"Brought me to tears" — The Masked Singer fans react to Ant's performance

The Masked Singer debuted Season 13 on February 12, 2025. Episode 1, titled Lucky Season 13: Group A Premiere, saw five masked celebrities take on the stage, delivering performances that left a lasting impression on the panelists. Among them was Ant, whose cover of P!nk's Just Give Me a Reason made the judges and the audience emotional.

Ant's story and reason for participation moved many in the audience to tears. Panelists Rita Ora, Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong, and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg not only praised Ant's performance but also resonated with her story of finding her voice that "powerful people" tried to erase over the years. Like an ant, she wished to persevere and emerge a "warrior" despite hardships.

The Masked Singer fans took to X to comment on Ant's act. While many sympathized with the participant, others guessed she was one of the female celebrities who have had a difficult journey in the industry.

A fan of The Masked Singer reacts to Ant's performance (Image via X/@DylanSharer)

"#AntMask, you brought me to tears with your performance.... WE LOVE YOU ALREADY!" a fan wrote.

"Aw…Ant is adorable Her clues are so sad, but I’m glad she’s chosen to be a warrior!" another fan commented.

"The ant on #TheMaskedSinger could it be Alyssa Milano? She was part of Me too, was criticized for her weight and the witch hat cause she was on Charmed," a netizen tweeted.

Many fans of The Masked Singer sympathized with Ant and appreciated her overall performance.

"#Ant She has a beautiful voice… I’m a little emotional," a user reacted.

"What a cute costume. A beautiful voice. A command of the stage. I hope we get to keep hearing her. And how many ants bring along their own picnic blanket on their costume?" a person commented.

"She was absolutely AMAZING..!!!? Her rendition of that song was just beautiful…!!!!! I can’t put my finger on her yet but….. WOW…!! Beautiful," another fan wrote.

"The Ant Mask is SO CUTE! She looks like fun!" one user posted.

Other fans of The Masked Singer shared their opinions of who might be behind the Ant's mask.

"I’m going to guess but I think the ant might be Chante Moore," a person reacted.

"I’m starting to think that the ant is Kesha," another netizen commented.

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"Fight for my voice" — The Masked Singer contestant Ant reveals her reason for participation

Episode 1 of The Masked Singer showcased Ant describing the objective of her participation. Her main purpose was to find herself and her voice that she stated was suppressed for years. While introducing herself in a video package, the contestant explained that she chose to become an ant because it could "carry over 50 times their body weight" and was "small and mighty."

However, she stated that just because an ant can carry a "heavy burden," did not mean one should be compelled to. The Masked Singer star explained:

"I've been forced to bear a deep, dark secret for my entire career. And because of this secret, powerful people tried to erase me, to brush me off, to stomp me out. The weight of it broke my spirit — broke me."

Despite having a challenging journey, the participant refused to back down or let other's decisions dictate her life. Her main goal in appearing on the reality series was to fight the forces trying to "stomp" her and emerge with a newfound identity.

While describing her purpose, she said:

"But recently, I made a decision. I could stay broken, or I could be a warrior. That's the reason I'm here. To fight for my voice, to be heard, and, like any ant, march toward real change."

Rita acknowledged her "bravery" and called it a "special moment" on the show. She claimed the singer behind the mask was singer and actress, Lea Michelle, noting how her "public heartbreak" resonated with Ant's story about a "heavy burden" and feeling vulnerable. Meanwhile, Robin guessed it was actress Lindsay Lohan. However, Jenny claimed it was singer and actress Ashanti.

Following her performance, Ant addressed the viewers, saying she was on stage "for all the survivors." The Masked Singer star added that she acknowledged and supported them and that no one could stomp them out.

Later in the episode, contestant Honey Pot was eliminated and unmasked to be comedian, Cedric the Entertainer.

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The Masked Singer Season 13 releases new episodes every Wednesday at 8 pm ET exclusively on Fox.