The Masked Singer Quarterfinals Recap Season 11, Episode 9: Emmy Nominee Stuns Panel

The pressure was on for Group Champs Clock, Gumball, and Goldfish — and perhaps even more for Poodle Moth, who got in by the skin of her teeth, or the ring of the Ding-Dong-Keep-It-On Bell.

For these final episodes, a new feature was added to the panel’s desk. Now there’s a blue button that can be pressed once per episode. Once pressed, a package will be delivered by (Amazon) Prime with another clue as to the identity of that night’s biggest stumper.

We have to say, it was definitely used wisely tonight, though we’re not sure how helpful this additional clue was.

It was also a night of heightened emotions as the Final Four all got on-stage clues that were phone calls from loved ones, and they clearly did not see them coming, with several gasping and breaking down in tears.

Who had tears of joy at the end of the night, and who had to say goodbye just two weeks before the finale? There’s only one way to find out!

Let’s jump right in with this week’s mask. And don’t worry, before we get to the shocking unmasking(s), we’re going to make you power through the terrible (and occasionally good) guesses made by our illustrious panel of Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong and Rita Ora first. We do this because we love … to torture you.

Along with the panel’s guesses, we’ll be sharing some internet speculation, too, so if you don’t want to be potentially spoiled (because they are very good at this), you may want to skip past the guesses sections.

(“Get On Your Feet,” Gloria Estefan) Clock wanted to up the energy with this performance, but we’re not sure it was a great choice for the competition at this stage. While we know how incredible she is as a vocalist, this song didn’t do as much to show off her R&B pipes and overall power. Instead, it sounded like a bit of a mismatch of vocal approach and song.

Guesses: Clock revealed that she was a young mom even before her career as a singer started, with her own mother expressing concerns about how she might juggle the two. She said it only took her mother seeing her perform to change her tune.

From there, her mom stepped up to help her forge what became a legendary career, while she says her son has now stepped in to help out as she tours. In fact, he was her on-stage clue.

Answering a giant phone, she heard him say, “Hi Mom. You never cease to amaze me. I’ve seen you perform thousands of times. I know you’re nervous tonight, but remember, you performed for the Pope. Ken Jeong should be a piece of cake. Good luck!” Clock got emotional hearing her son’s voice, tearing up and apologizing for her emotional response after that message.

The Group C finals clue package was all about the moment she didn’t quite believe in herself when up against powerhouses like Aretha Franklin and Natalie Cole for “one of the most prestigious awards.” Clock stayed home, convinced she would lose. And then she won!

She said that she loves a curtain call in her line of work, which is any live performer, while offering visual clues like a clock that read “WAKE:UP” and a “Sweet(Heart)” t-shirt with the word “Sweet” in a pink heart.

The rubber ducky clue was labeled “Nick.” Clock explained, “Well Nicholas, this isn’t the first time you’ve hosted me.” Unfortunately, Nick knowing somebody didn’t really narrow it down enough for the panel.

This newest “TV-themed” batch of clues talked about her ups and downs in life, which apparently included failed marriages — though she is grateful for her kids, of which there may be two based on a Clock family photo.

She said that she’s laughed and cried, but “always been renewed.” At this point, she was looking at a newspaper with the message, “It’s always her time to shine,” on it. Another visual clue was a piggy bank, a motor, and a map with the “MIssissippi River Trail” labeled.

Clock also admitted that she’d been broke at times in her life, during which she always appreciated the free things in life, just as she’d learned to appreciate the good and the bad times.

Jill Whelan, Vicki from The Love Boat, brought out her on-screen clue, which was a massive ship. “Well love, and boat. Two things that combine to make a hit, something I know firsthand.”

All the clues in the first week pointed to a disco diva who managed to survive the era. She talked about having the whole world dancing from dusk ’til dawn while we saw a giant disco ball and said that everyone knew her name. Then, trends changed, years passed and she felt “frozen in time.”

As such, she said that she reinvented herself and achieved massive success again. At this point, she was spinning a golden globe. She even said that she enjoyed a career highlight of singing for the president.

A prominent visual clue in the package was when she cradled a baby, while her on-stage clue was some bars from Billy Joel’s “Vienna” played live on piano. “Vienna is all about seizing the day, and I actually have a day in my name!”

Robin wondered if it was Stephanie Mills, who sang for the Pope at Yankee Stadium. Jenny wondered if the “family” clues could be pointing to any of the members of Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family.” RIta, though, thought it could be Shirley Bassey, who’s on the Vatican’s official playlist.

Social media, though, has been circling Thelma Houston for weeks. She performed for the Pope with the Sisters of Glory at Vatican City. She also had two children and a husband before she launched her career. The clues just keep adding weight to this guess!

(“I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz) Gumball brought some acting performance to the stage with his diner setting and dancers. Vocally, this was as smooth as he’s ever been. It was a perfect choice for his voice and style, and we loved the little added elements he added to his usual robot dancing to help sell the lyrics. He’s really grown to embody this particular costume, creating a visually and aurally satisfying overall experience.

Guesses: His insecurities and imposter syndrome on this show took center stage in Gumball’s Quarterfinals clue package. He wondered if his doubts about his deservingness to be here are why he wound up in a Smackdown.

As for new clues, he revealed that he’s a former athlete, while his on-stage clue phone call was from his wife. “Hi Gumball, it’s your wife, Mrs. Gumball. I’m just so proud of you and watching you on that stage reminds me of your time spent off-Broadway. You’re really back in your element and I am just so excited to watch. Go bring home that Golden Mask. I love you.”

For his Group B Finals clue package, Gumball revealed he’s been struggling with what sounds a lot like imposter syndrome. He said he almost didn’t do the show, believing he wasn’t up to par with the likes of past winners Piglet (Nick Lachey), Cow (Ne-Yo) and Queen of Hearts (Jewel).

He said that as his family moved around a lot, he’d find himself trying to do anything to make friends when he’d land in a new place. And yet, he felt completely out of place on the stage, always feeling like he was pretending to be something he’s not.

He said he has no formal training and no education, so even when success found him, he’d find himself questioning and doubting his worthiness to receive it. Visual clues included a yellow sports car with an “X” on the hood, a football, and the arcade game with the aforementioned contestants competing against him.

“Sticky & Sweet: Ken’s Greatest Hits” was his on-stage vinyl clue, with the record label reading, “Kenspiration.” Gumball explained, “Well, Ken, one of the funniest jobs that I’ve ever been a part of, you were involved as well.”

Gumball’s wife was the main topic of his second clue package, with him sharing that she was this angel across the room when he first met her and they envisioned their future together. She was then hit with a medical diagnosis which changes how her future looks, leaving them with a major decision to make. They decided to live large and explore this world.

Visual clues in the package included a “Prom King” sash, crescent moon, a globe used to knock down three bowling pins, and angel wings and a halo when he talked about first seeing his wife … and how he still sees her.

Carnie Wilson returned to ask all the right questions with Pussycat Dolls’ “Don’t Cha,” to which Gumball added, “Well don’t you wish you could have starred with Channing Tatum like me.” He added a little groove dance, which immediately evoked Magic Mike.

“For me, it’s the Tin Man. When you met him, he was a little rusty, maybe just like me.” That’s what Gumball said when asked which Oz character inspired him the most. In his clue package, he opened up about his rocky road to stardom.

That included shockingly getting booed off the stage at a talent competition … for winning! He said that he’d always known he wanted to be on the stage, he just couldn’t figure out his path. Cue montage of playing drums, guitar, beatboxing, dancing, maybe even singing.

Visual cues included a horse-drawn chariot, a heart around the “American South,” and Mississippi in particular, as well as a black spider dropping on a red-and-white mushroom. His on-stage clue arrived via flying monkey carrying a heart clock.

“At the end of the day, Tin Man always had the heart of a superhero, and I actually might, too.” Rita wondered if he was hinting at The Boys and its Southern boy from Texas, Chace Crawford.

Robin was’t super confident, but he did come up with an on-screen athlete with his James Van Der Beek guess, but James can’t sing like that … can he?! Jenny, though, thinks this is Derek Hough, based on his dance skills.

Ken still thinks it could be Taran Killam, who did Little Shop of Horrors off-Broadway. He then decided to get even more proof by hitting the Blue Button for another clue. That turned out to be a child’s doctor playset with a costume that the girls promptly put on Ken. For Ken, it only affirmed his theory as Taran had done a doctor-themed short film.

We’re still riding with the X/Twitter-verse on this one, though, as Scott Porter played football for his high school and starred in Friday Night Lights.

(“Price Tag,” Jessie J f. B.O.B.) Poodle Moth really surprised us this week by dropping the rap portion herself in the middle of this unexpected treat. It was an uptempo piece compared to her previous heartbreakers, but she put so much fun personality into it, we found ourselves feeling all over again as she performed, so excited for her to have this moment. She’s got a very cool voice, though she didn’t display a ton of range, and so much character in it, she commanded this crowd by vocals alone.

Guesses: Grateful to be here as the Ding-Dong-Keep-It-On Bell recipient, Poodle Moth talked about how she nearly hit rock bottom before her big break finally happened for her. She was even at the point she was afraid to answer the phone for fear of bill collectors, but was glad fate had her choose to answer the one that would change her life.

“Ooh, Poodle Moth, is there anything you can’t do,” said the voice on the other end of her on-stage phone call clue. “From performing in that costume to earning a Golden Globe nomination, your talents are endless. Keep singing your heart out. I love you to the moon and back.”

“Oh my god, I’m gonna cry,” Poodle Moth said, “That was my sister. How did you even contact her? She’s so shy, I’m surprised she even did that.”

Her previous clue package talked about the “tumultuous” memories her own childhood home brings her, and how hard it was to let go of all the “sadness within those walls.”

At the same time, she said that growing up there taught her resilience. She also finds strength from her shower cries, where she says she just lets it all out while singing. Music, she explained, is her therapy.

Visual clues included a sign in front of the house with a “3” on it, as well as the book title, “An Extraordinary Moth.” Soap-on-a-rope for “Robin” was her on-stage clue, with Poodle Moth adding, “Robin, working with your dad — I’m gonna cry — is part of one of the biggest moments of my career and my life.”

For her TV-themed clue package, Poodle Moth talked about being abandoned by her father, and even writing him letters that were always sent back “Return to Sender.” She said that she finally wrote one to herself: “You are enough.”

She said that she was scared the first week, as she doesn’t find it easy to put herself out there. Now, though, she uses her talents to help other kids find their answers, she said while opening a jar of fireflies.

Additional visual clues included a sailboat model, a postcard with a cat on it (and a cat stamp), a vintage telephone, and a picture of the theater masks of the Muses of Comedy and Tragedy.

Her on-stage clue came from Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, appropriately from The Hills, who introduced their clue by mentioning Gilmore Girls and then having a choir sing its theme, Carole King’s “Where You Lead.” Poodle Moth explained, “I have a very special connection with Gilmore Girls that hits very close to home.”

While holding a black cowboy hat in the first clue package, Poodle Moth said she’d always told herself she wasn’t pretty, funny, or talented enough to make it. And that’s how she wound up helping others achieve their dreams. Finally, though, she took that first step toward her own dreams and got discovered.

Additional visual clues included an American flag on a black book cover, and a candelabra with six candles in it, though along with Chinese lanterns and street lights, this could have all just been about her being a moth.

We also learned that only one Venezuelan Poodle Moth has ever actually been found (and it was not sampled) making it truly one of a kind, like this Poodle Moth. Her on-stage clue was batted just shy of the panel, but was a baseball emblazoned with the message, “OPRY.”

Rita actually tossed around the internet’s favorite guess before shifting her guess to the early struggles of Sheryl Crowe. Ken’s guess, meanwhile, went to Riley Keough, while Jenny followed the clues right back to Chrissy Metz, who’s been the favorite guess of X/Twitter for months.

(“Unforgettable,” Nat King Cole) Goldfish  went for elegance in staging, performance and vocals on this one. A few times, the song almost sounded too big for what she was doing with it, making her sound a little young, but she overall nailed this with an incredible rich and controlled tone.

Guesses: Growing up a child star left her feeling a lot of pressure, Goldfish said in her Quarterfinals clue package. She made it clear she was a young child who grew up in front of the world. She felt that pressure to be “perfect,” but white she fell short there, she did learn resilience.

Her ringing phone call on-stage was a man’s voice. “Hey Babe, I’m so happy to see you thriving in this competition, but honestly, I knew you would all along. You never back down from a challenge and you absolutely love to perform live. The Golden Mask Trophy has got Goldfish’s name all over it. So proud of you, Baby.”

After getting emotional, she shared that the message was from “a very sexy man who I love dearly, if you couldn’t tell by the voice.”

Goldfish broke our hearts last time with the story of her “number one supporter,” who passed away the day before her debut in her “dream role.” She almost didn’t carry on, but instead decided to honor him and “perform for the one seat that wasn’t filled.”

Visual clues included a wizard’s hat an an island map with a question on it. Her panel connection was with Ken: “You’re ridiculous and you have so much heart and I love it so much. You obviously haven’t changed since the last time we worked together.”

For Transformers Week, Goldfish talked about having her heart broken in Hollywood, and how hard it is to move on when you have to see your exes everywhere. Her breakups were so high profile that run-ins with her exes are TikTok fodder.

She said she’d always hoped to be married young like her mom, suggesting that things haven’t worked out that way. Visual clues included a Christmas-themed snow globe (or at least it was a fir tree and a house), with a police siren when she picked it up.

She also swatted off a flying bat at one point, while Bumblebee told us she famously pours her heart, soul and tears into her work.

In her first clue package, Goldfish said that she was an “overnight splash,” but that put all eyes on her, making her feel like she was living in a fishbowl. Not just eyes, though, but their expectations, she added while holding a literal jar of hearts.

She said she was then faced with a choice, to either play it safe or “dive into deeper, darker, edgier waters.” So she chose the latter, swimming against the current and breaking the mold. That sounds to us like someone who was able to shake off the public’s first perception of her and evolve creatively.

Additional visual clues included a ship’s helm, two lipstick kiss marks (one smaller than the other), a glass slipper, and a jar of hearts. A gold record hit the stage, which had Goldfish saying, “Let the record show that gold is my lucky color.”

“I think I can speak on behalf of the entire panel,” Ken said with mock sincerity. “The Goldfish is Nicole Scherzinger and I’ll tell you why.” He was actually somewhat sincere, though, with Nicole growing up in the public eye as a Pussycat Doll.

Robin, though, shifted gears to a child star who definitely would have felt that “perfect” pressure, Hilary Duff. Jenny wondered if maybe it was her earlier guess Derek Hough’s sister Julianne Hough, who was in Grease live on Fox.

But you know who else was in that production? How about Vanessa Hudgens, who has fit every clue along the way, grew up a child star, and has definitely felt that pressure. She’s also been the top guess online since she uttered her first recognizable note.

Gumball and Goldfish had the strongest outings this time, with Poodle Moth close behind with a very high-energy performance. We were a little worried that Clock’s song choice didn’t do her any favors. Pair that with performing first, and we were definitely worried about her future.

This audience must have been watching all season, though, as they quickly saw past Clock’s misfire this week and recognized the icon that she is. So while we were right in Poodle Moth going into the Battle Royale, we didn’t expect Gumball to join her.

(“If I Could Turn Back Time,” Cher) Poodle Moth was channeling every bit of Cher, with her own country twist and a commanding vocal. The timbre of her voice was so rich and full, she sounded like a seasoned professional taking the stage at the Grammys or something. That was the kind of confident performance that has carried her this far. Gumball had a little more edge in his delivery, pushing it more into the pop-rock arena. His voice was just as powerful and his range just as impressive, but it definitely felt different. In fact, feeling is the big difference, as we felt more from Poodle Moth throughout the night.

Possibly the toughest one of the season so far, both Poodle Moth and Gumball have given it their all throughout the season. Gumball is a champion from his group, while Poodle Moth eked into these quarterfinals thanks to the Ding-Dong-Keep-It-On Bell. Could that make the difference?

We’d pick Poodle Moth to move on because we love it when an artist can touch our hearts through their art, but we had a feeling Gumball’s polish and grit would give him the slightest edge. And that’s what happened, as Poodle Moth fell to the votes.

• Robin Thicke: Shania Twain
• Jenny McCarthy: Chrissy Metz
• Ken Jeong: Melissa McCarthy
• Rita Ora: Faith Hill

While this marked the end of the journey for Poodle Moth, we can only hope it’s a huge step in the musical career of This Is Us star Chrissy Metz. She proved her ability to emote on that show, but now it’s clear how in touch she is with her emotions as a musician as well, evoking feeling within us each time she hit the stage.

The Masked Singer celebrates the Top 3 with a two-hour episode that looks back at the season next week before the semi-finals reveal who will battle for the crown on May 22 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.