[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Masked Singer Season 13 Episode 7 “Group C Premiere: Carnival Night.”]
The Masked Singer introduced a new group of celebrity hopefuls: Cherry Blossom, Mad Scientist, Stud Muffin, Nessy, and Yorkie.
After a performance of “Let’s Get Loud” by Jennifer Lopez, Cherry Blossom was the contestant unmasked: actress Candace Cameron Bure, who did the show to honor her Full House costar, the late Bob Saget, who was previously on The Masked Singer as Squiggly Monster in Season 4. Below, she opens up about her time as Cherry Blossom.
Talk about the decision to say yes to doing The Masked Singer and what went into it. Did you have any hesitations?
Candace Cameron Bure: Oh, I had so many hesitations going in. They’ve asked me four times to be on the show, and it took four times for me to say “Yes” because I’ve been acting virtually my whole life over 40 years, but I’m not a singer, and I’m really uncomfortable singing in front of people. So I kept saying, “No, no, no.” And I don’t know what it was about this time around. I tell my kids all the time, “When something scares you, say ‘Yes’ to it. Say ‘Yes.’ Get out of your comfort zone.” And I think I finally said to myself, “I need to take my own advice.” So I said, “Yes.”
How do you feel now that you said yes and it’s all done?
I’m super glad that I did it. I have to say that I was a ball of nerves and anxiety. It kind of shot me to the roof, and so parts of it were so scary for me, and yet I was very happy that I did it. But then looking back, I was so bummed out that I was the first one in my lineup to go. I was like, this scares me so bad. But I wished I had one more song to sing.
Michael Becker / Fox
Talk about that costume. What appealed to you about it?
I love the costume. I was so happy when they showed me the picture that I was going to be Cherry Blossom. I was like, this is gorgeous. I think because I was so nervous, I was also hoping that I didn’t have something that was really, really constrictive and where I could only move little parts of my body. So I was very happy that it was a real dress. And then it was really just the big mask that I had on. So it was much more comfortable. And it’s gorgeous. I mean, it’s so beautiful. I love cherry blossoms, and so it felt very fitting. I felt really feminine and beautiful out there. So that’s why I was hoping I would stay on just a little bit longer.
What went into your song choice?
Well, it’s interesting. It was Carnival Night, so that was the theme of it. I wanted a song that would help me with my vocals. So that song in particular, I felt more comfortable with because it doesn’t have a huge range and it fit the carnival theme perfectly.
Did you have any songs in mind if you continued on? Or a genre, because the theme nights do kind of restrict you in terms of song choice sometimes.
I didn’t have any that I was like, “I have to perform this song,” because again, I’m not a singer, not comfortable, but we had it if I had made it. We had other songs planned for the next rounds that I was really excited about because they have Boy Band Night, which I was super stoked about. And then I think a Lady Gaga Night, which was fun.
Speaking of Boy Band Night, there was a connection because Joey Fatone gave the clue for you.
Yeah, exactly. So that was a fun theme. And it’s like, I mean, ‘90s is such a big part of my life because Full House started in the ’90s, and then Joey and I, we do these ‘90s Comic Cons that are really fun to do. And the ‘90s are so popular now, so nostalgic, so anything in that genre is great.
It’s so weird that the ‘90s are coming back.
I know. It makes us feel so old.
You said that you did this to honor a close friend who had been there before, Bob Saget. Had you ever talked to him about his time on the show?
I did. When I was watching the show on TV air, I called him right away and I’m like, “I know that’s you. I know that’s you.” And he was like, “I can’t say anything.” And I was like, “You don’t have to. I already know.” But he wouldn’t talk about it until he was eliminated. He was a very good rule follower. And then he was like, “Yeah, it was so much fun.” He had a great time and he, too, wished he had stayed on longer.
Talk about the panelists’ guesses because no one figured you out.
I know, I kind of thought, especially with Joey Fatone giving that clue and the ‘90s, and if you think back to the package, they had an old school TV, there was the full moon that was kind of Full House. I had a little birdhouse that was on my costume as well. I mean, it was small. But there were clues there. And Robin [Thicke] kind of started to get it because of the ‘90s sitcom. And I really thought Jenny [McCarthy Wahlberg] was going to get it. I really did, especially she knows I am a huge New Kids on the Block fan, too. And I don’t know, I thought some of those clues would get there, but they’re all fun choices
You know Robin, so did you come into this expecting him to get you because of that history?
So if I had stayed on the show one week longer, the whole night for me and the package would’ve been dedicated to Robin, and it was much more about that because it’s true, we were like boyfriend and girlfriend for a week when we were 12 or 13 years old, and we both had crushes on each other, but we hung out a lot. So it was much more tailored to that. And I feel like if I’d stayed on one more week, Robin may have guessed it was me.
What are you going to take away from the entire experience?
Oh, just to go forward and have fun. That’s the hardest part for me. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, and so if I’m not great at something, I don’t necessarily want to do it. And yet that whole show is just about having fun, and that really was another reason I wanted to do it and to just let go. So that’ll be my takeaway. It was a blast. It really was.
What surprised you the most about being on the show?
In TV, it is a really big show, but when you’re there in person, all the dancers, the lighting, the choreography, the showmanship that the production puts behind the show is really amazing. It kind of blew my mind how massive it was in person.
Are you going to sing more after this?
I’m going to keep practicing, yes. I took a few singing lessons and I’ll continue just so I can feel a little more comfortable, but I don’t think I’m ever going to be the next Kelly Clarkson.
The Masked Singer, Wednesdays, 8/7c, Fox