Kandi Burruss who performed as Night Angel was declared the winner of season three of The Masked Singer on Wednesday becoming the show's first female winner.

The 44-year-old reality star impressed the judges as the Night Angel with her charisma, smoky voice and musical chops, which nodded to her early career as a singer/songwriter.

In earning the show's coveted Golden Mask, Kandi achieved a goal she'd been chasing throughout the season. 


















The winner: Kandi Burruss removed her Night Angel mask Wednesday after winning season three of The Masked Singer on Fox


Jesse McCartney, 33, who dressed as the Turtle, took second place, while rapper Bow Wow, also 33, came in third as the Frog.

Show host Nick Cannon, 39, asked Kandi what it meant to her to win the competition for all the female singers who'd been on the show.






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'It feels incredible!' crowed Kandi, 무료 만화 who rose to fame as a member of the 1990's girl group Xscape.

The Real Housewives Of Atlanta star has enjoyed an impressive career as a musician, producer, actress, businesswoman and member of several reality shows. 






Final song: The 44-year-old reality star sang River Deep, Mountain High by Tina Turner for her final song







Angelic voice: Night Angel captivated the audience and panelists throughout the season







Crushed it: The reality star crushed it again during the finale


Robin Thicke, 43, said he was in awe of Kandi's 'versatility,' calling her catalog of hits 'so humbling' to him as an artist. 

Kandi after her unmasking revealed that she doubted her vocal skills for so long, she'd essentially quit doing the thing she was so good at, which shocked the judges.

'For a long time, I kind of stopped singing by myself,' she confessed. 'You know, you get negative feedback and it kind of messes with your head.'






First female: Kandi became the first female to win the Fox singing competition show







Mask off: The RHOA star performed again with her mask off














'I just really appreciate you guys for helping me build my confidence back up,' Kandi told the panel. 

Nicole Scherzinger, 41, called Night Angel an 'inspiration,' saying, 'I feel like there is a Night Angel in all of us, that we can tap into how powerful and empowering you are when you sing.'

The win might have been even sweeter for Kandi because the show's final contestants were so good Nick called it 'the tightest three-way race in Masked Singer history.'






High praise: Nicole Scherzinger, 41, called Night Angel an 'inspiration,' saying, 'I feel like there is a Night Angel in all of us, that we can tap into how powerful and empowering you are when you sing'


When the episode opened, Ken Jeong, 50, was still celebrating the fact that he'd correctly guessed the identity of the Rhino, former baseball player Barry Zito, 42, on last week's show.

'Ken, you got one right this season, and it's because you stole Jenny's guess,' Nick told the actor, who was dressed as a king as he swanned onto the set.

'I knew Ken's head would get bigger by the end of this season, so I got an even bigger head,' Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, 47, cracked, holding up a giant cutout of her fellow judge's face.






Good guess: Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg correctly guessed that Night Angel was Kandi














She openly admitted that she had no idea who would ultimately win the Golden Mask.

'They're all incredible performers. They're each unique in their gifts,' Jenny reflected.

The first contestant to sing on the finale was the Frog, who impressed everyone with his rapping and dancing on the song Bad Boy For Life, by Black Rob, Mark Curry, and P Diddy.






First up: The first contestant to sing on the finale was the Frog, who impressed everyone with his rapping and dancing on the song Bad Boy For Life, by Black Rob, Mark Curry, and P Diddy


'That could have been the MTV Music Awards in that performance right there,' marveled Nicole, as Robin praised the Frog's ability to race around without losing his breath. 

Several judges correctly guessed the Turtle could be Bow Wow, but they also felt he might be a rapper such as Lil' Romeo, 30, and Kid Cudi, 36, or  entertainer MC Hammer, 58.

Bow Wow said that he'd known he couldn't out-sing a lot of the performers on the show, so he went for songs that showed off his 'swag' and got 'the people' behind him instead.






People's  choice: Bow Wow said that he'd known he couldn't out-sing a lot of the performers on the show, so he went for songs that showed off his 'swag' and got 'the people' behind him instead







Grand finale: Nick interviewed Bow Wow who revealed that he never had done choreography 


Clues to his identity included an ice cube tray, which nodded to the film Lottery Ticket, in which he and Ice Cube co-starred, and a lightning bolt that referenced his role in the film Like Mike.

The next performer was the Turtle, who moved everyone with his emotional rendition of Lewis Capaldi's Before You Go, and made Nicole cry.

'You have made the most of each and every moment you have been on this show,' she told him.

'When I started this journey, I had no idea how much this competition would change me as an artist,' the Turtle said. 'It's allowed me to take risks I would have never normally dreamed of.'






Emotional rendition: Turtle moved everyone with his emotional rendition of Lewis Capaldi's Before You Go, and made Nicole cry







Long journey: 'When I started this journey, I had no idea how much this competition would change me as an artist,' Jesse said


In his video, he shared that he'd had 'a lot of 'almost' moments' in his career. 'A lot of things didn't turn out the way I planned,' he confirmed. 'Despite this industry's ups and downs, I've only grown a thicker shell, because performing is what I'm meant to do.'

Some judges thought the Turtle was Jesse, while others predicted he might be Nick Jonas, 27, Adam Lambert, 38, or Nick Carter, 40.

'This has been a very, very long road,' Jesse conceded, once unmasked. 'There are so many talented competitors. I'm just stunned that I'm here.'






Stunned finalist: 'There are so many talented competitors. I'm just stunned that I'm here,' Jesse told host Nick Cannon


His video clues had included a bleeding heart, an allusion to Bleeding Love, the song he co-wrote for Leona Lewis, and comic books, a nod to his role as Robin in the superhero cartoon Young Justice.

The Night Angel capped off the performances with a rocking cover of Tina Turner's River Deep, Mountain High, which had Jenny saying, 'I'm so happy and grateful you're on this show.'

She predicted Night Angel could win, and Kandi's voice was shaky as she responded.






Subtle clues: Turtle's video clues had included a bleeding heart, an allusion to Bleeding Love, the song he co-wrote for Leona Lewis, and comic books, a nod to his role as Robin in the superhero cartoon Young Justice







Last up: Kandi as the Night Angel capped off the performances with a rocking cover of Tina Turner's River Deep, Mountain High


'Normally, I just try to shy away from the microphone because I just started feeling like I didn't sing that good anymore,' she admitted. 'Your positive words just made me feel so good.'

In her video, Kandi detailed her struggles with self-esteem, saying that she'd initially been afraid of failing when she joined the show, because she didn't think she was 'enough.'

Her lack of success as a solo artist had led her to develop other solid businesses, but she wanted to try singing again as a way to encourage her children to follow their dreams.






Feeling good: Your positive words just made me feel so good,' Kandi told the panel


'This experience has allowed me to take my fear and channel it into something far more powerful - a confidence I never knew I could have,' Kandi explained.

Some judges sensed Night Angel was an actress such as Taraji P. Henson, 49, or Tisha Campbell, 51.

But Jenny pointed out that one of the clues showed four grandmas sparring, and she instantly knew it was a reference to Kandi's Atlanta restaurant Old Lady Gang.

She also noted that a commercial using the words 'Off the Hook' echoed the title of Xscape's 1995 album, while Robin saw a shot of someone kicking that recalled the band's 1993 single Just Kickin' It, which he had bought and listened to often.






Singing star: Robin Thicke agreed with Jenny that Night Angel was Kandi


'You're a boss, and you're a mogul, and you're amazing,' Jenny told the Night Angel confidently before she unmasked. 'I love you! It's Kandi Burruss.'

Other clues from Night Angel's video package had included fan mail, which referenced the 1999 TLC album Fan Mail, on which Kandi co-wrote the song No Scrubs, and a snow globe and winter gear, which alluded to Kandi's RHOA spinoff show, Kandi's Ski Trip, which aired on Bravo.

Fireplace and lighter clues nodded to the name of her daughter Blaze, born in November 2019, while shots of lipstick referred to Xscape's 1998 platinum album Traces of My Lipstick.

Kandi won a Grammy Award in 2000 for her writing contributions on No Scrubs. 






Heavenly performances: The panelists teamed up with Kandi after she won the Golden Mask







Reality star: The Real Housewives Of Atlanta star, shown in November in Beverly Hills, California, performed with the female group Xscape


Season two of The Masked Singer was won by Wayne Brady, 47, and the season one champion was T-Pain, 34.

Kandi received congratulations on social media from Michelle Williams, Andy Cohen and judge Robin who said the first Golden Mask won by a woman 'couldn't go to a more deserving person' and sent his love to the singer.






Deserving honor: Robin on social media said the first Golden Mask won by a woman 'couldn't go to a more deserving person' and sent his love to the singer







Famous singer: Michelle Williams also took to Twitter to congratulate Kandi







Bravo boss: Andy Cohen also congratulated the RHOA star on Twitter