Season 14 of The Masked Singer premiered on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, with a major twist, a shocking double elimination, and a standout performance from the mysterious Galaxy Girl. The Fox singing competition returned with a fresh format and 10 new masked celebrities, boasting an incredibly decorated cast that includes Hall of Famers, Emmy winners, and chart-topping artists. The two-hour premiere ended with baseball legend David “Big Papi” Ortiz revealed under the Googly Eyes mask and a cliffhanger that left the identities of the second eliminated act, the Croissants, a secret until next week.
Galaxy Girl’s Performance and Clues Explained
Galaxy Girl made a powerful first impression with a confident performance of “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” by Chappell Roan. Her voiceover package and visual clues painted a picture of a former child star who walked away from early fame.
Her audio clues told a specific story. She said, “From a young age I was on top of the world. Accepted in the best schools on scholarship. The youngest on stage, even before I could driveโฆ perfection was never my thing. So, I walked away”. She described being “lost in the background” for years before working hard to achieve a “meteoric” rise back to success.
The visual clues supporting her story included:
- A shiny gold heart-shaped rock.
- A “Welcome 2 LA” sign, strongly connecting her to Los Angeles.
- A calendar with “Friday the 13th” circled.
- Imagery of constellations and a shooting star on her costume.
Judges’ Guesses for Galaxy Girl’s Identity
The judging panel was divided on who could be behind Galaxy Girl’s mask. Their guesses pointed toward actresses known for early fame or comebacks.
- Rita Ora guessed Lindsay Lohan, an actress and singer who rose to fame as a child star.
- Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg suggested Jennifer Love Hewitt, who also began her career very young.
- Ken Jeong threw out the name Emma Stone, an Oscar-winning actress.
One entertainment outlet speculated the voice sounded like singer Ashlee Simpson, noting a potential link to the “Freaky Friday” soundtrack from 2003. Galaxy Girl herself stated her strategy was simply to have fun and perform for the crowd, declaring, “I want to perform for you guysโฆI love a crowd!”.
New Season 14 Format and Rules
The premiere introduced a new head-to-head battle format that increased the stakes immediately. The 10 contestants were paired into five groups for direct face-offs.
The winners of each duelโGalaxy Girl, Pugcasso, Scarab, Stingray, and Cat Witchโwere sent straight to safety for the following week. The losersโHandyman, Queen Corgi, Croissants, Snow Cone, and Googly Eyesโformed a “bottom five” group. From this group, the audience and judges voted again, leading to the elimination of the two with the fewest votes: Googly Eyes and the Croissants.
A major new twist for the season is “America’s Insider.” This role is filled by Disney Channel star Kylie Cantrall, who is competing in the contest as Cat Witch. In a unique move, the show revealed her identity only to the home audience at the start of the premiere. While the judges remain in the dark, Cantrall will provide behind-the-scenes insights and extra clues to viewers throughout the season.
Googly Eyes Unmasked: David Ortiz Revealed
The first mask to come off was Googly Eyes. He performed a high-energy version of “Turn Down for What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon. His clues included a poster for “Monster Hits,” a mention of taking the “red into the black,” and a very specific visual of a poppyseed bagel.
The panel’s guesses were all centered on baseball legends. Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg guessed Derek Jeter, Robin Thicke said Pedro Martinez, and Rita Ora thought it might be Manny Ramirez. Ken Jeong, however, connected the “poppy” seed bagel to the nickname “Big Papi” and correctly identified the man under the mask.
“The panelists scrambled to connect the clues, which featured a very specific hint: a poppy seed bagelโฆ Ken correctly deduced that ‘poppy’ was a nod to ‘Big Papi’”.
When the mask was removed, it revealed David “Big Papi” Ortiz, the Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer and three-time World Series champion. Ortiz is one of the biggest sports stars ever to appear on the show.
Also Read:
The Croissants Cliffhanger and Other Contestant Clues
The premiere promised a double elimination, and after Googly Eyes was revealed, the Croissants were also voted off. However, the episode ended on a cliffhanger, showing only blurred silhouettes and question marks where their unmasking would be. Host Nick Cannon confirmed the reveal will happen at the start of the next episode.
The duo performed “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley and their clue package featured a southern accent, jail uniforms, and a story about being “upper crust socialites” whose lives “came crumbling down,” leading to them being “canceled” and separated. The judges’ guesses included reality TV couples Todd and Julie Chrisley (from Jenny McCarthy) and Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag (from Rita Ora), as well as Snooki and The Situation from Jersey Shore (from Robin Thicke).
Other notable contestants from the premiere include:
- Scarab: Presented as a “golden goddess” and perhaps the “most decorated” contestant ever, with clues mentioning dinners with presidents, knowing Brad Pitt and Prince, and a shelf of gold trophies. Judges guessed major stars like Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
- Handyman: Gave clues about a scrappy West Coast upbringing, rolling with an “interesting crew,” and later shifting gears to work with an A-list crowd including Robert DeNiro and Courteney Cox.
- Pugcasso: Shared that he was supposed to take over the family business but chose to “color outside the lines,” entering a major competition that he won, changing his life overnight.
Also Read: Industry Season 4 Achieves Rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes Score Ahead of January 11 Premiere
