The Masked Singer season 9’s California Roll was revealed to be the acapella singing group, Pentatonix, and their six performances were very memorable. Pentatonix consists of members Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola, and Matt Sallee, who came together as a group in 2011. They eventually won The Sing-Off season 3. They have since skyrocketed to fame, and their YouTube channel alone has 20 million subscribers and over 5.9 billion views. Although the panelists, Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, and Nicole Scherzinger, guessed that California Roll might be the cast of various Broadway and movie musicals, Robin and Jenny were able to identify them as Pentatonix.
The Masked Singer season 9’s California Roll made their debut on New York Night with their signature harmonies, knocking two-time champion Medusa out of the competition. However, the panelists saved her, and they eventually met again in the quarterfinals, along with Macaw and UFO. After UFO was eliminated and revealed to be Olivia Culpo, California Roll joined Medusa and Macaw in the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the tables turned, and Medusa emerged victorious, along with Macaw, and will now compete for the Golden Mask trophy. As Pentatonix takes their final bow as California Roll, it’s time to revisit their iconic performances on The Masked Singer season 9.
6 California Roll’s Final Performance Was “Runaway Baby”
Although all of California Roll’s performances were very impressive, they exited the competition during the semi-finals after their three-way Battle Royale version of Bruno Mars’ “Runaway Baby.” California Roll, Medusa, and Macaw all put their own magic touches on the song, but California Roll didn’t make the cut. However, they put in a valiant effort, infusing the song with their signature Pentatonix harmonies. With beatboxing and some dancing, California Roll’s performance was engaging and fun, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to defeat Medusa and Macaw. It was a bittersweet moment as Medusa was able to come out on top after California Roll emerged victorious over her earlier in the season.
5 California Roll Broke Out With “Breakaway”
For California Roll’s The Masked Singer semi-finals performance, the group sang Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway.” The emotional performance captured the message of the song. California Roll put their unique spin on it, making it more bluesy and soulful than the original ballad. Various members of the group took the lead during the different parts of the song, which brought a new dynamic to the classic tune. The chorus was powerful and stirring, leading to an extraordinary ending that showcased the vocal range and abilities of the group. This was California Roll’s last performance before the final Battle Royale.
4 California Roll Mesmerized With “Creep”
For their The Masked Singer quarterfinals performance, California Roll presented a haunting version of “Creep” by Radiohead. Their harmonies served as the background to the lead singer, which is how Pentatonix usually performs as an acapella singing group. The high notes at the end were gorgeous. They also used their costumes to create different formations on stage that made interesting visuals. This performance earned California Roll a well-deserved place in the finale, along with Medusa and Macaw. Although The Masked Singer had to say goodbye to Olivia Culpo’s UFO costume, this brought California Roll one step closer to making it to the end of the competition.
3 California Roll Dominated With “Uptown Girl”
On New York Night, California Roll had the daunting task of competing with Medusa in the Battle Royale. She had already won two previous rounds of the competition and was the frontrunner. However, their slowed-down version of Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” brought a new perspective to the song. This was their second performance on the show, but they had clearly made their mark with their distinctive five-part harmonies. This performance propelled them straight to the quarterfinals. California Roll was the first The Masked Singer season 9 contestant to earn their place at the end of the competition. During this Battle Royale, they shockingly defeated Medusa, who was then saved by the panelists.
2 California Roll Showcased Their Harmonies With “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”
During The Masked Singer Supreme 6 episode, California Roll sang a beautiful rendition of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. This episode was noncompetitive but instead treated viewers to performances from each of the final six competitors without the threat of elimination. As they sang the lyric, “Turn around,” a different roll would turn to sing part of the verse, highlighting each member of the group. They sang the chorus in perfect five-part harmony. California Roll delivered a performance that conveyed the emotion of the song. If anyone doubted that Pentatonix was behind the California Roll mask, this was the performance that proved it was them.
1 California Roll Stunned With “Paparazzi”
California Roll took The Masked Singer stage by storm when they first appeared singing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.” As the only group in the competition, California Roll delighted the audience when the other four rolls stepped out from behind the first one. When they began singing the chorus in their breathtaking harmonies, they made it clear that they were there to take over The Masked Singer competition. They captured the drama and theatricality of the song, along with the panelists’ hearts. With this debut song, Pentatonix as California Roll became another act that will always be remembered by The Masked Singer fans.
The Masked Singer season 9’s California Roll, AKA Pentatonix, was groundbreaking. Although there have been groups on the show before, there was something special about how they harmonized and presented their songs. Their performances spanned many musical genres, proving they can sing anything. They also changed many recognizable tunes by twisting them into other genres. It was intriguing to listen to Pentatonix sing with background music because they are usually an acapella group. As California Roll, Pentatonix brought its brand of talent to TheMasked Singer stage. Throughout the competition, they were certainly on a roll.
The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EDT on FOX.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
