‘The Masked Singer’ Season 8 Spoilers: Leaked Panther Performance Has Fans Guessing This 1995 Hitmaker

Vegas Night is coming up on The Masked Singer Season 8 Episode 2, and fans have received a first look. Recently-leaked footage of the Sept. 28 episode showcases Panther’s first performance. Now, there’s a debate among fans: Who is behind the Panther costume on The Masked Singer? One common guess points to a singer-songwriter most famous for a hit single released in 1995.

[Spoiler alert: The following story contains potential spoilers for The Masked Singer Season 8 Episode 2.]

‘The Masked Singer’ Season 8 Panther performance and clues

Footage of Panther’s first performance on The Masked Singer was shared by Masked Clips on YouTube ahead of the newest episode. The masked celebrity sang “Feelin’ Good,” showing off incredible talent that had many audience members in awe. As Panther continued the jazzy rendition, the judges looked at each other to question the singer’s identity and compliment his voice.

Before the season began, The Masked Singer shared a Mask-Ray clue as the first hint at Panther’s identity. The clip, as seen below, featured a moon. Additionally, the show’s official Instagram page shared a Reel of Panther dancing behind the scenes. The caption on the video read, “They call it Panther swagger. Deal with it.” Could that be another clue?

Fans have shared their guesses for Panther on ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 8

Many Masked Singer fans on Reddit have started to discuss Panther and connect his voice to celebrities. There are various guesses so far, but one common prediction seems to be Montell Jordan. The singer-songwriter and producer is most recognized for his hit club single, “This Is How We Do It,” released under Def Jam Recordings.

One fan in the thread pointed out that Jordan could be raising his voice to a slightly higher pitch in order to throw viewers off. Still, his “way of pronouncing certain words” is too “distinctive” to miss. Additionally, other users said his height seems to match Panther’s.

Aside from Montell Jordan, fans had other guesses ranging from Ne-Yo to Jamie Foxx to Shaquille O’Neal. One Reddit user predicted Michael B. Jordan, with the Panther costume referencing his role in Black Panther and the moon referencing his cameo in Space Jam: A New Legacy. One fan commented on The Masked Singer’s Instagram reel and suggested Terrence Howard, who has used the line “Deal with it” in his films.

Fans have to tune in to The Masked Singer Season 8 Episode 2 for more clues about the celebrity behind Panther. Will he be unmasked?

Is Montell Jordan still performing?

After “This Is How We Do It,” Jordan released other hit singles like “Somethin’ 4 da Honeyz,” “I Like,” and “Let’s Ride.” He also produced music for artists like Christina Milian and 98 Degrees. Jordan quit the music business to become a pastor in 2010, but he still performs at some concerts, so he’s a definite contender on The Masked Singer.

New episodes of The Masked Singer Season 8 air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.