‘The Masked Singer’ fan-favorite reveals the real struggle behind the scenes — 'It was 80 million degrees'
With its unique premise, 'The Masked Singer' stands out as one of the most creative reality shows on television. The show, which first debuted in 2019, is famous for its extravagant costumes, which help singers in concealing their real identity. However, wearing these over-the-top costumes is not without its challenges. In a recent conversation, the Season 13 contestant, Nelly, opened up about the struggles of wearing these outfits. While from the outside, these dresses look great and are enjoyed by the fans, unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Nelly, who was the one wearing it.
The contestant in discussion is Nessy, who was later revealed to be Edwin McCain. When asked by Collider how hot it was inside the Nessy costume, McCain replied, "It was 80 million degrees in there." He added that the production team was incredibly helpful, saying, "They had a vest that had ice packs in it. And then in between takes, everybody had these little handheld fans. They would blow in through the mesh because there was mesh that didn't read on camera."
Explaining why it looked like he was singing into Nessy’s neck, he said, "It was a screen over my face, which is why it looked like I was singing into Nessy's neck." Despite the heat, McCain concluded, "It was a great time." In addition, McCain described his 'The Masked Singer' experience as "joyful, surprising, and hot." When asked how hard it was to keep his identity as Nessy a secret, he said, "It wasn't that hard, because I was out in Los Angeles, but I did have some really close friends that I was dying to tell… Most of my friends are big blabbers, so I had to keep it quiet."
Talking about his family's reaction, McCain shared, "I think they're proud of me… I think they've just gotten to the point where, "Sure, Dad, yeah, here, what else will it be'?" He added, "My career has had so many twists and turns… I think my kids aren't really that shocked when things like this occur." As for what inspired him to join the show, McCain said, "Just the adventure of it. When it came up, I was like, "Yeah, of course, we're doing that'." He further praised the production team, saying, "The costumers worked for months making just my costume… it’s an incredible undertaking, honestly."
On seeing the Nessy costume for the first time, McCain admitted, "At first, I was like, how am I going to move this thing around?" and joked, "I don't want to go out here and fling the tail into the audience or something." But he later felt reassured, as McCain revealed, "Once I got comfortable in it, and we tried some things out, I was like, 'Oh, this thing’s going to stay together.' I could probably run down the field and catch a pass."
Notably, after wrapping up its Season 13, 'The Masked Singer' will take a break, as Fox’s upcoming fall schedule will not include the hit competition show for the first time in years. Instead, Season 14 is set to premiere in January 2026, as per Variety. In a statement, Fox shared, "Among Fox's most enduring signature shows is 'The Masked Singer,' with a truly devoted base. This juggernaut will return next year for Season 14 as it takes midseason by storm with a spectacular, supercharged new season." The network explained that the delay is a strategic move to give the show more buildup and "allow us to creatively look at enhancing the show with the biggest names at the center of it."