‘The Masked Singer’ Season 12 Episode 11 Recap: Strawberry Shortcake

SPOILER ALERT: Details to follow for season 12, episode 11 of “The Masked Singer,” “Semi Finals: Final Three,” which aired Wednesday, December 11 on Fox.

AJ Michalka was originally set to appear on “The Masked Singer” with her sister Aly, the other half of their musical duo Aly & AJ. But with Aly unavailable – she recently gave birth to her first child – AJ decided to try it as a solo act. And she went far: AJ Michalka was revealed as Strawberry Shortcake in the penultimate episode of season 12 of “The Masked Singer” on Wednesday.

“At first we were going to do it together, and we thought: this would be really fun to do as a team,” Michalka said. Variety. “But it would be very difficult to plan. So I ended up doing it myself. And she fully supported it.

“The challenge and excitement came from knowing that I had never really performed on stage without my sister,” Michalka added. “I wanted to challenge myself as a solo artist and see how far I could go. And I had a blast. I didn’t know it would be so hard to sing under such a heavy mask, but I did it and I’m really proud of myself.”

Michalka performed Selena Gomez’s ‘Lose You to Love Me’ as her final song; she had previously performed “Slow Burn” by Kacey Musgraves, “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus, “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack and “Closer” by Tegan and Sara during the show. Songs she had prepared but did not get the chance to perform were ‘What Was I Made For’ by Billie Eilish and ‘Why Can’t I’ by Liz Phair.

“I loved that I could choose my own songs,” she said. “Knowing that I felt really comfortable with the material I chose made me very happy.”

Michalka said her favorite performance was “I Hope You Dance,” which she dedicated to her mother. “My mother was a great singer, but she struggled with self-confidence and stopped singing altogether,” she said. “That was kind of my own message to her to let her sing.”

For Strawberry Shortcake, none of the panelists guessed correctly. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg recommended Sarah Hyland. Robin Thicke thought it was Kelsea Ballerini. Ken Jeong said it was Joey King. (Panelist Rita Ora was absent due to illness.)

By what host Nick Cannon was the smallest margin in “The Masked Singer” history — less than 1% — Wasp earned the highest votes in the semifinals, immediately advancing to the finals.

That led to a “smack royale” between Buffalos and Strawberry Shortcake for the other spot moving forward. They both sang “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic, and ultimately Buffalos survived while Strawberry Shortcake was eliminated.

The semi-finals started with Wasp, Strawberry Shortcake and the Buffalos singing ‘Some Nights’ by Fun. Now that Strawberry Shortcake has been revealed, Buffalos and Wasp must face off in next week’s season finale.

AJ Michalka as Strawberry Shortcake joins Kobie Turner as Goo, Jana Kramer as Royal Knight, Bronson Arroyo as Sherlock Hound, Drake Bell as Ice King, Bethany Hamilton as Macaron, Natalie Imbruglia as Bluebell, Laverne Cox as Chess Piece, Andy Richter as Dusty Bunny, Paula Cole as Ship, Marsai Martin as Woodpecker, Yvette Nicole Brown as Showbird and John Elway as Leaf Sheep as the celebrities unmasked in season 12 of ‘The Masked Singer’.

Returning for season 12 are host Nick Cannon, alongside panelists Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke, while Ora also returned to the station for the second consecutive season to fill in for Nicole Scherzinger.

The themed episodes from Season 12 of “The Masked Singer” include tributes to Mattel’s Barbie, which is celebrating its 65th anniversary, and the movie “Footloose,” which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Miley Cyrus will also be honored with an episode dedicated to her music catalogue, while also new is a ‘Who Are You Fest’, featuring music from ‘memorable festival line-ups’, as well as a ‘Sports Night’ and a ’60’s Night’. ” Tentpole themes that are back include “Soundtrack of My Life” and “Thanksgiving Night.”

New this season, cues will be “strategically embedded in costumes, in song choices and onstage moments.” And the fifteen celebrity contestants will be supported by a “celebrity Masked Ambassador,” made up of past contestants including Dick Van Dyke (Season 9 Gnome), Jewel (Season 6 winner as the Queen of Hearts), Ne-yo (Winner of season 10). as the cow) and DeMarcus Ware (Koala from season 11). And the “Ding Dong Keep It On” bell sounds again this morning, but only one singer can be saved across the three group finals.

In season 12, 15 contestants perform in new costumes, including ‘Ship’, ‘Leaf Sheep’, ‘Woodpecker’, ‘Chess Piece’, ‘Bluebell’, ‘Buffalo’, ‘Showbird’, ‘Dust Bunny’, ‘Goo’ , ‘Strawberry Shortcake,” “Wasp,” “Sherlock Hound,” “Royal Knight,” “Ice King,” and “Macaron.”

Here were appearances on Wednesday’s Episode 11, “Semi Finals: Final Three”:

Strawberry Shortcake

Song: ‘Lose You to Love Me’ by Selena Gomez

Panel guesses: Joey King, Sarah Hyland, Lucy Hale

What have you learned?: “I have learned that I am resilient and strong. And I’m so happy to be here on stage. Those words mean so much to me. I love being here. This is what I like to do most. I took a long break from it. And I’m so happy to be back. This is where I need to be.”

Friendship bracelet clue: For Ken Jeong. “Press tour.” “One of the highlights of my career was the press tour we did together. You made me laugh all day.”

Voiceover by Strawberry Shortcake: “Oh my god. This season’s competition was no cakewalk. And I’m really proud that I survived that blow. What no one tells you is like a good pie, Hollywood is layered. Sure, it sparkles. And it looks super nice. But there is also so much pressure to make it big. And it comes with a lot of rejection, a little bit of self-doubt, and a hint of feeling like you’ve poured your whole heart into something that people may never see. I think that’s why some people feel so disappointed with their dreams. That’s what happened to me. I was so triggered by the drama of early fame that I decided to take a long break. I had to get rid of the lights to enjoy what I do again. Becoming Strawberry Shortcake reminds me why I started all those years ago. It’s fun, it’s crazy and that’s me. And of course there is pressure to advance to the final. But only because this experience was so wonderful. I don’t want it to end. Strawberry Shortcake is with me for life.”

Previous issues: “Slow Burn,” by Kacey Musgraves; “Wrecking Ball,” by Miley Cyrus; “I Hope You Dance,” by Lee Ann Womack; ‘Closer’, by Tegan and Sara

Previous panel estimates: Renee Rapp, Lana del Rey, Rachel Ziegler, Chloe Fineman, Hilary Duff, Ashley Tisdale, Kelsea Ballerini, Hailee Steinfeld, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Haylie Duff, Danielle Haim

Buffaloes

Song: ‘Africa’, by Toto

Panel guesses: Boyz II Men, Color Me Badd, After 7

What do you want to say to each other?: “First of all, I would say never in a million years would I expect anyone to even wear a buffalo mask. But I’m glad I do it with my brothers and the best friends I’ve ever had.

Friendship bracelet clue: For Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg. “Donnie.” “We go way back with Donnie. And we go way back with you too.”

Voiceover from Buffalo: “Well, well, well. Look who’s so close to the final. Man, we worked so hard to get here. But that is not strange to us. When we came up, we had to work harder than anyone else. We were constantly told that we had to be something else. Something we weren’t and that we would never make it. But we didn’t listen. And staying true to ourselves was the main reason for our success. We now know that this was an important example for the next generation. And especially our children. Yes, our children love to sing. And you know what? They sound better than us. We’re like, what have we done? What miracle have we created? Hearing their voices changed everything and gives us a real reason to keep going. That’s right. With every decision we three Buffaloes make together, we keep them in mind. To make sure they have everything they need in this life. And they’ll get a real kick out of seeing their pop-ups here doing their thing as three inspiring Buffaloes. Maybe one day it will be their turn. Children, we love you so much. This is for you. Everything is for you.”

Previous issues: “(I Just) Died In Your Arms,” by Cutting Crew; “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” by Foreigner; “Bittersweet Symphony,” by The Verve; “You’re Still the One,” by Shania Twain

Previous panel estimates: B2K, Earth Wind and Fire, 98 Degrees, Bell Biv DeVoe, 112, Boyz II Men, Big Time Rush, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Black Eyed Peas, Temptations, Tony! Ton! Toné!, Zwartstraat

Wasp

Song: ‘Beautiful Things’, by Benson Boone

Panel guesses: Anthony Ramos, Maxwell, Jason Derulo, Usher

Something you would like to say to young wasps: “I want you to remember your power. As you grow older, never forget that child you once were. Always keep dreaming and believe in yourself, no matter how dark it gets. No matter how many times you fall, you can always get back up and fly again.”

Friendship bracelet clue: For Robin Thicke. “Nashville.” “You know, Robin, I had a blast when we painted the town red in Nashville. We had so much fun, remember?”

Wasp voice-over: “When I became the Wasp, I never felt so powerful. It’s brought out a super competitive edge in me that I honestly haven’t felt since I was a kid. My mother knew there were only so many opportunities for me to come out. So when she saw a poster for a talent show, she signed me up on the spot. I was shocked. But I tapped into this fire within me and I won the whole thing. And there was an industry magnate who signed me on the spot. Talk about a turning point. Being here has taken me back to the days when I was hungry for victory. And it is a beautiful thing. Tonight I know I’m up against some stiff competition. And honestly, I’m terrified of losing the chance to win it all in the final. This gold mask comes before the gold mask, did you hear?

Previous issues: “Rock Your Body,” by Justin Timberlake; “Skyscraper,” by Demi Lovato; “Ain’t No Way,” by Aretha Franklin; “Standing next to you” from Jungkook

Previous panel estimates: Taye Diggs, Bruno Mars, Jason Derulo, Miguel, Frank Ocean, Daveed Diggs, Mario, Craig David, Eric Benét, Usher, Maxwell

Last season’s performers included Vanessa Hudgens, who won the season 11 crown as Goldfish, beating out Scott Porter, who had performed as Gumball. Other performers included Thelma Houston (Clock), Chrissy Metz (Poodle Moth), Corey Feldman (Seal) and Clay Aiken/Ruben Studdard (Beets), Jenifer Lewis (Miss Cleocatra), Kate Flannery (Starfish), Charlie Wilson (Ugly Sweater), DeMarcus Ware (Koala), Colton Underwood (Love Bird), Sisqó (Lizard), Billy Bush (Sir Lion), Joe Bastianich (Spaghetti & Meatballs), Savannah Chrisley (Afghan Hound) and Kevin Hart (book).

“The Masked Singer” comes from Fox Alternative Entertainment. Rosie Seitchik, Craig Plestis and Cannon are executive producers, while Seitchik serves as showrunner. The series is based on the South Korean format created by Mun Hwa Broadcasting Corp.