The Masked Singer season 14 contestant Pangolin was unmasked and revealed to be multi-platinum singer-songwriter Rachel Platten. Pangolin entered the competition as a Wild Card contestant on Red, White & Clue Night, and advanced all the way to the semi-finals before being unmasked.
Throughout the competition as Pangolin, Rachel brought so much joy to the show with her bubbly personality. She sang spectacular renditions of iconic songs, including “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette (Red, White & Clue Night), “Mama, I’m Coming Home” by Ozzy Osbourne on Ozzfest Night, “What a Feeling (Flashdance)” by Irene Cara (Care Bears Night), and “It Must Have Been Love” by Roxette (Semi-Finals). Rachel also competed in the Care Bears Royale versus High Voltage on Care Bears Night, during which they both sang “I’m So Excited” by The Pointer Sisters. Rachel won and advanced to the semi-finals, while High Voltage was unmasked and revealed to be Alexi Lalas.
Only Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessed Rachel’s identity correctly. The other panelists’ final guesses included Michelle Branch (Robin Thicke), Lea Michele (Ken Jeong), and Vanessa Carlton (Rita Ora). Rachel wrapped up her Masked Singer run with a triumphant performance of her six-times certified platinum single, “Fight Song,” after her unmasking during the semi-finals.
In an interview with ScreenRant, Rachel discussed what it was like to become Pangolin, including managing her giant tail, how she chose her songs and which performance was her favorite, why she joined The Masked Singer, what it was like to enter the competition as a Wild Card, how she felt about fellow Masked Singer season 14 contestant Teddi Mellencamp’s performance of “Fight Song,” what she thought of the panelists’ wrong guesses, whether she’ll incorporate her Masked Singer songs into her future concert set lists, and what’s next for her.
The Masked Singer Season 14’s Rachel Platten Adored Being Pangolin
ScreenRant: You were so phenomenal as Pangolin. What was it like to become her?
Rachel Platten: Thank you! Oh, my gosh. My sweet Pangolin! I love her! She’s so dramatic! She’s so cute! It was a blast. It was so much fun. It was silly. It was challenging at times. But it was ultimately really freeing to just get to be someone completely different and make artistic choices that maybe I wouldn’t necessarily make. It was kind of a blast.
ScreenRant: What was it like inside the costume, especially that giant tail?
Rachel: The tail was hard. I’m not gonna lie. It was really heavy actually. And I knocked people over all the time backstage. It was a little challenging [laughs]. On my Instagram, I’m gonna drop some videos of mishaps with my tail soon. So check it out at @rachelplatten.
But, yeah, it was hard to be under the mask. As everyone talks about, it’s heavy, it’s hot, it’s a little bit strange. I also had a lot of corsets, so it was hard, and I chose big songs. I chose big power ballads to sing. And they were difficult, so I had to relearn kind of how to breathe and how to get breath support, which was such a challenge and also fun. I love learning what my voice can do and new ways to use it.
Rachel Chose Her Favorite Masked Singer Performance
ScreenRant: Speaking of songs, you sang “Ironic,” “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” “What a Feeling (Flashdance)”, “It Must Have Been Love”–which was my personal favorite, by the way. How did you choose those songs?
Rachel: I am a really big fan of a ballad, like a big power ballad. I just love them. I love them across all genres. And, as you can tell from the songs that I write, that’s kinda what I lean towards also … big emotion, a beautiful melody, and anthems that explode in the chorus. Something about it lights me up.
So I just wanted to do some of my favorite songs that I belt in the shower. Or ones that when they come on, you wanna sing along in the car. And also some that you might have forgotten. But, like, “Oh man, I love that song!” Like “It Must Have Been Love.” Like, “What a good tune!”
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ScreenRant: Which of those performances was your favorite?
Rachel: I really loved “It Must Have Been Love.” I thought it was so fun to dramatically punch through the glass and cry and have tissues and throw myself on the bed [during my performance]. My sweet little Pangolin. She just was really feeling her feelings ’cause Mr. Pangolin betrayed her. I just loved it! It’s so funny [laughs]!
Rachel Joined The Masked Singer For Two Important Reasons
ScreenRant: How did you end up joining The Masked Singer in the first place?
Rachel: I have wanted to do something really out of left field and silly and just freeing for a while. And my kids are little. I have a four-year-old and a seven-year-old little girl, and they’re fans of Dancing With the Stars and Masked Singer, and I really wanted to surprise them. They actually still don’t know. I was in the studio last night. I’m working on a really exciting end title project for a movie that’s coming out. So I haven’t been able to watch it yet. So I’m gonna watch tonight with my kids and film their reaction.
But that was really why. It was, like, A, to just try something totally different and be silly and not take myself so seriously and get to make different artistic choices than I would as Rachel Platten. And then, B, to delight my little girls.
Rachel Wants Everyone To Know More About Pangolins
ScreenRant: You entered the competition as a Wild Card contestant. How did that come about?
Rachel: Well, I don’t know exactly the inner workings of how they choose which characters to do what. That’s kind of their end of stuff. But, after watching back, I think it’s funny that I got to be introduced, and everyone’s like, “What is that? What is that animal?” I’m like, “Girl, I don’t know. I’ve never heard of it either.” [Laughs]
ScreenRant: You said on the show that you watched a documentary about them?
Rachel: They’re very, very sweet animals. These animals are so beautiful, and, actually, they’re one of the most trafficked mammals in the world. It’s awful. And they’re on the verge of extinction. So pangolin justice! I’m now a pangolin advocate.
Rachel Was Moved By Teddi Mellencamp’s Performance Of “Fight Song”
ScreenRant: Earlier in the season, Teddi Mellencamp sang “Fight Song” as Calla Lily after discussing her cancer journey. What did that mean to you?
Rachel: Oh, God. That was so beautiful. First of all, I had no idea. I didn’t know she was there. They keep it very secret backstage. And we’re all separated from each other and not allowed to talk or anything, so I had no idea. And, when I watched it back, I told my husband it was one of the most moving versions of “Fight Song” I’ve heard in a long time. I could feel her vulnerability, her power, her strength, her determination, and it was so beautiful, so moving. I was tearing up watching it.
Rachel Was Flattered By The Panelists’ Wrong Guesses
ScreenRant: Only Jenny guessed you correctly, and the final guesses were Vanessa Carlton, Lea Michele, Michelle Branch, and then there were a few others throughout the season. What did you think of those incorrect guesses?
Rachel: The ones I liked the most … I liked the Sara Bareilles guess ’cause I think she’s such an incredible soulful voice, and I felt flattered. And then I loved the Jennifer Nettles guess ’cause she’s one of my favorite singers actually, too, from back in the day. I grew up listening to her soulful voice and that rich sound. So those made me kind of feel excited, and like, “Ooh.” I liked the guesses! I understood them, and I thought they were cool.
Oh, and Jordin Sparks, I loved that guess. My husband told me there was a lot Internet [buzz asking] “Is it Jordin?” She’s a friend of mine, and she’s incredible. Obviously an incredible singer. So I was flattered by that one, too. There were none that I was like, “No way! Come on!”
Rachel Revealed Whether She’ll Add Her Masked Singer Songs To Her Future Concert Set Lists
ScreenRant: Do you plan to incorporate any of your Masked Singer songs into your future concert set lists?
Rachel: That’s a really good question. Do you have any recommendations? I haven’t actually thought about that. Maybe “It Must Have Been Love,” right?
Screenrant: Yes, definitely. But any of them. They were all amazing.
Rachel: Good call. I think I will. I’m gonna think about it. Thank you.
ScreenRant: You’re welcome. I think everybody would love to see that. I was saying last night if “It Must Have Been Love” was sold as a single, I’d be buying it immediately because I loved it. It was amazing.
Rachel: Oh, thank you so much. Yeah, we haven’t heard it. Like, no one’s covered it in a minute, you know? I love that song. I will. For you, I’m gonna put it into my concerts now. I will.
Rachel Has An Exciting Project On The Horizon
ScreenRant: What else is next for you?
Rachel: I’m working on something incredibly special right now. I’m writing the end title for an unbelievable movie, and I cannot wait to be able to share more about it. It’s gonna be out before the end of the year. And I’m just incredibly proud to be a part of this project.
It’s been an amazing experience to get back into my studio–I’m in my studio right now–and get back on my production desk and let my creativity flow again after so much touring and promo for my Fight Song (Rachel’s Versions) that I just released, which were my re-recorded masters of songs that you guys know. It’s been really amazing to kind of get back into the state of flow of creativity.
The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
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