Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams has said it was a “mental game” keeping the secret that she was on The Masked Singer UK.
The US star stunned judges Rita Ora, Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and guest judge Dame Joan Collins on Saturday, removing her Rockhopper costume on the ITV show.
Williams, 42, told the PA news agency: “Making it to the semi-finals is a big deal, everybody is exhausted at that point.
Nope, it wasn’t me on @MaskedSingerUK!!! Ok, yes it was!!! I had a BLAST!!! #maskedsinger #rockhopper pic.twitter.com/VvvoTf3Hth
— Michelle Williams (@RealMichelleW) February 5, 2022
“It is a mental game as well, how long can I trick these people, how long can I stay in character, do I have the bandwidth to learn more songs.
“Its not even the lyrics to the song, its the integrity to the songs as a performer, even though you’re having fun are you living up to the integrity of the song.
“It’s exhausting because there are so many elements, it’s layered, because you can’t really talk to people, you have to be mute when you’re walking in the hallways.
“When you add those elements of having to be disguised, adding all those elements can tire you out, especially when you want to engage and talk to people. It’s a lot.”
The panel had previously guessed Rockhopper to be Fergie, Jamelia and Nicole Scherzinger.
She said: “My favourite part was the judges trying to guess everybody under the sun besides me, they would name somebody like Jamelia or Nicole Scherzinger and I thought, they were going to be so surprised.
“I definitely was trying to do another accent, first they thought I was Nigerian, then it ended up being Scandinavian.
“My accent slipped during one of the performances, Higher Love, when I said ‘come on y’all’ so after that I made sure to work on my accent.
“Higher Love, Whitney Houston’s vocals are just brilliant, Amy Winehouse, Love Is A Losing Game, she is so loved so I knew I was taking a chance doing that song, you want to give honour to people when you are doing their material, it was paying honour to Amy.”
Williams performed in The Masked Singer US in 2019 but has said she had more fun in the UK version.
On the UK version I tried soooooooo hard to disguise my tone VS me just killin it vocally on the US version!!! LOLOL!!! That was the fun part….. the panel thought I was Swedish! I did what needed to be done! 😂
— Michelle Williams (@RealMichelleW) February 5, 2022
“I did the US version and when they asked me to do the UK version I said of course, because I think I have the strategy now, it gave me an advantage.
“I wanted to go to the UK just to have some fun with my character, I don’t know if I had fun being butterfly on The Masked Singer US, because I was so worried abut my vocal performance.
“When the plane finally took off from Atlanta, where I live, to the UK, I was just so excited because London is so good to me, it’s my second home.
“I just really love London and I’m appreciative how they have been so supportive of my career as a member of Destiny’s Child and all of us ladies individually,” she said.
Williams’ unmasking means Mushroom, Panda and Robobunny go through to the grand final of the ITV show.
The Masked Singer final is on ITV at 7pm on February 12.