The Masked Singer Season 9 closed out with an epic finale in which two talented professional singers battled it out for the Golden Mask trophy. Both were deserving of the honor, but Nick Cannon could only call one name as the winner. Ultimately, the audience decided that Medusa, a.k.a. singer Bishop Briggs, edged out American Idol veteran David Archuleta under his Macaw mask with her powerful vocals. It was an amazing win for Briggs, who told CinemaBlend she took on the show not long after welcoming her first child.
Bishop Briggs welcomed her son in August and not too long after was in costume as Medusa and performing on The Masked Singer. Briggs addressed the challenges:
The pressure is for sure on. I was also, during filming, I was five months and then six months postpartum. So I was pumping. I mean, I was doing all the things in between the show. So it really was a whirlwind.
As Medusa, Bishop Briggs faced some stiff competition. She had a nail-biter battle royale round with singer Sara Evans (who shared her take on her own elimination) as Mustang, but ultimately edged out a win. Briggs would get another scare two episodes later when she was eliminated after losing to California Roll.
The elimination would've meant Bishop Briggs exiting before a bulk of Season 9's eliminated contestants, but she could've been with her infant son more frequently again. Briggs talked about the possibility of that happening and broke down what was going through her mind before she was saved by the Ding Dong Keep It On Bell:
I will say that when I had that moment with The California Roll, I felt so defeated. When Nicole [Scherzinger] rang that bell–this is the thing. I don't know how long the [audience] chant is of the ‘Take it off’, but it felt like six hours. I went through every moment on the show. I mean, you realize how much you want something when you feel as though it's about to be taken away. And because I had time away from my son because I was a previous fan of the show. That competitive spirit really came out not so much with competing with others but with myself.
Readers that rewatch the moment with their Hulu subscription will see Bishop Briggs was really emotional when Nicole Scherzinger and the rest of the panel decided to give her a second chance. It ended up being a great save by the panel, as Briggs later went on to defeat California Roll and, of course, ultimately won The Masked Singer.
Being a first-time parent is a unique experience, and Bishop Briggs shared that working on The Masked Singer helped in a couple of ways, as well as how her son reacted to seeing her win and how he felt about it:
I think it was really, really helpful to have such an immersive set experience, if that makes sense. And, you know, I feel so soulfully fulfilled when I sing… But that being said, was I on Facetime with the baby who doesn't even talk? Yes. Was I writing notes to the baby? Yes. I was over the top… I did show him the finale last night, and he truly had no reaction. It was a very interesting moment because I had dedicated so much of the show to him, and he didn't seem to care. But he is only nine months old. So, I understand. He did smile at the Macaw though, which I think is very telling to what his preference was.
Ouch – it must be rough to realize your kid wasn't rooting for you! Jokes aside, Bishop Briggs was a phenomenal performer all throughout Season 9. Her win might've been a bummer for American Idol fans who wanted to see David Archuleta take home the Golden Mask, but Medusa's narrow victories were a testament to her talent as well as the talent of the other competitors.
The Masked Singer will return to Fox in the fall for Season 10. Now would be a perfect time to check out the 2023 TV schedule, as there are plenty of new shows arriving in the summer that will be worth a watch for anyone looking to fill a gap on Wednesday nights.
