‘The Masked Singer’ Season 9 Finale: Macaw’s Identity Confirmed as [SPOILER]
Fox’s The Masked Singer Season 9 finale is here, and fans finally get to see Medusa and Macaw’s identities. Fans have been speculating on Macaw for weeks, and it’s finally confirmed who’s singing under the mask. So, who is Macaw? Here’s what to know about the masked singer’s identity.
[Spoiler alert: The Masked Singer Season 9 spoilers ahead regarding the finale.]
Who is Macaw? His identity’s finally confirmed in ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 9 finale
The Masked Singer Season 9 finale finally shows who’s singing under the Macaw mask — and it’s David Archuleta. Archuleta is known as the second-place singer from American Idol Season 7 in 2008.
Macaw dishes plenty of telling clues from the beginning, and many fans knew Archuleta sang from beneath the mask from the first time he took the stage. “I’m so excited to become the Macaw because he’s everything I’m not — flashy, competent, and he sings country songs,” Macaw’s first clue package stated. Macaw also revealed that he began singing and performing at a young age, and his father bribed him with quesadillas to continue singing.
Another clue for Macaw was about his anxiety. “But somewhere on the journey of melted cheese and panic attacks, I learned to take breaks and reset,” he stated. The singer also noted that he “decided to be brave” this year, “not only on stage,” but in his own personal life.
A “super clue” for Macaw during the quarterfinals was the word “leader.” And during the semifinals, he held a chili pepper. Archuleta lived and worked in Chile.
He also had a sign that read “Vote.” He went on to talk about self-acceptance and not hiding his true self. This likely referred to his LGBTQ+ status.
One of the final clues for Macaw was a silver medal. “It wasn’t until I left the nest that I struck gold,” he said. The silver medal likely refers to winning second place on American Idol.
David Archuleta talked about his post-‘American Idol’ life and coming out
Many of Macaw’s clues in The Masked Singer Season 9 referred to self-acceptance and societal acceptance. This more than likely refers to him coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Back in 2018, he spoke to Variety about coming out as gay to his family in 2014 but still grappling with the Mormon church’s beliefs. He also discussed how he still felt an attraction to women, and he begged God to change him.
“And I finally heard Him, the way He’s always answered me,” Archuleta shared. “The way I knew I needed to go on my mission, the way I needed to go through with American Idol even though I didn’t want to. He just said, ‘David, you need to stop asking me this. You’re asking me the wrong thing. You need to stop asking me to change you in a way I don’t intend to change you.'”
Archuleta came out on Instagram as existing on “a spectrum of bisexual.”
“I realized there’s so many of us, but they’re invisible,” he continued to Variety. “That’s when, OK, I see now why I was put where I am, and why I need to speak up.”
Who was unmasked on ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 9?
The Masked Singer Season 9 finale finally reveals Macaw and Medusa’s identities. With David Archuleta singing beneath the Macaw mask, singer/songwriter Bishop Briggs was beneath the Medusa mask.
Here are the other singers who were unmasked throughout the competition:
California Roll — Pentatonix
UFO — Olivia Culpo
Mantis — Lou Diamond Phillips
Gargoyle — Keenan Allen
Dandelion — Alicia Witt
Lamp — Melissa Joan Hart
Doll — Dee Snider
Moose — George Wendt
Scorpio — Christine Quinn
Axolotl — Alexis Bliss
Fairy — Holly Robinson Peete
Squirrel — Malin Akerman
Jackalope — Lele Pons
Wolf — Michael Bolton
Polar Bear — Grandmaster Flash
Night Owl — Debbie Gibson
Rock Lobster — Howie Mandel
Mustang — Sara Evans
Gnome — Dick Van Dyke
The Masked Singer Season 9 airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
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