The Masked Singer Season 12 Spoilers Reveal the Real Identity of Sherlock Hound—Who Could Be This Famed MLB Player

Who’s Strawberry Shortcake on The Masked Singer?

Our best guess for Strawberry Shortcake on The Masked Singer is AJ Michalka. This actress and singer marks down all the clues. See what we discovered below.

“My breakthrough role showed the world my potential” (Week 1)

• The Men In Black brought out a shirt that said “Break a Leg.” AJ made her breakthrough in the soap opera Passions. She and Aly made their Disney debut in Cow Belles.

Festival Darling (Week 1)

• Strawberry Shortcake has played some incredible festivals. “When I was young, I dreamed of going to a music festival, but one with me in the lineup,” she said. “Even though I believed I was headline material, I sat on the sidelines watching everyone else have all the fun, for years! Until one day, I got the call to open one of the most iconic ones. It was the sweetest day ever. A slow burn, but the best things in life are worth the wait” Aly & AJ have played iconic festivals like Governor’s Ball, Lollapalooza, and Beachlife. And psst…she and her sister were StyleCaster’s cover stars for our Festival Issue!

By Hayley Orrantia’s Side (Week 1)

• Season 7’s Ringmaster Hayley Orrantia was Strawberry Shortcake’s celebrity ambassador. Hayley said that Strawberry Shortcake was by her side on all her milestones and she was enthusiastic to introduce her friend on the show. AJ played Lainey Lewis, Hayley Orrantia’s Erica Goldberg’s best friend, in the show.

Who’s Sherlock Hound in The Masked Singer?

Our best guess for Sherlock Hound is former MLB pitcher Bronson Arroyo. Take a look at all the clues below.

Barry Zito (Week 1)

• Sherlock Hound’s celebrity ambassador was Season 3’s Rhino aka Barry Zito. The fellow MLB player praised the newcomer. “You know what they say, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I can tell you first-hand my friend, Sherlock Hound, begs to differ … [His career is] something huge! And we’ve even had some of the best jam sessions ever.”

Music in the family (Week 1)

• Sherlock Hound grew up with lots of musical influences. “My whole family was into music. My grandma taught it, and my old man played the keys. But I wanted to be outside running wild, not cooped up playing a cello. When I heard rock and roll, it unleashed a passion inside — some might say a mystery I had to solve. From there, I was tracking that scent through campfires, dive bars, and tour buses. I was onto something, something big.” While promoting his album, Bronson said that his parents would always play music in the house in an interview with Icon vs. Icon.

A diamond record, a red guitar, and an eye patch (Week 1)

• Several on-screen clues have pointed in the direction that it’s Bronson. The diamond record is a callback to his time on the Diamondbacks (and an obvious baseball clue), the red guitar is a callback to his Red Sox days, and the eye-patch is for his early days on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg’s husband loves him (Week 2)

• Several on-screen clues have pointed in the direction that it’s Bronson. The diamond record is a callback to his time on the Diamondbacks (and an obvious baseball clue), the red guitar is a callback to his Red Sox days, and the eye-patch is for his early days on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Who’s Royal Knight on The Masked Singer?

Our best guess for Royal Knight is Hayden Panettiere. She’s got the pipes (she became one of the youngest Grammy-nominated artists for A Bug’s Life), and there are some obvious clues that point in her direction. So let’s break it down.

Toughest Woman (Week 1)

• Season 11 alum Savannah Chrisley, who was the Afghan Hound, was the Royal Knight’s celebrity ambassador. The influencer said that Royal Knight was the “toughest woman I know.” Let’s go through the Royal Knight’s resiliency below.

“Heartbreak and Terror” (Week 1)

• Royal Knight thought she would have “that fairy tale life,” so she went on a quest for it. However, she realized her life was full of “heartbreak and terror behind every corner.” Hayden recently dealt with the loss of her brother Jansen, her postpartum depression, and talked about her abusive relationship.

Ready to Sleigh (Week 1)

• The Men in Black brought a t shirt that said “Who Are You Fest,” on the front, and “Ready to Sleigh.”Royal Knight explained, “No matter the season, I’m always ready to ‘slay’ the competition.” Hayden Panetierre starred in the Christmas movie If You Believe in 1999.

Who’s Ice King in The Masked Singer?

Our best guess for Ice King is Skrillex. He’s an experienced DJ who fits the mold, but it could be other DJs like Diplo or Zedd.

Deep Freeze (Week 1)

• To Ice King, Hollywood was cold and it made them go into a “Deep Freeze” away from the spotlight. Skrillex took quite a break in the mid 2010s.

Fire Beats (Week 2)

• The Men in Black brought out a t-shirt that said “drop the fire beat.” “I have traveled the world, dropping fire beats in front of massive crowds, but tonight has been the most lit,” Ice King said. Skrillex headlined Coachella with Four Tet and Fred Again… and also sold out Madison Square Garden.

Who’s Bluebell on The Masked Singer?

Our best guess for Bluebell is Natalie Imbruglia. The singer has a really distinctive voice and we would know it anywhere! Take a look at all the clues that point in her direction below.

Celebrity Ambassador Kelly Osbourne

• Miss Ladybug herself Kelly Osbourne is Bluebell’s celebrity ambassador and said that she made headlines with the masked singer. The two had a pretty heavy feud in the early 2000s when she called her a c—t.

Tabloid Topics (Week 4)

• Bluebell said she was always the topic of tabloid fame and was rumored to date “rockstars, billionaires and even royals.” Natalie was linked to the son of business tycoon Richard Branson and Prince Harry.

“Overnight success” (week 4)

• Kelly Osbourne said that Bluebell had overnight success. Natalie Imbruglia’s explosive hit “Torn” ripped through the charts.

Rollerblades (week 4)

This contestant says she tries to roll with the situation, but rocks it out. And Natalie is an obvious rockstar!

Ripped up Polaroid (Week 5)

• A sly reference to her song “Torn.”

Career wilted (Week 5)

• Bluebell mentions about how something changed with her life recently and Natalie Imbruglia had a son in 2019. “And now, I never miss an opportunity to dance the night away because every moment in life is blue-tiful!” she recounted.

Who’s Wasp on The Masked Singer?

Our best guess for Wasp is R&B singer Mario. From his celebrity ambassador to his more than fly moves, here are all the reasons it could be this recognizable singer.

Celebrity Ambassador Ne-Yo

• This was an obvious clue from the start. Ne-Yo is Wasp’s celebrity ambassador and said he’s known the lad “since he was fresh on the scene and he gained huge success by taking my words of wisdom.” While also being the season 10 winner, Ne-Yo also wrote Mario’s breakout hit “Let Me Love You.”

Boxing Gloves (Week 4)

• In a Men’s Health interview in 2020, Mario said that his favorite form of training is boxing.

“Grew up in a tough neighborhood” (Week 4)

• Wasp said that he grew up in a “tough neighborhood.” Mario was raised in Baltimore by his grandmother.

“Biggest screens and stages in the world” (Week 4) 

• Mario had the biggest rise to fame with his single “Let Me Love You.” His self-titled album sold over 700,000 copies.

Missing Dad (Week 5)

• Wasp talked about how his dad wasn’t present in his early years. Mario’s father is Derryl Barrett Sr., a singer in a gospel group called Reformation, and he came back to his son’s life when he reached new heights.

Pair of Barbie Dolls (Week 5)

Wasp brought out a pair of Barbie dolls that were performing on stage and Mario played Benny on Rent: Live.

Who’s Goo on The Masked Singer?

Our guess for Goo on The Masked Singer is NFL player Kobie Turner. The LA Rams player has a clear talent when comes to singing and playing on the field, so check out the clues below.

Celebrity Ambassador: Keenan Allen

• Goo’s celebrity ambassador is Chicago Bears player Keenan Allen. Allen struck some similiarities to Goo since “everyone got to see my softer, sensitive side, even though they know me as tough.” He then revealed, “Knowing Goo, I can say he’s the same.”

A total music nerd (Week 4)

• Goo confessed that growing up he wanted to do everything, but ended up pursuing some form of music. He recalled he was “a total music nerd, starting a cappella groups, music lab, and even winning awards.” Turner did do a cappella in high school. He even showed off his pipes for the Rams’ social media singing “Tenessee Whiskey.”

“Growing up I wanted to tackle everything in my way” (Week 4)

• Fields played football from a young age when he started playing for Centreville High School in Virginia. He played football for the University of Richmond and Wake Forest University, and now in the Los Angeles Rams.  

Golden Cleats (Week 4)

• Goo brought out cleats for his clue, and he told the judges to pay attention to the “soles of his shoes.”

Mrs. Goo (Week 5)

• Goo revealed that he’s engaged to a Mrs. Goo.  Turner is engaged to his high-school sweetheart, Alissa Villanueva.

Barbie’s Dream House with a “Malibu” sign (Week 5)

• Goo revealed that he bonded with his fiancé at a theme park. In a TikTok, Alissa revealed that she and Kobie fell in love while at a school trip at Walt Disney World.

Robin Thicke Is a ‘Fan’ of His (Week 5)

• Robin Thicke is a huge fan of the Los Angeles Rams, the team which Kobie plays on.

Who’s Buffalos on The Masked Singer?

The Buffalos could be the famous a cappella R&B group Boyz II Men composed of Nathan Morris, Wanyá Morris, and Shawn Stockman. With those smooth harmonies on their performance of “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight” by Cutting Crew, we strongly feel like this group aligns with the Buffalos.

Betty & Vanna White (Week 1)

• Pictures of Betty and Vanna White were hinted as clues. Boyz II Men wore white in the music video for “Doin’ Just Fine.”

Walk of Fame (Week 1)

• Boyz II Men received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.

Slot-Machine Jackpot (Week 1)

• A clue for the group included a slot-machine jackpot, and the group just finished a Las Vegas residency recently.

Sitcoms (Week 1)

• Nick Lachey said that the group appeared in two of the biggest sitcoms. Boyz II Men had cameos in both The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and How I Met Your Mother, which were the biggest sitcoms of those decades.

We found each other along the way (Week 2)

• This clue helped the judges think that they weren’t brothers. (The Wayan Brothers were a hot contender for these Buffalos)

Poker Chips (Week 2)

• Another nod to Vegas as they went all in on their chips.

Bottle of Poison (Week 2)

• Their song “Sympin,” sampled the Bell Biv DeVoe track “Poison.

Mo-Town (Week 2)

• The group was signed to Motown as their first record contract and the first four Boyz II Men album was distributed by Mo-town.

Half-time Show (Week 3)

•  The Buffalos bring out a shirt that says “halftime show” on it. “This halftime show T-shirt has aged over time like us, but we can tell you this performance was in front of one of the biggest audiences in the world,” the said. The group performed with Mo-town at the Super Bowl Half Time show in 1998.

 A real MacGyver (Week 3)

• The Buffalos recall that they had one Buffalo who left the herd and was a real MacGyver to the group. Michael McCary left Boyz II Men due to back spasms in 2003, but he still keeps in contact with the group.

Who’s Macaron on The Masked Singer?

Macaron was revealed to be Bethany Hamilton.

Who’s Dust Bunny on The Masked Singer?

Dust Bunny is Andy Richter. He was the first one to be unmasked for group B.

Celebrity Ambassador: Dick Van Dyke

• This comedian worked with Anne Hathaway, David Bowie, Marlon Brando/

Earthquake (Week 4)

• Obvious pun with his name since earthquakes are measured in a Richter scale.

Who’s Woodpecker on The Masked Singer?

Woodpecker is Marsai Martin who plays Diane Johnson in Black-ish. Redditors were confident that it is indeed her: “Woodpecker is Marsai Martin. The voice, height and clues. It’s her,” one person wrote.

Jenifer Lewis saying “I have known Woodpecker since her start.” (Week 1)

• Jenifer Lewis worked with Marsai Martin since she started out in Black-ish. She played her grandmother Ruby Johnson in the series.

Friends with Beyoncé (Week 1)

• Martin has been a fan of Beyoncé for a while now. She even posted a video of her singing and dancing to her song “Love on Top” on X.

She is “striving to be the youngest billionaire.” (Week 1)

• In an interview with BET, she talked about what is her next “Youngest” project after becoming the youngest producer in Hollywood at 14. “I think I’d like to be the youngest billionaire or trillionaire, you know,” she said.

Sports tape (Week 1)

• She’s currently dating NASCAR driver Rajah Caruth, so a sportstape gave a big clue to Mansai.

Planting Roots in Hollywood (Week 2)

• Marsai began acting in Black-ish when she was 10.

Styl-ish Boots (Week 2)

• Good play on words there!

Three elderly Woodpeckers (Week 3)

• Refers to the family dynamics in Black-ish.

A photo of Regina Hall (Week 3)

• Marsai starred in Little with Regina Hall.

Who’s Ship on The Masked Singer?

Fans think that Ship is Paula Cole. With her distinctive voice and the ups and downs of her long career, it’s certain that it’s this Grammy Award-winning singer. She’s been on the low for a majority of the early 2000s, but now she’s back with as much power and energy as ever.

Cowboy Hat (Week 1)

• The Cowboy hat is a sly reference to Paula Cole’s hit single “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?”

Not so smooth sailing (Week 1)

Ship recounted that she had very shaky waters during her career and became “lost at sea” and felt “totally forgotten.” Paula Cole had an eight-year hiatus after her album Amen and Courage.

Star cheerleader, Prom queen, and high school president (Week 2)

• Ship brought us three clues where she said she was the star cheerleader, Prom queen, and high school president. Paula Rose was all three of these things, according to an Entertainment Weekly article.

Raven on the piano (Week 2)

• When she lamented over her inability to dance after an injury, The Ship found solace in playing the piano and there was a raven sitting on the piano. Paula Cole’s 2013 album is called Raven.

Who’s Showbird on The Masked Singer?

Yvette Nicole Brown. The actress starred in NBC’s Community with Joel McHale AND judge Ken Jeong. She’s had supporting roles in films such as (500) Days of Summer, Tropic Thunder, Repo Men, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, and received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her role in A Black Lady Sketch Show. 

Joel McHale (Week 1)

• Joel McHale considered Showbird a close friend of his and the two obviously starred together on Community.

Advanced Singing 401 (Week 1)

• Showbird holds up a textbook with the text “Advanced Singing 401.” If this isn’t a Community reference, then c’mon!

Golden Gavel (Week 1)

• Showbird was using the Golden Gavel, and it’s an obvious clue to her role as Judge Anita Harper on A Black Lady Sketch Show.

Legos (Week 1)

• Showbird says she’s a total nerd and loves Legos. Yvette Nicole Brown confessed she’s obsessed with Legos and has moderated several panels at Comic-Con.

Popcorn Bucket (Week 1)

• Yvette Nicole Brown played Helen on Drake & Josh. She was Josh’s manager at the theater he worked in on the show.

Big blockbuster movies (Week 1)

Showbird noted that unlike Joel McHale, she’s been in big blockbuster hits. Yvette Nicole Brown had appearances in Avengers: Endgame and Inside Out 2.

Jewels

• The jewels were laid out in the same way as Thanos’ gauntlet in Avengers: Infinity War.

Lovebird (Week 2)

• Yvette Nicole Brown is engaged to Anthony Davis who encouraged her to pursue singing again.

Purple Cupcake (week 2)

• Yvette Nicole Brown made an appearance in Cupcake Wars.

Who’s Leaf Sheep on The Masked Singer?

Leaf Sheep is NFL great John Elway as revealed in the first episode. Demarcus Ware aka Koala from season 11 was Leaf Sheep’s celebrity ambassador

The GOAT

• He was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

#1 Guitar Pick

• He was the first draft pick!

Quarter

• Quarterback for the Denver Broncos, duh!

Cowboy Hat-Wearing Seahorse (Week 1)

• Uh, we were stumped on this one but it could be a connection to the Broncos idk.