The Masked Singer season 12 finale recap: Top 2 are unmasked as the champion is crowned

The Masked Singer Season 12 premiered on Fox on September 25, 2024, with the finale airing on December 18, 2024. Following Vanessa Hudgens' win as Goldfish in the previous season of The Masked Singer, 15 new contestants joined the competition, vying for the top spot.

The judging panel consisted of Ken Jeong, Rita Ora, Robin Thicke, and Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, while Nick Cannon returned to host the show.

In the final episode, the Wasp and the Buffalo competed for the Golden Mask trophy. The previous week, Strawberry Shortcake was eliminated, revealing singer AJ Michalka. In the finale, the Buffalo was unmasked as Grammy-winning group Boyz II Men, and the Wasp was revealed to be singer Mario.

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What happened in The Masked Singer season 12 finale?

Wasp started The Masked Singer finale by performing When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars and I’m Your Baby Tonight by Whitney Houston. The judges' panel had previously guessed the Wasp to be one of Daveed Diggs, Usher, Bruno Mars, Frank Ocean, Jason Derulo, Taye Diggs, Miguel, Mario, or Anthony Ramos.

The Wasp shared in a voiceover that reaching the final stage was meaningful to him. He revealed feeling underrated in the music industry despite early success, including topping the Billboard charts and collaborating with artists like Lil Wayne, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ne-Yo.

However, he still felt that his talent was not fully acknowledged. His experience on The Masked Singer was a stark contrast, as he felt appreciated, validated, and celebrated for his talents, all while maintaining anonymity.

"Making it to the finale means more to me than I can explain. This experience has felt like it was made for me. Like I’m finally getting the recognition I’ve been craving. For a long time in this industry, I felt underrated," stated Wasp.

As Wasp prepared for his final performances on The Masked Singer, he felt his late mother's spirit giving him strength and courage. His goal was to make her proud and win the trophy.

Buffalo were next to perform on The Masked Singer finale as they sang Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye and Too Good At Goodbyes by Sam Smith. The panel had guessed the group to be one of Boyz II Men, Bell Biv DeVoe, Tony! Toni! Toné! The group shared their sentiments in a voiceover, expressing gratitude for reaching the final stage.

Buffalo reflected on their career, highlighting the numerous challenges they had faced and overcome. From their humble beginnings in the inner city to coping with the loss of a loved one and adapting to changes in their music style after losing a group member, they consistently demonstrated resilience and determination.

"We had to fight our way out of the hood. We had to overcome the passing of one of the most important people in our lives. And we’ve even had to change our entire sound when we lost a member," stated Buffalo.

The group emphasized that their participation in The Masked Singer was a testament to their dedication to their fans, families, and supporters. They also extended their appreciation to Nick Lachey, who had served as their ambassador.

When the moment of truth arrived, Nick announced that the winner of the Season 12 golden mask trophy was revealed to be Buffalo, making history as the first group to ever claim the top prize on The Masked Singer. The evening's revelations began with the unmasking of Wasp, who was exposed as the singer Mario. Later, Buffalo removed their masks, revealing themselves to be the group Boyz II Men.