*Ne-Yo was the Season 10 “Masked Singer” winner after he was revealed as the Cow, and stunned with performances of songs by Janet Jackson and Rihanna.
The R&B superstar previously appeared on the U.K. version, and he spoke to Entertainment Weekly after his big reveal on the U.S. show about the differences between the two music competitions.
“Not much difference at all,” he said. “So I got to give much props and respect to the production of the Masked Singer because the security in that place, and I’m talking U.K. and US, is presidential. They are super adamant about nobody knowing who anybody else is.”
Ne-Yo appeared on the U.K. version of “Masked Singer” as the Badger but didn’t win.
‘Masked Singer’ Season 10 Winner NE-YO Shares Why He Decided to Perform as a ‘Busty’ Female Cow (Exclusive) https://t.co/Kd6KupnuWz
— People (@people) December 21, 2023
“I did the U.K. version before the American version because I felt like on the American version, I would get caught quicker,” he explained.
“People would recognize my voice a little faster. So I did the U.K. version thinking that I had a better shot at winning, and it turns out I didn’t win and I was second runner-up, but that was fine. That was totally fine. I had a ball with it,” Ne-Yo continued. “And the same thing with this one. I had so much fun. Even if I hadn’t won, I still would’ve just totally enjoyed the experience. I never thought that one of my most fun stage performances would be with me dressed up as a female cow of all things. I never would’ve imagined that.”
Ne-Yo said he opted for the cow costume to throw off the judges.
“I have a million speaking voices. I can change it, I can do accents, I can do different inflections and everything with my speaking voice. My singing voice kind of is what it is, though. There’s no way around it. So I knew that as far as talking and whatnot, I might be able to throw the judges off that way,” the superstar said of his process.
“But the second I started singing, somebody was going to catch me,” Ne-Yo continued.
“I have personal relationships with Robin Thicke, Nicole Scherzinger, and with Nick Cannon. So those were the three that I was really the most concerned with fooling,” he added. “I’m like, the second they hear me sing, they’re going to know it’s me. So when the producers came to me with the costume, they gave me the option. They [said] we want you to be the Cow, but you can be the male cow or potentially maybe the female cow? And I was like, oh, female cow all day. Let’s go.”
Ne-Yo is set to kick off an international tour next March.
“We’re going to start in the U.K. and then just work our way across the globe. I’m in the process of putting together a new album, literally as we speak — be looking for that probably right around the time the tour starts in March,” he told EW.
“I’ve also got some big screen and some small screen stuff in the works. I won’t speak on it in too much detail right now because I don’t like to count chickens before they hatch. But do expect to see me on the big and small screen relatively soon in some ways that you’ve never seen me before, which is definitely saying something considering the fact we’re sitting here talking about me in a female cow suit. Yeah, man, I’m keeping busy and loving every minute of it.”
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READ MORE: Ne-Yo’s Ex Reacts to His Controversial Comments About Trans Kids
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