Things got personal onThe Masked Singerthis week.
The performances were pretty epic, though, and provided for a great showdown.
Michael Becker/FOX
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Why did you guys want to doThe Masked Singer?
Beets on ‘The Masked Singer’ season 11.Michael Becker/FOX
RUBEN STUDDARD:It’s fun.
CLAY AIKEN:We got to be the mascot for the football team.
[Laughs] Ruben always played.
Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken on ‘American Idol’ season finale on May 21, 2023.Stewart Cook/ABC/Getty
I wanted to be the mascot.
I never had a chance to play whatsoever.
I always wanted to be the school mascot, but they never let me in the costume.
And that was refreshing and fun for both of us.
Did they approach you guys to do it separately or together?
STUDDARD:Ithinkthey approached us separately.
I can’t remember how that process was.
AIKEN:We were already touring together.
So I think that helped them kind of get the idea of the two of us doing it together.
You know what I mean?
Someone like Brooks & Dunn who were always together.
I think they figured that would be a nice way to trick people.
Clearly it worked, because the panel did guess Brooks & Dunn at one point.
AIKEN:I have no idea where they got that from.
Ruben soundssomuch like Kix Brooks.
[Laughs]
And with the 20th anniversary tour, whose idea was that?
Did one of you take convincing to do it?
STUDDARD:Well, we’d been on tour together before.
We did a tour called The Timeless Tour, I think it was in 2010.
AIKEN:Did our Broadway show together, too.
STUDDARD:Did a Broadway show.
AIKEN:In fact, that Broadway show, I hadn’t sung before that since Timeless, frankly.
I mean, it’s only been Ruben who’s gotten me on stage the last 10 years.
And I’m always ready to do it.
How didThe Masked Singerexperience compare to your time onAmerican Idol?
STUDDARD:Listen,The Masked SingerandAmerican Idolare… it’s not even a comparison.
Because the only stake is to have fun and enjoy the time that you are onMasked Singer.
We were competing for our livelihood onAmerican Idol, and that’s just not the case here.
We were just there to have a good time.
It was already there for us.
Ruben and I are, we’re used to being on stage.
But when we’re on the show, we couldn’t even see our feet.
We couldn’t see anything at all.
It was a challenge for us.
I looked several times and thought both of us were facing in the complete wrong direction.
We did not have any idea where we were looking.
Everybody has to have time on stage to rehearse.
And I think it is a way to get you off the square.
It really is a challenge.
And just trying to know placement.
I remember trying to walk on stage and remember where in the hell is my exit?
I can’t see.
AIKEN:I was worried we were both going to fall off that stage.
And you could’t see anything.
you’re able to’t move your knees.
You know what I mean?
That’s what it was like.
Except for having an eye mask over your face, too.
You couldn’t see anything.
Stewart Cook/ABC/Getty
What’s next for you two?
And yeah, just still out here doing my thing, singing.
