The Masked Singer is a singing competition, and I’ve often wondered why Grammy-winning artists compete. At best, they win and prove something the world has already decided: that they’re talented singers. At worst, they lose and feel a hit to their ego after a crushing elimination, but not everyone feels that way. Paula Cole didn’t win the Group A stage over the Buffalo trio, but as she explained to CinemaBlend, it wasn’t a big deal.
Cole, an accomplished singer and songwriter, topped the charts with her song “I Don’t Want To Wait” and won a Grammy in 1998. I asked her about the risk associated with participating on The Masked Singer and perhaps devaluing her accomplishments in her career, and she gave her honest thoughts on the matter:
That was the insecure niggling ego question of snobbery when I first was approached. Of course, would Bob Dylan [do well] on The Masked Singer? That doesn’t quantify greatness at all. In fact, I thought it might be more strategic to lose, it might be better not to win. This doesn’t define me. It’s just a fun thing, and it’s actually a lesson in lightening up. It’s a lesson in partaking in some joy and not caring as much what people think about me. It was a fun thing for me and my family. So that’s ultimately why I did it.
Bob Dylan would be about the most shocking reveal on The Masked Singer, but Paula Cole is absolutely right that even at his peak singing ability, he wouldn’t have been guaranteed a win. Cole deliberately took the gig on the Fox series not because of the pay (which isn’t great) or exposure but to step out of her comfort zone and do something fun she wouldn’t normally do.
Paula Cole exited on the same night as Woodpecker, who was ultimately revealed as actress Marsai Martin. While Martin was nervous about Nick Cannon discovering her identity because of their friendship, Cole told us that she was more surprised that the panel guessed so many of her peers from the era in which she first burst onto the scene. Jenny McCarthy correctly predicted it was Cole, though she’s usually good at figuring out the identities of celebrities.
Paula Cole competed amongst the Group A contestants, and as she confirmed during our interview, had a blast the whole time. While she had never heard of the show prior to being asked to perform, Cole told CinemaBlend she’s watching The Masked Singer while working on other projects:
It’s been really fun watching it, too. And meanwhile, I’ll go back to my work. I did the fun thing, and then I’m gonna go back to my work and there’s plenty of it. I’m writing a book and a musical and I’m touring and it just doesn’t stop. That’s really what I’m in it for, the long run and leaving behind some hopefully great work, writing some great songs. I’ll just keep doing this, and then these weird things come up, and do you say yes or do you take yourself too seriously? It was a good lesson.
It’s great to hear Paula Cole’s perspective, and it makes me want to revisit her performances all over again with a Hulu subscription. Those hoping to see more of Paula Cole singing can always check out her latest album, Lo, which is available on most streaming services or for purchase right now.
Of course, I’m still very much into what’s ahead for The Masked Singer Season 12. The show will now move on to the Group B stage, and we’ll see a whole new group of hopefuls compete to advance to the next stage of the competition.
The Masked Singer airs on Fox on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Now would be a great time to see what else is popping up on the 2024 TV schedule, as many new shows are premiering during the fall season each and every week.