This week was the finale of The Masked Singer Season 5, and the audience not only got to see the winner get crowned but also learn who the Final 3 were. After such stellar performances, one of those revealed was the Black Swan, who turned out to be pop and R&B singer JoJo Levesque. Despite placing second in the Fox competition, the singer held no expectations. So after her elimination, Black Swan revealed the sweet reason she decided to join the series.
While the singer-actress might not have won, it was more about having fun, amid The Masked Singer’s unpredictability. JoJo Levesque explained that it was her close friendship with Season 4 contestant Seahorse and judge Nicole Scherzinger that drew her to the show. The R&B/pop singer said to Entertainment Weekly about her special connection to the Fox singing competition:
Yes. And Tori is actually a big part of the reason why I decided to do the show, because when she was unmasked, I texted her right away and she was telling me about her experience. It just sounded like something that she had so much fun with. So that was the final confirmation for me, that's all I needed to hear, that she had such a good time. And she hit me a few times during this season and was basically like, "You're killing it, Black Swan. I love this song." And I was just like, "Girl, you're crazy," and just trying to play it off. But I'm a pretty sucky liar, so I don't know if I did the best job of throwing people off. [Laughs.] I've known Nicole a long time, known Tori a long time, and I've definitely gotten a lot of texts and tweets and stuff, but I just tried to ignore it, because what I love about the show as a viewer is really questioning yourself. Is this what I think I hear? Like, are my ears fooling me? And I wanted them to be able to have that experience, too, even my family and friends.
Knowing the connection between Tori Kelly and JoJo Levesque makes her run on The Masked Singer even more special. Kelly's positive experience on the hit reality competition show seemed to be just the motivation Levesque needed to join up herself. It’s also just nice to know that Kelly was ini on to the Black Swan’s identity as well.
As JoJo Levesque hinted at in her interview, some viewers have been on her trail since her first note on The Masked Singer. While names like Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez were thrown out there, it was songs like “How Will I Know” and “Do I Do” that seemiingly confirmed the singer’s identity for audiences. With the work she's done, it should be no surprise that Levesque’s tone and styling were recognizable to both avid fans and casual listeners.
Season 5 of The Masked Singer was a rollercoaster, but knowing singers like JoJo Levesque had fun while competing makes it an even better watch. Now, viewers will have to wait until the next season to see who will take the golden mask next.
