Hosted by Nick Cannon, The Masked Singer incorporates the format of the Korean reality series The King of the Masked Singer for an interactive celebrity gameshow experience. Every week, celebrity guests appear in the show costumed as different creatures. With their identities concealed, it is up to the audiences and judges to unmask the singer.
The Masked Singer might serve as a light-hearted break for fans of conventional singing shows like The Voice and American Idol. At the same time, it is reflective of the new age of such concept-based musical shows that go beyond the usual singing formula.
I Can See Your Voice (2020 - Present) - Stream On Amazon Prime
I Can See Your Voice presents a group of six singers (of different musical capabilities) is presented in front of contestants assisted with celebrity ists. Without even hearing them sing one note, the contestants must guess which one of the six is a bad singer. For this purpose, several challenges take place that involves lip-syncing and pitch-shifted videos.
Because of its unique concept, a I Can See Your Voice is reminiscent of The Masked Singer. Both tend to focus on hilarious moments and celebrity appearances rather than just singing. The presence of The Masked Singer's judge Ken Jeong as the host on I Can See Your Voice is an added bonus.
The Masked Dancer (2020 - Present) - Stream On Hulu
Another show of the Korean-inspired "Masked" franchise, The Masked Dancer is basically the dance edition of The Masked Singer. With Craig Robinson serving as host, the show finds celebrities dancing and hiding their identities in elaborate costumes.
This time, Ken Jeong s the celebrity along with Paula Abdul, Brian Austin Green, and Ashley Tisdale. With the same atmosphere of flashy playfulness, The Masked Dancer serves as a companion piece to The Masked Singer.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003 - Present) - Stream On Fubo
Ellen DeGeneres' iconic daytime talk show has been going on for several years making her one of the longest-running talk show hosts of all time. However, apart from the celebrity interviews, the daytime talk show also includes the usual share of comedy sketches.
Viewing Ellen's later seasons makes for essential viewing for fans of The Masked Singer. This is because a recurring segment on Ellen began parodying the show, replacing singing with dancing. It was only this segment that went on to inspire The Masked Dancer, another performance-based reality series in the same vein.
Lip-Sync Battle (2015 - 2019) - Stream On Paramount+
Lip-syncing is the perfect way to double for a song, even for those with a bad voice. As its title suggests, Lip Sync Battle features multiple celebrities putting up a show while bringing on their best lip sync performances. From Tom Holland dancing to Rihanna's "Umbrella" to Dwayne Johnson singing Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off," viewers would have never seen their favorite stars like this.
The Masked Singer's audiences would also enjoy the show because of its overall jovial nature and the sheer unpredictability of what its star contestants might end up performing.
Wild N' Out (2005 - Present) - Stream On FuboTV
America's Got Talent, The Masked Singer, and Wild N' Out. The latter variety series included sketch comedies and comedy challenges. From Kevin Hart to Snoop Dogg, several actors and hip-hop stars make guest appearances, taking turns roasting Cannon in freestyle rounds.
With a wide choice of tasks, Wild N' Out is perfect for fans of The Masked Singer. With Cannon also serving as showrunner, Wild N' Out gives him more scope to showcase his comedic and hosting skills.
Sing On (2020 - Present) - Stream On Netflix
Sing On redefines the concept of the music game show genre. While the episodes do incorporate challenges much like The Masked Singer, Sing On also ranks the contestants on the basis of their singing skills. For instance, from a team of six, each player would be asked to sign a part of the same at random.
Based on audience votes, it is decided who among the six should stay and who should be eliminated. This intricate process raises the stakes, making Sing On a show that also values musical talent apart from the flashy stage gimmicks.
Dr. Ken (2015 - 2017) - Stream On Plex
Before venturing out in comedy, Ken Jeong had a brief stint as a physician. Jeong used these life experiences to create the comedy series Dr. Ken. The sitcom deals with the everyday misadventures of a mild-mannered physician as he handles his professional and personal life.
Even though Dr. Ken ran for only two seasons, it still makes for an interesting watch for those who wish to see more of Ken Jeong. While he has earned a reputation as a host for reality shows such as The Masked Singer, Ken Jeong's best movies and TV shows have brought out his comedic potential as a ing actor. However, in Dr. Ken, he gets more creative control and an opportunity to shine as a lead.
Beat Shazam (2017 -) - Stream On Hulu
Just like the music app Shazam, the contestants on Beat Shazam are tasked with recognizing songs from all over the world. Some of these tracks might be mainstream hits while others might be very obscure. With Jamie Foxx serving as the ever-jubilant host, the stakes on the show rise further as contestants have to identify the songs before the app does.
It is this element of a race against time that makes this "music quiz" even more interesting. As The Masked Singer is also heavily based on guesswork, Beat Shazam makes for an ideal watch.
The Voice (2011 - Present) - Stream On Hulu
Similar to other popular singing American Idol, the contestants and winners of The Voice have gone on to perform iconic covers of popular tracks and then turn into future pop stars themselves.
The unique aspect of The Voice is the selection process in which the musician coaches listen to new contestants with their chairs facing backward. If impressed, the judges can press a buzzer and face the contestant. Whoever presses the fastest gets the singer on their team. This concept of "blind auditions" is comparable to The Masked Singer in which the singers' identities are hidden from the judges.
So You Think You Can Dance (2005 - Present) - Stream On Hulu
Dancers of various styles and genres compete in a competition that seeks to judge them on the basis of how well they adapt to different dance forms.
Currently in its 16th season, So You Think You Can Dance is arguably the most popular dancing reality show right now. Why fans of The Masked Singer must check it out is also the aesthetic value that is brought out by the costume designers in the performances. In fact, The Masked Singer alumna Marina Toybina has served as the show's costume and fashion designer in 2019 and 2020, earning herself an Emmy win in the process. When it comes to The Masked Singer, Toybina has designed all the character costumes in the six seasons so far.