Laura Smith
Mushroom is a masked celebrity on the fourth US season of The Masked Singer, with an outfit inspired by woodland creatures. The mask was initially revealed in the season 4 costume teaser on 26 August 2020. Mushroom was revealed to be Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc, who chose the mushroom mask because he felt it embodied his daughter. Blacc was one of the most challenging musicians to guess, with fans guessing everyone from Jordan Fisher to Taye Diggs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the masked singer | Aloe Blacc |
| Gender of the mask | Male |
| Guesses by the panel | Usher, Donald Glover, Frank Ocean, Pharrell Williams, Taye Diggs, Jordan Fisher, Todrick Hall |
| Clues given | Hamilton references, hats, orange slice and glass of OJ, two black beetles, "sprouted up underground" |
| Reason for choosing the mushroom mask | Mushrooms connect all plant life underground, and the singer wanted to convey a message of togetherness and connection |
| Song performed | "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder |
| Season | 4 |
| Episode | 12 |
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What You'll Learn
The identity of Mushroom is revealed to be Aloe Blacc
Before the season began, the show teased that there were 46 Grammy nominations between all the celebrities. Blacc was nominated in 2015, and there were 45 nominations among contestants who had already been revealed. Blacc's penchant for caps was also a clue, as he is rarely seen without a hat. In one of Mushroom's clue packages, there was the line "if you want to know who's behind my mask, you'll need to figure out who's under my hats".
Blacc's upbringing in Southern California's Orange County was referenced in one of Mushroom's clue packages, which showed an orange slice and a glass of OJ. In 2016, Blacc voiced a frog on the animated series Beat Bugs and covered the Beatles song "Rain". Blacc also said that he chose the Mushroom costume because mushrooms connect all plant life underground, and he felt this shared a message of togetherness and connection.
Mushroom's first concept art featured different colors, and the final design was revealed on September 10, 2020. The mask was inspired by woodland creatures and featured a light brown stem decorated with mushrooms, moss, grasses, and a squirrel at the bottom. The mask itself was a mushroom with big eyes and a small mouth, wearing a red hat with flowers.
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Blacc chose the Mushroom mask to symbolise connection
In an interview, Aloe Blacc, the celebrity behind the Mushroom mask on The Masked Singer, revealed that he chose the Mushroom mask to symbolise connection. Blacc explained that his album, "All Love Everything", and his participation in The Masked Singer served a similar purpose. The album, according to Blacc, is about everything and everyone he loves, including his family, friends, parents, and children, and it also tells stories about his relationships. It emphasises the importance of togetherness and connection.
In the context of the ongoing pandemic and political divisions in the country, Blacc felt that people needed messages and moments that reminded them of their shared connections and unity. This motivated his choice of the Mushroom mask, as mushrooms underground connect all plant life and play a crucial role in communication through the root system.
Blacc's decision to be the Mushroom on The Masked Singer reflects his intention to spread a message of connection and togetherness during challenging times. By embodying the Mushroom character, he aimed to bring people together and foster a sense of unity through the power of music and performance.
The Mushroom mask, with its big eyes, small mouth, and red hat adorned with flowers, became a symbol of Blacc's desire to connect with others and emphasise the importance of shared experiences and relationships. Through his performance on The Masked Singer, Blacc not only showcased his musical talent but also reinforced the idea that, despite our differences, we are all interconnected and can find strength in our shared humanity.
The choice of the Mushroom mask by Aloe Blacc demonstrates his thoughtful approach to using his platform to send a powerful message of unity and connection to the audience during a time when people needed it the most.
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Blacc's song choices included I Wish by Stevie Wonder
The Mushroom mask on the fourth US season of *The Masked Singer* was revealed to be Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc. Blacc's song choices included Stevie Wonder's "I Wish", which he chose because his daughter loves the song and they dance to it together. He also performed Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time", which he thought would be familiar to an older generation, and Katy Perry's "Unconditionally" for a younger audience. Blacc also performed Kate Bush and Maxwell's "This Woman's Work" and Donny Hathaway's "A Song for You", which he felt showed who he was behind the mask. Blacc's varied song choices were part of his strategy to fool the panelists.
Blacc chose the Mushroom mask because he felt it embodied his daughter and shared a message of togetherness and connection. He explained that mushrooms connect all plant life underground, and he wanted to emphasise how connected we all are, especially during the pandemic. The mask was initially revealed in a season 4 costume teaser on 26 August 2020 and was later officially unveiled on 10 September 2020.
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The panel had no idea who Mushroom was, despite his distinct voice
The panel on The Masked Singer had no idea who Mushroom was, despite his distinct voice. Mushroom was a contestant on the fourth season of the US version of the show. His outfit was inspired by woodland creatures, with a light brown stem, mushrooms, moss, grasses, and a squirrel adorning his costume.
Mushroom's voice is described as distinct and clear, yet he was one of the most challenging musicians to guess on the show. The panel guessed three R&B singers who could be behind the mask: Usher, Donald Glover, and Frank Ocean. Another guess was that the singer was Pharrell Williams, due to the presence of hats in Mushroom's clue packages, and the many Hamilton references.
Other popular guesses included Taye Diggs, Todrick Hall, and Jordan Fisher. However, none of the panelists were able to correctly identify Mushroom, who was revealed to be Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc. Blacc chose the mushroom costume because mushrooms connect all plant life underground, and he felt this shared a message of togetherness and connection.
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Clues to Mushroom's identity included references to the musical Hamilton
The Mushroom on the Masked Singer was revealed to be Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc. However, before the reveal, there were several clues that had the audience guessing.
The clues package was overflowing with references to the musical Hamilton. Given the sheer number of references, fans thought that Mushroom was someone from the musical's cast. Hamilton’s musical director Alex Lacamoire said in a 2015 interview that he originally intended for the Act 1 song “The Schuyler Sisters” to resemble a Pharrell and Daft Punk track. This could be a clue pointing to Pharrell Williams, who has a loose connection to the play. Williams also has a history of experimenting with fashion, so the Mushroom's extravagant costume could be something he would wear.
Other clues in the package included a street hot dog stand, a violin case, a brown detective top hat, and gardening supplies. There were also several references to New York City, including a hot dog cart and high-rise buildings. This could be a nod to Anthony Ramos, who was born in Brooklyn and grew up in New York City. Ramos considered quitting performing arts until he met Lin-Manuel Miranda, for whom he auditioned and won a role in the off-Broadway version of Hamilton.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushroom on the US Masked Singer was revealed to be Aloe Blacc.
There were lots of hats featured throughout Mushroom's tenure on the show, and Blacc is known for wearing caps. There was also a clue about sprouting up underground, and Blacc was part of an underground hip-hop duo called Emanon.
Mushroom performed "Valerie", "Woman's World" and "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder.
