SPOILER ALERT: Details for The Masked Singer Season 12, Episode 3, “Soundtrack of My Life Night,” which aired October 9 on Fox, follow.

I don’t want to wait until “Masked Singer” is over. Now I want to know who it will be.

You’re lucky, Dawson. Wednesday night’s edition of “The Masked Singer” revealed two eliminated celebrities: singer Paula Cole, whose hits include “I Don’t Want to Wait” (known as the theme song for “Dawson’s Creek”), and “Black-ish” star Marsai Martin.

It turned out that Cole was the star under the ship’s costume, while Martin sang under the guise of the woodpecker.

Panelist Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg discovered that the ship was Paula Cole. Ken Jeong thought it was Alanis Morissette. Robin Thicke called Amy Lee from Evanescence. Rita Ora said it was Sarah McLachlan.

“I didn’t know about the show,” Cole said Diversity. “They approached me and I had to check my snobbery at the door and do a little research. I started watching the show to somehow understand it. And then take on something that was a lot of fun and something that actually brought joy. Having an alter ego is liberating and fun. I like being the ship. I actually miss her a little.

Cole said she wouldn’t have done the show if she had been given “a furry amoeba costume.” But they offered me this beautiful, statuesque creation. It reminded me of my mother’s art projects. I just needed a lot of height and a big arch when I walked through doors, but I felt agency and some strength in her and I loved dancing. I loved my anonymity behind her mask.”

As for Woodpecker, no one has figured out Marsai Martin. Thicke suspected Liza Koshy. Ora named Keke Palmer. Jeong said it was Quinta Brunson. McCarthy-Wahlberg went with Tatyana Ali.

“Soundtrack of My Life Night” opened with Buffalos, the Ship and Woodpecker, who performed “High Hopes” by Panic! At the disco. Woodpecker had to be eliminated first, and then Ship and Buffalos competed in a battle royal playing “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac. Ship was then voted out, meaning the Buffalos won Group A and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Paula Cole as Ship and Marsai Martin as Woodpecker join Yvette Nicole Brown as Showbird and John Elway as Leaf Sheep as the celebrities to be unmasked in season 12 of The Masked Singer.

Returning for season 12 are host Nick Cannon as well as panelists Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke, while Ora also returned to the panel for the second year in a row to fill in for Nicole Scherzinger.

Thematic episodes of The Masked Singer Season 12 include tributes to Mattel’s Barbie on its 65th anniversary and the film Footloose on its 40th anniversary. Miley Cyrus will also be honored with an episode dedicated to her music catalog. Also new is a “Who Are You Fest” with music from “memorable festival lineups,” as well as a “Sports Night” and a “60’s Night.” Returning tentpole themes include “Soundtrack of My Life” and “Thanksgiving Night.”

New this season are cues that are “strategically embedded into costumes, song choices and stage moments.” And the fifteen celebrity contestants will be joined by a “celebrity masked ambassador” made up of previous contestants including Dick Van Dyke (Season 9 Gnome), Jewel (Season 6 winner as Queen of Hearts), and Ne-yo (Season 10 winner). as the cow) and DeMarcus Ware (Koala from season 11). And the “Ding Dong Keep It On” bell rings again this morning, but only one singer from the three group finals can be saved.

Season 12 features 15 contestants in new costumes, including “Ship”, “Leaf Sheep”, “Woodpecker”, “Chess Piece”, “Bluebell”, “Buffalo”, “Showbird”, “Dust Bunny”, “Goo” , “Strawberry Shortcake” and more.

Here were Group A’s final performances on Wednesday’s Episode 3, “Soundtrack of My Life Night”:

The ship

Song: “Because the Night” by Patti Smith Group

Panel estimates: Alanis Morissette, Sarah McLachlan, Norah Jones, Joan Osbourne, Paula Cole

Note on the time capsule: “Congratulations on winning Best New Artist. You are a true leading lady. — LeAnn, 1998.” “This note comes from one of the most treasured moments of my career. And it meant the world was getting recognition from a woman as talented as LeAnn Rimes.”

The ship comment: “I am so proud that I made it to the Group A final. I have always trusted my headline. Even if it was risky. Tonight I’m singing “Because the Night” by Patti Smith and I’ll tell you why. There was a time when I was shipwrecked. Broke. Live on a burrito for $2 a day. Half for lunch, the other half for dinner. So of course I jumped at the chance to sing on an international tour. As exciting as it was, I knew I had my own stories to tell. I realized that I would rather drive around in a rental car singing my truth myself, and taking that chance started the tidal wave of my career. And you know, I took the risk of being here because it’s so different from me. But it’s so rewarding.”

Previous songs: “Pompeii” from Bastille; “Almost Paradise” by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson

Previous panel guesses: Cyndi Lauper, Joan Osbourne, Enya, Sarah McLachlan, Kate Bush, Amy Grant, Sheryl Crow

woodpecker

Song: “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae

Panel estimates: Liza Koshy, Quinta Brunson, Tatyana Ali

Note on the time capsule: tree trunk.

Woodpecker voiceover: ““I’m really happy to be here in the Group A final. And I know that my family is waiting in the wings for me. Tonight I picked a song for her. You see, I come from a long line of strong chicks in my family tree. And we all lived under one roof. Talk about lots of perfume, tights and pink! My great-grandmother introduced me to jazz and Ray Charles and passed on her love of music to me. Girl, did we put these records on? Team vinyl here. My maternal grandmother gave me the courage to pursue my dreams. And I so wish she would live to see them come to fruition. And my other grandmother instilled in me the greatest love of all, the love of the Masked Singer, which we always watch together. That’s one of the reasons I’m here. My performance tonight is a tribute to all the women who gave me parts of themselves so I could fly. So stay with me as I spin one of my favorite records. I see you, great-grandmother.”

Previous songs: “Flowers” ​​by Miley Cyrus; “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler

Previous panel guesses: Willow Smith, Cardi B, Halle Bailey, Keke Palmer, Letitia Wright, Regina King

buffalo

Song: “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve

Panel estimates: B2K, Boyz II Men, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Black Eyed Peas

Note on the time capsule: “Halftime Show.” “This halftime show t-shirt has aged with time like us, but we can tell you that this performance was in front of one of the largest audiences in the world.”

Buffalo’s voiceover: “Who would have thought we would be here in the Group A final and tonight we are digging deep. That’s right, we chose “Bittersweet Symphony” because we learned that sometimes the hardest parts of life are the ones in which we are forced to be the most harmonious. When we made it big, we had a cowboy who guided and inspired us the most. He was our everything to us. He was also a real MacGyver. Constantly fixing things. But we suddenly lost him. We were heartbroken. How could God do this to us? We didn’t feel like we could continue. We sang as we calmed him down, thinking it would be our last time. But we knew he would have wanted us to keep the flock together. So that’s what we did. And even though there’s a MacGyver-shaped hole in our hearts, we’ll do anything for him. Including this performance. And hopefully he will ensure that we make it to the quarter-finals. Wherever he’s watching from tonight.”

Previous songs: “(I Just) Died In Your Arms” by Cutting Crew; “Waiting for a Girl Like You” by Foreigner

Previous panel guesses: B2K, Earth Wind and Fire, 98 Grad, Bell Biv DeVoe, 112, Boyz II Men, Big Time Rush

Last season’s cast included Vanessa Hudgens, who won the Season 11 crown as Goldfish, defeating Scott Porter, who appeared as Gumball. Other cast members included Thelma Houston (Clock), Chrissy Metz (Poodle Moth), Corey Feldman (Seal) and Clay Aiken/Ruben Studdard (Beets), Jenifer Lewis (Miss Cleocatra), Kate Flannery (Starfish), Charlie Wilson (Ugly Sweater) . , DeMarcus Ware (Koala), Colton Underwood (Love Bird), Sisqó (Lizard), Billy Bush (Sir Lion), Joe Bastianich (Spaghetti & Meatballs), Savannah Chrisley (Afghan Hound) and Kevin Hart (Book).

“The Masked Singer” comes from Fox Alternative Entertainment. Rosie Seitchik, Craig Plestis and Cannon are executive producers, while Seitchik serves as showrunner. The series is based on the South Korean format of Mun Hwa Broadcasting Corp.