As the evening draws to a close, the tension escalates as one contestant must leave the stage, marking the end of their journey on TMS. The remaining two contestants, Mad Scientist Monster and Nessy, will advance to next week’s Fortunate 6 show, where they will compete against other talented performers like Boogie Woogie, Coral, Paparazzo, and Pearl for a chance at ultimate glory.

The thrilling Battle Royale segment has returned, providing fans another chance to witness these remarkable voices as they compete head-to-head for a coveted spot in the next round of this intense competition.

From legendary groups like The Supremes to iconic artists such as Justin Bieber, these masked performers delivered powerful renditions of classic anthems, with one contestant performing their final powerful song of the season.

We also learned that the Golden Ear trophy has made a return, sparking friendly competition among the panel members for the most accurate guesses this season. Currently, Robin holds the lead with three correct guesses, while Jenny and Rita each have two, and Dr. Ken is tied with guest panelist Casey Wilson with just one.

Who emerged as the winner this week? While we can confirm that someone did succeed, we won’t spoil the surprise just yet. If you want to know, you’ll have to tune in and find out!

Let’s dive right into this week’s exciting masks. Don’t worry, before we reveal any shocking unmaskings, we’ll take you through the amusing (and occasionally questionable) guesses made by our esteemed panel of Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong, and Rita Ora first. We do this because we love … to keep you on the edge of your seat!

(“My Sharona,” The Knack) We must applaud all three vocalists for their dynamic and high-energy performances. Surprisingly, the least physically active contestant took on a challenging song and delivered a strong vocal performance, showcasing her talent. This time, Yorkie focused more on her vocal prowess, allowing her body to convey the performance’s energy. Although Nessy and Mad Scientist Monster remain the stronger singers overall, all three finalists truly impressed with their performances this week.

(“Stop! In the Name of Love” The Supremes) Yorkie faced a daunting challenge by attempting to emulate the legendary Diana Ross, and while she gave it her best shot, it fell short. The performance lacked the physicality needed, mirroring the intro number’s energy, although she incorporated some awkward choreography. Perhaps she aimed for heartfelt sincerity, which was evident in her vocals. While her voice may not be the strongest, she conveyed the song’s emotional depth beautifully.

Clues & Guesses: During Decades Night, Yorkie revealed her connection to the 1960s when her mother fell in love with her father. However, her father left the family shortly after her birth, leading her mother to teach her to be emotionally guarded, resulting in others seeing her as cold. Now, having experienced heartbreak herself, she understands her mother’s sentiments all too well.

Visually, the performance included a leash (symbolizing keeping love close) and keys, hinting at possible legal troubles. A crucial clue from her time machine was an album titled “Show Dog,” indicating her connection to a major television show. She stated, “Yes, I’m a show dog. I’m part of one of the biggest TV shows out there.”

Yorkie shared her knowledge of boy band scandals during her second clue package, stating that she was adored when she first entered the spotlight until a scandal forced her to deal with the fallout of someone else’s choices. A loved one was dragged through the mud in the news and gossip sites.

The experience led her to rebuild her self-esteem “step-by-step” to emerge stronger. Along her journey, she showcased a pie, a gingerbread house, and billboards. Chris Kirkpatrick made a surprise appearance to throw a t-shirt to Jenny, which read, “Touring Up My Heart,” prompting speculation about whether Yorkie has been on a comedy tour. The panel thoroughly enjoyed her antics.

“Well, my life has been a mix of comedy and tragedy, but right now things are going really well. Yes, I’ve been around,” Yorkie explained. “All around the world.”

Without revealing too much in her first clue package, Yorkie mentioned her fashion-forward, sassy personality and her popularity. We observed a mouse on a traditional cardboard party hat as she shared her experiences of going through “crazy stuff” in her life.

“One minute you’re hot, the next it’s your time to go,” she stated, showcasing an oversized diamond ring. Through all her challenges, she mentioned that music has been her savior during her “darkest hours.” We also saw a stack of poker chips as she mentioned having some bite to her, which has helped her navigate through tough times.

When asked who the real Yorkie is, she replied, “Well, I was down and out, but then a lovely woman in Beverly Hills adopted me, and now I’m wearing Chanel and eating caviar.”

Robin took the clue about “the best TV show” to suggest a Full House star with legal troubles, leaning towards a guess of Lori Loughlin. Ken shifted from last week’s guess of Teresa Giudice to Kyle Richards, indicating he’s at least in the right franchise if online guesses and our speculations are accurate.

Jenny, an unabashed fan of Real Housewives, made an even stronger guess on Erika Jayne, who has recently been embroiled in legal and personal controversies due to her estranged husband Tom Girardi, who was convicted of embezzlement and wire fraud.

Notably, her father abandoned the family when she was just nine months old, leaving her mother to raise her alone. Additionally, Erika has appeared on Lip Sync Battle and starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago, which might align with an earlier clue package. Furthermore, the reference to being adopted by “that pretty girl in Beverly Hills” likely pertains to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Vocally, Yorkie’s performance felt more appropriate while her line, “the value of poker has completely changed,” possibly ties back to the poker chips clue and her recent documentary, Bet It All on Blonde.

(“Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber ) Mad Scientist Monster delivered a stunning falsetto towards the end of his performance, further showcasing his remarkable vocal talent and confidence. He embodies a country star’s essence in his delivery, forming a deep emotional connection with the audience, even while dressed in a whimsical costume. This performance was genuinely heartfelt, beautifully sung, and left us all feeling deeply moved.

Clues & Guesses: In his latest clue package, we discovered that Mad Scientist Monster — affectionately known as MSM — has loved and lost throughout his life. He reflected on how he “did not do it alone,” but with various theories about life, they ultimately parted ways, a decision he now believes was for the best. Is he referring to love or a professional partnership?

He also mentioned that the 2010s were a remarkable decade for him, as he garnered every award imaginable (except for a Nobel Prize). The clues included a cowboy hat, the Sun (LeAnn Rimes) mask, and a silver pickup truck, alongside a message that not everyone will love you live — a lesson he learned, and that’s perfectly okay too.

His 2010s Time Machine clue was The Masked Singer Season 4, where Mad Scientist Monster expressed, “I’ve performed with someone from Season 4.” Could it be LeAnn Rimes again? Or perhaps Aloe Blacc, Nick Carter, Tori Kelly, Chloe Kim, Taylor Dayne, Paul Anka, Dr. Elvis Francois, Lonzo Ball, Clint Black, Lisa Hartman Black, Bob Saget, Wendy Williams, Mark Sanchez, Brian Austin Green, or Busta Rhymes? What a season that was!

For “Boy Band Night,” MSM recounted his love story with his wife, beginning from the moment they met while passing a bowl of cranberry sauce at a friendsgiving celebration.

As he shared the story of their romance and subsequent marriage, we saw a grandfather clock with seasons depicted across its face, a thumbs-up, a sandcastle, and a large cruise ship. He also teased a picture of Piglet (Nick Lachey) backstage.

His Nick Cannon T-Shirt Cannon t-shirt bore the words “BTS” and “BSB.” MSM expressed, “It’s an honor to have received the same award as both the Backstreet Boys and BTS.”

In his first package, we learned that MSM almost ventured into a completely different field, where he claims he “changed the world.” Instead, he was on track to becoming the best in an alternate profession, getting scouted and nearly breaking into the industry.

However, everything unraveled when everyone sought to recruit him, sidelining him and costing him his chance at fame. He responded to this setback with a pivotal shift that revealed his true purpose. Along the way, we saw “Fast” on a radar gun measuring speed, and a fish tank, alongside all his lab experiments.

“You know what?” he stated on stage. “This is so important to me because it gives me a chance to reintroduce myself to fans in a way they’ve never seen before.”

Ken speculated Braid Paisley, who has collaborated with LeAnn Rimes multiple times. However, Jenny countered, “Braid Paisley is not like, 6’5″,” and she’s right. MSM is one big boy! She threw out Blake Shelton, who had Tori Kelly as a Voice advisor on that show.

The panel remains puzzled, as the internet has been circulating several names (with little love for our well-documented Brett Young guess). However, this week’s clues add fuel to one of their favorite guesses who isn’t Scotty McCreery or Joe Nichols. Instead, Brian Kelley has undoubtedly experienced a significant breakup after his duo with Tyler Hubbard disbanded Florida Georgia Line in 2022 following a decade of dominance.

Like Young, Kelley was a college baseball player and was even scouted by several professional teams before shifting his focus to music. More specifically, regarding his clue about how he met his wife, Kelley and his spouse initially crossed paths at a Thanksgiving dinner while dating two siblings — only to reconnect later and form their own relationship. Oh, and he’s 6’3″.

(“Can’t Fight This Feeling,” REO Speedwagon) Nessy possesses an incredible voice! This is a challenging song to tackle, and he proved to be more than capable of delivering the power required to truly dig deep and belt it out. He opted not to pursue every high note; instead, he rearranged some parts to suit a range that perhaps didn’t soar that high. Nevertheless, the performance was executed artistically, tastefully, and it did not detract from a powerfully beautiful moment.

Clues & Guesses: The 1980s was the decade of choice for Nessy, who mentioned rocking out to REO Speedwagon from his own boombox. He shared that he once toured with the band, who taught him how to express love through lyrics. Now, he asserts that “Valentine’s Day is practically my Super Bowl.”

During his performance, we saw a boombox, a bee, a treadmill, and a snowman, while his mention of mullets suggested he may have rocked one back in the day. His ’80s Time Machine clue featured a cassette labeled “Bieber & Puth.” Nessy explained, “They’re just a couple of kids who famously covered my song. And I got to score some cool dad points.”

For “Boy Band Night,” Nessy shared that he had a direct rivalry with one particular boy band, *NSYNC. Not only were they competing for record sales and chart positions, but also for airtime on MTV’s TRL. When Ken referred to *NSYNC as his contemporaries, he quipped, “I’m pretty sure I dropped my AARP card at the bottom of this costume while I was dancing.”

Nessy then recounted how he finally connected with the boys at a celebrity golf tournament, where they fiercely competed, and he played “the worst game of my life.” Throughout his performance, we saw Nessy fishing, *NSYNC on a stop sign, a cart filled with popcorn, gummy worms, and (root?) beer bottles. He mentioned that he now misses the “friendly competition,” which is why he loves being on this show.

His concert merchandise clue came from the Nick Cannon T-Shirt Cannon, shot by *NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick. Chris also suggested that Nessy could be a country singer. The t-shirt itself featured Nessy in a heart. “Just like the boy banders, I was also known for my love songs,” he explained.

In his initial clue package, Nessy had us thinking of celebrities who reside in places where celebrities typically don’t, implying that even his neighbors and mailman might not realize he is the same person as that other famous individual. Nessy described himself as a “gentle giant” in this first clue package, indicating he is a little mysterious and intentionally “reclusive” on his sprawling property.

A radio adorned with a star suggests either a musical artist — we can definitely hear that — or perhaps a DJ with an incredible singing voice. He also showcased a polished horseshoe, displayed a red card with a white lip print, and his family emerged from the waters behind him, hinting at a wife and three children.

Nessy shared, “I took a lot of time off to be with my family. But now, being invited back into the spotlight feels really good.”

When Rita couldn’t recall the name of Darkness lead singer Justin Hawkins, Nessy offered that up, further showcasing his artistic credibility, but stood by her guess of Dave Matthews. Could it be? “No, it couldn’t be,” Robin countered, explaining that Dave’s voice is simply too distinct.

Instead, he’s still considering Daryl Hall — a name Rita doesn’t seem to know much about, as she responded, “I guess so, yeah,” when Robin pointed out that Daryl is a fantastic love song writer who could have been covered by both Bieber and Puth. Ken remains focused on Pat Monahan from Train, who does have an REO connection as he and Kevin Cronin have performed together.

While the internet has been struggling a bit with this one too, the clue that he competed directly with *NSYNC seems to complicate the otherwise strong Daryl Hall guess, but a name has begun surfacing more frequently.

Could this be Edwin McCain? Justin Bieber has performed his “I’ll Be” extensively over the years, as has Charlie Puth. In fact, McCain specifically acknowledges them both for covering that song and his other major love ballad “I Could Not Ask for More” on his official website — just like Nessy did here. That’s quite a coincidence — or is it?

Later, we received a significant clue when Season 3’s Banana, Bret Michaels, dropped in to reveal that he has rocked out with Nessy numerous times. Did you know that Bret Michaels and Edwin McCain have performed together on stage, including an upcoming show in Tennessee? Edwin has opened for Bret, and they’ve even collaborated on a song titled “Raine.”

Unlike previous groups, this lineup seems a bit clearer to us. Yorkie simply doesn’t possess the depth of skill that either MSM or Nessy have consistently displayed throughout the season. She leans more towards the performative aspect of stage presence than the vocal mastery, whereas the gentlemen seem to sing with passion — likely stemming from their early professional careers.

Of the two, we would lean towards Nessy to prevail. He has shown to be a bit stronger and more consistent across various styles and genres than MSM. This is a slim margin, to be sure, but that’s where we stand on the issue. The audience and panel, however, flipped that script and advanced Mad Scientist Monster into next week’s Fortunate 6.

(“Hard to Handle,” Otis Redding) Yorkie immediately lost us with her “Hey there” opening lines, and things didn’t improve from there. The Black Crowes previously offered a more edgy rendition of this classic, which she seemed to channel, but it ultimately turned into a vocal catastrophe for her. This performance marked a significant regression for her, with timing issues and a complete lack of conviction or passion. Nessy, on the other hand, grasped the project and the vibe of the original perfectly. Just as he transformed himself from track to track, he infused this performance with raw energy, leaving us wanting more.

We anticipated Yorkie to face challenges against either of this week’s other finalists, but we were unprepared for the world-class performance she just received from Nessy. She may just be a legendary creature after being bested like that. While she may not have earned Best in Show, she could very well win the best personality of the season!

Before the votes were revealed, Detective Lucky Duck appeared to share that they had only managed to get half of their final guesses right this season from the eight stars unmasked thus far. As motivation, he revived the Golden Ear trophy, which returned in Season 6 to honor the panelist with the most correct guesses. So far this season, it’s Robin in the lead.

As for this week’s final vote, while we don’t get to see the final count, we have to assume it wasn’t even close. This one was simply too one-sided, so Yorkie should take pride in her accomplishment of reaching the Group C Finals, which is impressive in its own right. She was simply outclassed and outperformed here.

Her “Crack the Case” Clue Case featured a pair of thigh-high black boots. “These lucky boots are custom-made for me,” Yorkie explained. “My current boots are made for walking; they’ve carried me through a lot, no matter where I go, even the biggest strips.”

• Robin Thicke: Lori Loughlin
• Jenny McCarthy: Erika Jayne
• Ken Jeong: Kyle Richards
• Rita Ora: Paris Hilton

With the Golden Ear trophy on the line, it was revealed that these boots were made to help RHOBH icon Erika Jayne walk out of the competition.

This means the clue informed — and resident Real Housewives expert — Jenny McCarthy was correct, placing her in a tie with Robin with three correct guesses … out of nine unmasked celebs. Are these our experts?

The Masked Singer continues next Wednesday with “Decades Night” for the Group C Finals at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.