick Nolte, Mike Tyson, Joe Pesci, Danny Devito.
The final performance of the night comes from Porcupine, a.k.a. Robopine. Growing up, the Porcupine was “left to fend for myself.” He was on a mission to get on “Hollywood’s radar,” and he did so all on his own. The Porcupine sings “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross. He tells the panelists that he’s actually 60 years old with kids and grandkids. Nicole guesses Jamie Foxx, Idris Elba, and Donald Glover. Ken throws out Lionel Richie, while Robin thinks the Porcupine is Ginuwine.
The first masked singer going home during season 5 is the Snail! The first impression guesses are revealed before the unmasking. The Snail is revealed as… KERMIT THE FROG!