''Mask Singer'' is a French

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

series based on the format of the South Korean television game show series ''

King of Mask Singer ''The King of Mask Singer'' () is a South Korean singing competition program presented by Kim Sung-joo, with introductions by voice actor . It airs on MBC on Sunday, starting from April 5, 2015 as a part of MBC's '' Sunday Night'' programming ...

'' by

Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC; ) is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. ''Munhwa'' is the Sino-Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television station MBC TV broadcasts as channel 11. Es ...

. Run by

TF1 Group TF1 Group (french: Groupe TF1) is a French media holding company. Its best-known property is the broadcast network TF1. The group was formed after TF1 was privatized in April 1987. It is controlled with a 43% stake by Bouygues, and is quoted ...

, ''Mask Singer'' is a singing competition between celebrities donning elaborate costumes and face coverings to conceal their identity from the audience, judges and other contestants. The first season of ''Mask Singer'' premiered 8 November 2019. Hosted by

Camille Combal Camille Combal (born 18 September 1981) is a French television and radio presenter. He is the current host of '' Danse avec les stars'', '' Mask Singer'', '' Qui veut gagner des millions ?'', and '. He was the co-host of ''Touche pas à mon pos ...

, it featured TV Host and producer

Alessandra Sublet Alessandra Sublet (born Alexandra Sublet on 5 October 1976) is a French radio and television presenter. She hosted the daily television program ''C à vous'' from September 2009 to June 2013 on France 5. Early life and education Alessandra Subl ...

, singer

Anggun Anggun Cipta Sasmi (; born 29 April 1974), better known as Anggun C. Sasmi or more often mononymously as Anggun, is an Indonesian-born French singer-songwriter and television personality. Born in Jakarta, she began performing at the age of sev ...

as well as humorists

Kev Adams Kev Adams or Kev' Adams (born Kevin Smadja; 1 July 1991) is a French comedian, actor, humorist, screenwriter and film producer. Early life Adams was born in 1991 in the 16th district of Paris. His father is a real estate agent of Algerian Jews, ...

and Jarry on the judging panel. The second season commenced filming in 2020, and aired from 17 October to 28 November 2020 with the same hosts on the panel. Third season started airing on April 1, 2022, features the exact same host and panel, along with a surprise fifth judge, a new addition to the series. Fourth season started to air on August 23, 2022, on a weekly prime-time format.

Format

A group of celebrities compete anonymously on stage, singing in full costumes over a series of episodes. Each episode, a portion of the competitors are paired off into face-off competitions, in which each will perform a song of his/her choice. From each face-off, the panelists and live audience vote: the winner's safe for the week, while the loser is put up for elimination. At the end of the episode, the face-off's losers are then subjected to new votes of the panelists to determine who will not continue. The eliminated singer then enters a special room backstage where it turns its back to the camera, takes off its mask, then turns around to reveal his/her identity to the viewers. In addition to the singing competition, hints to each masked singer's identity are offered during the show. Pre-taped interviews are given as hints and feature their distorted voices. The panelists are given time to speculate the identity of the singer after the performance and ask them a single question to try and determine their identity.

Panelists and host

Following the announcement of the series,

TF1 TF1 (; standing for ''Télévision Française 1'') is a French commercial television network owned by TF1 Group, controlled by the Bouygues conglomerate. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network. TF1 is par ...

announced that the judging panel for season 1 would consist of Radio & TV Host

, singer

and comedians

and Jarry. Said panel remained for seasons 2 and 3. On June 4, 2022, it was announced that three new panellists would join Kev Adams for the fourth season in replacement to Jarry, Alessandra Sublet and Anggun :

ventriloquist Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is a performance act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) creates the illusion that their voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered prop known as a "dummy". The act of ventriloquism is v ...

and stand-up comedian

Jeff Panacloc Damien Colcanap, better known as Jeff Panacloc, is a French ventriloquist and stand-up comedian born on 8 September 1986 in Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes, Seine-et-Marne. Biography A former electrician, Damien Colcanap met French ventriloquist Davi ...

, actress and comedian

Chantal Ladesou Chantal Ladesou (born 5 May 1948) is a French actress and comedian. Personal life Ladesou met her husband Michel Ansault and with whom she had three children, two boys, Alix (who died in a car accident), Julien and a daughter, the actress Cl� ...

, and singer-songwriter

Vitaa Charlotte Bendaoud (; born 14 March 1983), known by her stage name Vitaa (), is a French singer-songwriter. Biography Vitaa was discovered by DJ Kost, who paired her with Dadoo in a duet . They sang "Pas à pas" ('Step by Step'). It was at this e ...

; constitute the new panel of judges for season 4. File:Anggun, Paris, 2015 (cropped).jpg,

File:Kev Adams Cannes 2016.jpg,

File:Jarry1.jpg, Jarry File:Alessandra Sublet in 2020.png,

File:Jeff Panacloc et Jean-Marc en Decembre 2014.jpg,

File:Chantal Ladesou Cannes 2016 2.jpg,

File:Vitaa BTS "Vivre" 2.jpg,

Season synopsis

Season 1 (2019)

Contestants

Episodes

Week 1 (8 November)

Week 2 (15 November)

Week 3 (22 November)

Two singers are to be eliminated this episode. Therefore, Sing-offs are canceled : Contestants sing only once before being subjected to the vote. Group Number: "

Uptown Funk "Uptown Funk" is a song by British record producer Mark Ronson from his fourth studio album, ''Uptown Special'' (2015), featuring American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released as the album's lead single on 10 November 2014 via dow ...

" by

Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, Robbi ...

ft.

Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical s ...

Week 4 (29 November)

Two singers are to be eliminated this episode. Therefore, Sing-offs are canceled : Contestants sing only once before being subjected to the vote.

Week 5 (6 December)

Two singers are to be eliminated this episode. Therefore, Sing-offs are canceled : Contestants sing only once before being subjected to the vote.

Week 6 (13 December)

As only 4 characters are still in competition, run time allows for face-offs again. The 4th place was determined by a first round of duels then a face-off, while the top 3 was determined in a second round.

=Round One

=Round Two

Season 2 (2020)

Contestants

Episodes

Week 1 (17 October)

Week 2 (24 October)

Guest Performance: "

Million Reasons "Million Reasons" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga for her fifth studio album, '' Joanne'' (2016). Initially released as a promotional single, it was released to radio stations on October 29, 2016, as the album's second single. Th ...

" by

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...

performed by

Itziar Ituño Itziar Ituño Martínez (born June 18, 1974) is a Spanish actress, who performs in her native Basque language as well as in Spanish. She is best known for her role as Inspector Raquel Murillo in the Spanish television series ''La Casa de Papel' ...

as "Ballerina."

Week 3 (31 October)

Week 4 (7 November)

Panelist Performance: "

Eye of the Tiger "Eye of the Tiger" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It was released as a single from their third album of the same name and was also the theme song for the 1982 film ''Rocky III'', which was released a day before the single. The song ...

" by Survivor performed by

as "Disco Ball."

Week 5 (21 November)

Group Number: "Allez reste" by

Boulevard des Airs Boulevard des Airs () are a French pop/rock group formed in 2004. So far they have published four albums: ''Paris-Buenos Aires'' (2011), ''Les Appareuses trompences'' (2013), ''Bruxelles'' (2015) and ''Je me dis que toi aussi'' (2018). Members * ...

ft. Vianney

Week 6 (28 November)

=Round One

= For the first round the contestants did a duet with a previous contestant.

=Round Two

=Round Three

Season 3 (2022)

Contestants

Episodes

Week 1 (1 April)

Week 2 (8 April)

* Guest Performance: "

Feeling Good "Feeling Good" (also known as "Feelin' Good") is a song written by English composers Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the musical ''The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd''. It was first performed on stage in 1964 by Cy Gr ...

" by

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...

performed by

Teri Hatcher Teri Lynn Hatcher (born December 8, 1964) is an American actress best known for her portrayals of Lois Lane on the television series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' (1993–1997); Paris Carver in the ''James Bond'' film ''Tomor ...

as Ladybug

Week 3 (15 April)

Week 4 (22 April)

* Guest Performance: "

Le Banana Split "Le Banana Split" is the debut single by Belgian pop singer Lio. It was a very big hit when it was first released in 1979, selling 700,000 copies. It is considered today Lio's signature song. Background "Le Banana Split" was remixed in 1995 an ...

" by

Lio Vanda Maria Ribeiro Furtado Tavares de Vasconcelos (born 17 June 1962), known professionally as Lio, is a Portuguese-Belgian singer and actress who was a pop icon in France and Belgium during the 1980s. Life and career Vanda Maria Ribeiro Furt ...

performed by

Anne Roumanoff Anne Roumanoff (born 25 September 1965 in Paris) is a French comedian and actress. Early life Anne Leila Roumanoff was born on 25 September 1965 in Paris, France. Her grandparents on one side were Ashkenazi Jews from Russia, and on the other side ...

as Gorilla * Guest Performance: "

Envole-moi "Envole-moi" () is a French language song written, composed and recorded by Jean-Jacques Goldman taken from his 1984 album '' Positif''. The single sold over half a million copies and was certified gold. Goldman explained that the song is a "cry f ...

" by

Jean-Jacques Goldman Jean-Jacques Goldman (; born 11 October 1951) is a French singer-songwriter and music record producer. He is hugely popular in the French-speaking world. Since the death of Johnny Hallyday in 2017 he has been the highest grossing living French p ...

performed by Jarry as Elephant

Week 5 (29 April)

* Group Performance: " Ça (C'est Vraiment Toi)" by

Téléphone Téléphone () was a French rock band formed in 1976. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1977; by the end of the decade they were one of the biggest French rock bands around, opening shows for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Quebec, th ...

* Guest Performance: "

With or Without You "With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their fifth studio album, ''The Joshua Tree'' (1987), and was released as the album's lead single on 16 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful single ...

" by U2 performed by

Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...

as Cowboy

Week 6 (6 May)

* Guest Performance: "

Pauvres Diables "Pauvres Diables" is a song by Julio Iglesias recorded in 1979. The song is also commonly known as "Vous les femmes" based on the opening lyrics. The song was also recorded in Spanish language by Iglesias as "Pobre diablo". The song has been rec ...

" by

Julio Iglesias Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top record ...

performed by

Kendji Girac Kendji "Girac" Jason Maillié (; born July 3, 1996), also known mononymously as Kendji, is a French singer-songwriter. He is the winner of season 3 of the music competition '' The Voice: la plus belle voix'' as part of Team Mika. He has released ...

as Wolf

Week 7 (13 May)

=Round One

= * For the first round the contestants did a duet with a previous contestant.

=Round Two

=Round Three

Season 4 (2022)

Contestants

Episodes

Week 1 (23 August)

Week 2 (30 August)

Week 3 (6 September)

* Guest Performance: "

My Way "My Way" is a song popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra set to the music of the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed by Jacques Revaux with lyrics by Gilles Thibaut and Claude François and first performed in 1967 by Claude François. Its E ...

" by

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

performed by

David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The You ...

as Cobra

Week 4 (13 September)

Week 5 (20 September)

* Group Performance: "Quand la musique est bonne" by

* Guest Performance: "

Let's Twist Again "Let's Twist Again" is a song written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell, and released as a single by Chubby Checker. One of the biggest hit singles of 1961, it reached No.8 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' pop chart (No.3 on ''Cash Box'') in August of that ye ...

" by

Chubby Checker Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans; October 3, 1941) is an American rock and roll singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles, including The Twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnighte ...

performed by

Francis Huster Francis Huster (born 8 December 1947) is a French stage, film and television actor, director and scriptwriter. Biography Francis Huster was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine. His father is Charles Huster, commercial director at Lancia, and his Poli ...

" as "Viking"

Week 6 (27 September)

* Guest Performance: "

Price Tag A price tag is a label declaring the price of an item for sale. It may be a sticker or attached by twist tie or other means. Some jurisdictions require items (possibly exceptions for bulk good and produce) to be individually marked with the pr ...

" by

Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...

ft.

B.o.B Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (born November 15, 1988), known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons was signed to Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment imprint in 2006. Two years late ...

performed by

Tori Spelling Victoria Davey Spelling (born May 16, 1973) is an American actress and author. Her first major role was Donna Martin on ''Beverly Hills, 90210'', beginning in 1990. She has appeared in made for television films, including ''A Friend to Die For' ...

as Cat

Week 7 (4 October)

* Guest Performance: "La Boîte de jazz" by

Michel Jonasz Michel Jonasz (born 21 January 1947 in Drancy, France) is a French composer-songwriter, singer and actor. His compositions include: ''La boîte de jazz'', ''Joueurs de blues'' and ''Les vacances au bord de la mer''. Born of Hungarian immigran ...

performed by Inès Reg as Tigress

Week 8 (11 October)

=Round One

=Round Two

Season 5 (2023)

Contestants

Episodes

Week 1 (14 April)

Week 2 (21 April)

Week 3 (28 April)

* Guest Performance: " Roar" by

Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...

performed by

Mel B Melanie Janine Brown (born 29 May 1975), commonly known as Melanie B or Mel B, is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Sc ...

as Sun

References

External links

* (in French) (on TF1) {{Authority control 2019 French television series debuts French-language television shows French television series based on South Korean television series Masked Singer TF1 original programming