‘The Masked Singer’ Fans Are Fairly Certain Gladys Knight Is the Bee After Her Super Bowl ‘National Anthem’ Performance

Published Feb 5, 2019

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2:58pm

From the Unicorn (Tori Spelling) to the Poodle (Margaret Cho), The Masked Singer has introduced us to a number of celebrities’ hidden talents. But ornate costumes aside, there’s no denying some of the contestants are bona fide singers. Such is the case with the Bee.

During her inaugural performance, hosts Nicole Scherzinger guessed the Bee was “definitely a professional singer” and Robin Thicke recognized her vibrato. Well, after the Super Bowl, fans finally think they might know the true identity of the Bee: Gladys Knight.

The 74-year-old four-time Grammy Award winner received much praise for her Super Bowl LIII national anthem rendition and fans couldn’t help but notice that her range and tone were similar to that of the Bee. (You can watch her performance here.)

If you’re not convinced yet, then listen to the Bee sing a rousing rendition of “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars.

Same person, right?

There’s one tiny fact that makes the theory even more plausible. The Bee didn’t perform during the last episode, which aired January 30, three days before the Super Bowl. Since Knight performed the national Anthem, it’s likely she needed to rest her voice and rehearse before the big game.

For those unfamiliar with The Masked Singer, stars face off while dressed in head-to-toe disguises and perform a musical number. The hosts—Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Scherzinger and Thicke—and guests are left to guess the identity of the singer. Each week, one of the singers is eliminated and must reveal their true identity.

With a voice like Knight’s, it’s unlikely we’ll find out with any certainty soon (she’s that good). Until then, we’ll just keep buzzing with curiosity about the Bee.

Lex Goodman

Cat mom, yogi, brunch enthusiast

Lex is an LA native who's deeply obsessed with picnics, Slim Aarons, rosé, Hollywood history and Joan Didion. She joined PureWow in early 2017.

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