Fans of 'The Masked Singer' Knew The Flamingo's Identity From Day One

From Woman's Day

From even before the second season of The Masked Singer premiered on September 25, fans had their guesses about the Flamingo's identity. Using their best detective skills, fans came up with a guess that was pretty difficult to argue with. And during the finale on Dec. 18, they were proven to be right all along.

Who is the Flamingo on The Masked Singer?

From the first episode, fans pointed out that the Flamingo was likely a professional singer — specifically Adrienne Houghton (né Bailon), a former member of the girl groups 3LW and Cheetah Girls. During the two-hour finale, the Flamingo came in third, and her mask came off to reveal the truth. She was indeed Adrienne Houghton.

Even though fans were on that track from the beginning, Houghton tried to throw them off.
The day after The Masked Singer premiered, Houghton attempted to dispell the rumors on The Real.

"I literally don't understand how people can think I can do this show at 4 o'clock in the morning and that show at night, let's start there," she said during the segment. "I actually think it's really flattering 'cause people are saying really nice things, so that's dope, but at the same time the answer is no."

However, all the clues for the Flamingo hinted towards Houghton all season long. In one clue package, she also was seen holding an apple — seemingly a reference to the Big Apple, where Houghton was born. The Flamingo also let slip that she once attended a "medical training school." Life&Style reported that Houghton once wanted to be an obstetrician. As much as Houghton tried to deny that she was the Flamingo, the judges and the fans were adamant that she was.

Although judge Robin Thicke guess Fantasia for many weeks and Ken Jeong guessed everyone from Fergie to Jessica Simpson, Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger were team Houghton for weeks. By the time the finale rolled around, Thicke jumped on the bandwagon and also guess Houghton.

For viewers with easy access to Google, Houghton was pretty much the only option based on all the clues. One of them was that she went through a period of time where she hated her singing voice. Fans on Twitter were quick to point out that Houghton said as much on The Real. "I'm scared to fail, I don't like the sound of my own voice," she said.

As for the Flamingo's physical clue, it was an NAACP award. Earlier in 2019, Houghton won an NAACP Image Award along with her fellow hosts from The Real for Outstanding Talk Series. Other revealing clues include the Flamingo speaking in Spanish in one of her clue packages, and that's a language Houghton is very familiar with. Her Nov. 20 clue package also included mentions of the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower. Fans on Twitter quickly noted that one of Houghton's Cheetah Girls movies took place in India, where the Taj Mahal is. She also got married in Paris near the Eiffel Tower.

In the Dec. 10 pre-performance video, the Flamingo discussed how she sang in her church choir growing up, but merely considered it a hobby and never thought to pursue it for fear of failing. But, as it turns out, Houghton's "hobby" is what launched her to fame. According to TV Guide, Houghton was discovered while performing with her church choir at Madison Square Garden. Following the performance, the Flamingo said she was, "baptized in Israel." Houghton's husband is named Israel.

So with all of that evidence, it made so much sense that Houghton would be under the mask. And even though she came in third, Houghton was really happy with her journey. She said that the show helped her "break out of the box" that she put herself in. "Even though I've doubted myself, I'm determined, I'm hard working, and I have truly had the time of my life. So I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you."

No, Houghton. Thank you for gracing us with your presence and your voice. Flamingo forever!

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