'Masked Singer' Fans Were 100% Right About the Night Angel's Identity
From the very first time she stepped on The Masked Singer season 3 stage, the Night Angel wowed the viewers and judges alike. So it was no surprise that she went on to win the whole thing, becoming the show's first female winner.
On the night of her first performance, the purple and pink winged masked singer hit the stage singing Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name," and brought the judges and audience to their feet. "What a way to open the show," Jenny McCarthy said. "Best performance all season." Nicole Scherzinger added that the Night Angel's "voice was soaring" on the stage.
All of the judges agreed that her voice sounded familiar, but they weren't really united on who they thought it might have been. After weeks of seeing her perform, only two of them were able to accurately guess her identity. Meanwhile, many fans had guessed right all along.
So who is the Night Angel?
On finale night, the Night Angel took off her mask to claim her winning title and she revealed her true identity. She's singer and Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss.
Some of the other guesses about her identity tossed out by judges and viewers had been Brandy, Keke Palmer, and Taraji P. Henson. But the clues all pointed directly at Burruss.
She has a restaurant called Old Lady Gang, which explains the grandma mob clue. The "strawberry castle" clue was a reference to how Burruss' restaurant is in Castleberry Hill. The sweet tea pointed to the Night Angel being from the south, which Burruss is.
Early on, the March 25 clues basically clinched the deal, because a friend of the Night Angel's told a story about how the performer had to miss a lot of high school (including prom) to follow her career goals — and she almost missed her graduation because she had a work obligation. In 2014, Burruss posted on Instagram about how being in the band Xscape meant that she missed her prom and almost didn't go to her graduation. "My group #Xscape was mad at me for going to my graduation because we had a show that day," she wrote.
The April 1 clue was a tricycle, which some thought could signify that the person under the mask is a triple threat. Burruss is a TV star, a singer, and a business woman. One could even call her a mogul, which the Night Angel said she is. However, a viewer pointed out that the tricycle clue may have been a reference to Burruss' old high school, Tri-Cities.
Then, during the April 8 episode, two of the clues were an ostrich and a crown, and Burruss famously wore an ostrich-feather dress and a tiara to her 2014 wedding.
The May 6 clues continued to point to her. There were lipsticks on the Night Angel's piano, and Burruss has a lipstick line. The Colombia reference pointed to her Columbia Records deal. And the Night Angel's ski clothes clue was a reference to the star's Bravo show Kandi's Ski Trip.
Then, the week before the finale, a final few more clues pointed to the songstress. In the pre-performance package, the Night Angel referenced losing someone close to them a few years ago. In 2009, Burruss's then-fiancé Ashley "A.J." Jewell died of head injuries sustained during an altercation. Additionally, a closer look at the Night Angel's costume revealed a moon pendant, which is a reference to Burruss' appearance on Rasheeda's song "Legs to the Moon."
Plus, all season long, lots of fans also thought they recognized her voice.
They were right, and Burruss' voice carried her all the way to the end as the season 3 winner. "It feels incredible," she said of her big victory. But trophy and bragging rights aside, Burruss' true prize is newfound confidence in her singing skills as a solo artist. "For a long time I really stopped singing by myself," she admitted, adding that the hate would get to her head. "I just really appreciate you guys for helping me build my confidence back up."
The pleasure's been all ours, Night Angel.
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