[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoiler for The Masked Singer Season 12 finale.]
Heading into The Masked Singer Season 12 finale, there have been solely two contestants left within the competitors: Buffalos and Wasp.
Each carried out twice extra for the panelists earlier than it got here time for a winner to be chosen. That honor went to Buffalos, however second place is spectacular as nicely. And beneath the Wasp masks was R&B singer Mario.
Beneath, he opens up about his time on the competitors. (Learn our interview with Buffalos right here.)
Congratulations on making it to the finale and coming in second!
Mario: I admire you. Thanks a lot. It was a enjoyable time.
What made you say sure to doing The Masked Singer? Did you have got any hesitations?
No, I didn’t have any hesitations to doing it. They really reached out to me a couple of years in the past, the timing didn’t work proper. So truthfully, I feel it was undoubtedly a full-circle second, and as soon as I’d seen the Wasp costume, I used to be all in. I knew it was going to be enjoyable and I used to be excited to convey the Wasp to life.
Michael Becker / FOX
What went into your track decisions, particularly within the semifinals and finals?
Selecting the songs was very intentional. I feel additionally selecting the place I carry out them, as a result of each present, typically they might change up who would go first or who would go center or final. So that may have an effect on which track we selected and why. Simply actually give the Wasp plenty of dimension, as a result of I didn’t need to solely do sluggish songs. Generally I wished to bounce, typically I wished to make folks cry. Generally I wished to inform a narrative. So yeah, all of it was very intentional.
You had some unbelievable performances over the season. Which one stood out to you?
I might say “Skyscraper,” the intention on the track, the problem in performing that track with the masks as a result of my jaw was very restricted. So discovering new methods to get the notes out with out cracking or get the notes out with out going off key was difficult for me, but in addition the track, I might have modified it, however I selected to not due to the that means behind the track. I felt prefer it was one thing that lots of people wanted to listen to at dwelling on the time, and I felt prefer it was a really highly effective that means behind the track, simply trusting your self, believing in your self, it doesn’t matter what’s happening. And I felt like each me and the Wasp might relate to that. So simply merging all the worlds.
“Rock Your Physique,” as a result of it was one of many first performances like that introduction, efficiency.
And “Lovely Issues,” I like performing that report as a result of I obtained to carry out strolling by means of the viewers and make it in a second, like making my option to the stage and simply, I wished the Wasp to have folks to really feel very related. I didn’t need to do performances from the identical place each present, and I wished to verify the performances matched with the intention of the track. And I feel we did an amazing job collectively from the manufacturing to the choreographers, to the digicam, everyone who was concerned at bringing the Wasp nearer and nearer to the viewers, but in addition the judges and letting them be in his world, very intentional about, okay, let’s begin proper subsequent to the judges. Let’s allow them to really feel this second and make them part of this second, and possibly even give them slightly extra of a touch of who I used to be, proper, who the Wasp was. So simply all of it. There was plenty of thought that went into it to make it an general nice expertise.
Speak in regards to the panelists’ guesses. Rita Ora did determine you out. Had you come into this anticipating anybody to realize it was you?
I anticipated Robin [Thicke] to know as a result of we’ve gone on tour collectively. We’ve identified one another for a very long time. Is smart that Rita would determine it out as a result of she’s a singer, so she listens in another way. However I nonetheless attempt to make it slightly tough by switching songs up and possibly switching the best way I transfer to form of throw ’em off. However I suppose being a panelist and likewise being a singer is form of like a cheat code since you already perceive voice and tone. So I simply needed to preserve making an attempt to show ’em off.
What are you going to remove from the whole expertise?
Creativeness is likely one of the biggest items that we might ever have as human beings, and it may take you locations that doubt and worry and all these different issues can not.
What shocked you essentially the most about being on the present?
How huge a few of these costumes had been and the way folks would transfer round in them as a result of, okay, not having the ability to see and your ft is one factor, however to not have the ability to even transfer your head in any respect? Like Goo’s costume was humongous. It was loopy. I didn’t anticipate to see costumes that huge. But additionally when you have got the Buffaloes, proper, their costume is huge, nevertheless it’s actually cool and it suits their character. So I feel simply how they choose the costumes and the way the costumes truly match everyone’s character and voices and every part.
Are there any songs you want you had carried out at any level?
I truthfully wished to carry out “Lose Management,” however Goo had obtained that track already, so it was on the checklist, after which once I selected it, they got here again and it was like, oh man, Goo already selected this track. So yeah, he did a very good job, however I really feel like I might have gave it slightly bit extra to it. I simply love that report. So it could’ve been one in all my favourite songs to sing.
And congratulations in your new album.
Thanks a lot. I admire you. It’s lastly out. I used to be truly finalizing a few of the mixes and mastering whereas ending the present, so I used to be going from being the Wasp again to Mario. The album’s known as Glad You Got here, one in all my favourite albums for certain. I really feel prefer it reveals and showcases my development as an artist, as a author, as a artistic. Lots of the songs are very imaginative, intimate, weak, assured, slightly little bit of every part you’ll need from a male R&B artist.
And I really feel prefer it additionally continues to place R&B in an amazing area In the event you love R&B, love the nostalgia of R&B, but in addition the recent model of it, I feel that is an album for you. I really feel prefer it’s timeless, and I like engaged on the album with James Fauntleroy, who government produced it, and I can’t wait to only proceed to push ahead and carry out it on tour, do extra movies. My new single “Maintain Going” is out proper now. “Maintain Going” is about holding your love going although issues really feel prefer it may very well be probably ending, nevertheless it’s simply one other chapter in our exploration of one another. So once more, simply going again to that complete thought of creativeness and creativity, utilizing R&B as a medium for that.
The Masked Singer, Season 13 Premiere, Wednesday, February 12, 8/7c, Fox