Robin Thicke was right again on The Masked Singer when he matched Mermaid's clues and voice to the legendary Gloria Gaynor. The "I Will Survive" singer has been a top guess from panelists for many seasons, so it was exciting to see her finally appear on the singing competition show. Gloria was eliminated second, with Maize being the first to unmask during the Andrew Lloyd Webber-themed episode. Gloria performed "Any Dream Will Do" from Andrew's musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Gloria Estefan was another top guess of the night, but by Mermaid's unmasking, other panelists like Nicole Scherzinger were sure Robin's initial guess was correct.
Before Gloria hit The Masked Singer stage, panelists and fans watched her clue package, which gave several hints about her identity. She also shared another special clue after her performance to help panelists if they hadn't already figured out who she was. In her clue package, Mermaid hinted that she had suffered an accident early in her career. This clue matches an incident where Gloria fell over a monitor while performing on stage and woke up paralyzed from the waist down the next day. She had to undergo surgery, and there were rumors that her career was over. Mermaid said she was "petrified" after the incident, which is an obvious hint toward the opening line of "I Will Survive." Luckily, Mermaid said she turned the accident into "an anthem." The 1978 song is surely an anthem and one of the best-known songs of all time.
Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" Is In The Library Of Congress
Also, in the clue package, Mermaid is looking at some sheet music with the word "movies" written over it. It's unclear if there was a specific movie she was referencing, but the star has appeared in a few films, including The Thursday Night Club. Mermaid then told Andrew Lloyd Webber she believes she's as big of a legend as he is, and Gloria is certainly a legendary singer. When it was time for her bonus clue after her performance, the men in black brought out a scroll that read, "Mermaid Makes Waves, Enters Library Of Congress." A quick search of the Library of Congress' music division shows that "I Will Survive" was inducted into the library in 2015. This clue cemented Robin's guess since he knew only a true legend would have their music in the Library of Congress.
Gloria picked some excellent clues to help panelists guess her identity. While some of them still struggled, eventually, it was obvious the icon was behind the mask. While she may have been eliminated on night one, she still gave an incredible performance that made Andrew proud. Fans had been hoping the singer would one day grace The Masked Singer stage, and now that she finally has, it will be hard for any other contestant to live up to Gloria's appearance. Gloria is up there with past contestants like Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight as one of the most legendary The Masked Singer contestants to ever appear.
It's hard to believe some panelists didn't immediately know Gloria was in the Mermaid costume. However, it's a lot more difficult to guess a contestant at the moment than it is for fans who are guessing from home and don't have to come up with an answer on the spot. The Mermaid costume was one of the most anticipated of the season, and fans were not disappointed by who was inside. Gloria's appearance on The Masked Singer was long-awaited, and it will not be forgotten for seasons to come.
The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 pm EST on Fox.