The Masked Singer (Belgian TV series)
The Masked Singer is a Belgian reality singing competition television series based on the Masked Singer franchise which originated from the South Korean version of the show King of Mask Singer. It premiered on VTM on September 18, 2020, and is hosted by Niels Destadsbader.[1]
| The Masked Singer Belgium | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reality competition |
| Based on | King of Mask Singer by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation |
| Presented by | Niels Destadsbader |
| Judges |
|
| Opening theme | "Who Are You" by The Who |
| Country of origin | Belgium |
| Original language | Dutch |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Olivier Deprez |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | ±80 minutes |
| Production company | Fremantle Belgium |
| Release | |
| Original network | VTM |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 18 September 2020 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Production
Recording
In January 2020, VTM announced that they would be producing a local series of the franchise.[2] Normally, the series would have been recorded in March 2020, but recording was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Recording started in June but with a limited audience.[4] The judges were in the same group they could meet during the social resitrictions because of COVID-19. After the final of the first season at 6 November 2020, VTM confirmed a second season.[5]
Design
Michel Milbou designed the set.[6] The production was commended by The Economic Times for the set design and the clever use of lighting to give the impression there was a bigger audience.[7] There was meant to be an audience of 300 people but because of COVID-19 measures, there was only an audience of 80 people possible. It took 1 hour to get the audience according to the measures and social restrictions safely into the studio. A home audience of 100 families was added.
Emmy Award-winning costume designer Marina Toybina created the costumes.[8] Every candidate needed half or a full hour to get into the costume. After only 10 minutes it became 35 degrees behind the masks. The costume of Queen was the heaviest with 12 kg. The costume of Dragonfly was the largest with 2,5 meters. The costumes of Diver and Monkey were modified during the season acoording to the songs they performed. The costume of Wolf had to be adjusted because the candidate got backproblems due to the weight of the tail.
Security
Only 8 people knew the identity of the participants in advance. VTM also asked the press not to leak any information about the identity of the participants. Even the live studio audience didn't know the identity of the participants because the unmasking was taped after they had left the studio. If somebody had revealed the identity of a participant, he would have had to pay 200.000 euro.[9][10] [11]
Cast
Panelists and host
Niels Destadsbader was the host of the series. Jens Dendoncker, Julie Van den Steen and Karen Damen were the judges. In every episode, there was another guest judge. In season 1 the guest judges were Sean Dhondt, Leen Dendievel, Guga Baúl, Ingeborg, Laura Tesoro, Vincent Banić, and Lize Feryn.
Karen Damen guessed eight out of ten contestants correctly, making her the highest scoring judge. Julie Van den Steen only managed to guess three contestants. Jens Dendocker didn't guess any of the contestants.
Season 1 (2020)
Contestants
| Stage name | Celebrity | Occupation | Episodes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||||
| Queen (Koningin) | Sandra Kim | Singer | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | WINNER | |
| Diver (Duiker) | Giovanni Kemper | Dancer | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | RISK | SAFE | SAFE | RUNNER-UP | |
| Wolf | Kevin Janssens | Actor | WIN | WIN | RISK | RISK | WIN | RISK | RISK | THIRD | |
| Candyfloss (Suikerspin) | Nora Gharib | Singer & actress | WIN | RISK | RISK | SAFE | OUT | ||||
| Monkey (Aap) | Ruth Beeckmans | Actress | RISK | WIN | WIN | RISK | WIN | OUT | |||
| Mermaid (Zeemeermin) | Kathleen Aerts | Singer | RISK | RISK | WIN | OUT | |||||
| Devil (Duiveltje) | Andy Peelman | Police officer & actor | WIN | RISK | RISK | OUT | |||||
| Otter | Sam Bettens | Singer | RISK | RISK | OUT | ||||||
| Dragonfly (Libelle) | Dina Tersago | Presenter | RISK | OUT | |||||||
| Monster | Bart Tommelein | Politician & mayor of Ostend | OUT | ||||||||
Episode 1 (September 18)
| # | Stage name | Song | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monkey | "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus | undisclosed | RISK |
| 2 | Diver | "Dusk Till Dawn" by Zayn & Sia | undisclosed | WIN |
| 3 | Dragonfly | "La Isla Bonita" by Madonna | undisclosed | RISK |
| 4 | Devil | "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi | undisclosed | WIN |
| 5 | Monster | "Leef" by André Hazes Jr. | Bart Tommelein | OUT |
| 6 | Queen | "Unstoppable" by Sia | undisclosed | WIN |
| 7 | Otter | "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish | undisclosed | RISK |
| 8 | Wolf | "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds | undisclosed | WIN |
Episode 2 (September 25)
A new contestant "Mermaid" enters the competition.
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diver | "Treat You Better" by Shawn Mendes | undisclosed | WIN |
| 2 | Mermaid | "A Million Dreams" from The Greatest Showman | undisclosed | RISK |
| 3 | Devil | "I’ll Be There For You" by The Rembrandts | undisclosed | RISK |
| 4 | Wolf | "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon | undisclosed | WIN |
| 5 | Dragonfly | "Instagram" by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike | Dina Tersago | OUT |
| 6 | Queen | "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa | undisclosed | WIN |
| 7 | Otter | "When Doves Cry" by Prince | undisclosed | RISK |
| 8 | Monkey | "Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears | undisclosed | WIN |
Episode 3 (October 2)
A new contestant "Candyfloss" enters the competition.
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Candyfloss | "Good as Hell" by Lizzo | undisclosed | WIN |
| 2 | Otter | "Feeling Good" by Michael Bublé | Sam Bettens | OUT |
| 3 | Monkey | "Shallow" by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper | undisclosed | WIN |
| 4 | Mermaid | "Physical" by Dua Lipa | undisclosed | RISK |
| 5 | Queen | "Writing's on the Wall" by Sam Smith | undisclosed | WIN |
| 6 | Wolf | "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" by Shania Twain | undisclosed | RISK |
| 7 | Devil | "Youngblood" by 5 Seconds of Summer | undisclosed | RISK |
| 8 | Diver | "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi | undisclosed | WIN |
Episode 4 (October 9)
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Devil | "Goud" by Bazart | Andy Peelman | OUT |
| 2 | Queen | "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd | undisclosed | WIN |
| 3 | Monkey | "Don't Call Me Up" by Mabel | undisclosed | RISK |
| 4 | Diver | "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith | undisclosed | WIN |
| 5 | Wolf | "My Prerogative" by Bobby Brown | undisclosed | RISK |
| 6 | Mermaid | "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus | undisclosed | WIN |
| 7 | Candyfloss | "Hoe het danst (English)" by Marco Borsato, Davina Michelle & Armin van Buuren | undisclosed | RISK |
Episode 5 (October 16)
In this episode, only one of the masked singers at risk was saved from elimination by the judges. The bottom two contestants went up against each other in a sing-off. The audience chose the winner, the runner-up was unmasked.
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mermaid | "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj | undisclosed | RISK |
| 2 | Wolf | "Leave a Light On" by Tom Walker | undisclosed | WIN |
| 3 | Candyfloss | "Never Seen the Rain" by Tones and I | undisclosed | RISK |
| 4 | Monkey | "Creep" by Radiohead | undisclosed | WIN |
| 5 | Diver | "Heartbreaker" by Loïc Nottet | undisclosed | RISK |
| 6 | Queen | "Always Remember Us This Way" by Lady Gaga | undisclosed | WIN |
| Sing-off details | ||||
| 1 | Mermaid | "Hold Back the River" by James Bay | Kathleen Aerts | OUT |
| 2 | Diver | undisclosed | WIN | |
Episode 6 (October 23)
Each contestant performed a song. Two contestants were saved from elimination by the audience, one contestant was saved by the judges. The remaining two contestants went up against each other in a sing-off. The audience chose the winner, the runner-up was unmasked.
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Candyfloss | "Kiss" by Prince | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Wolf | "Teeth" by 5 Seconds of Summer | undisclosed | RISK |
| 3 | Queen | "Euphoria" by Loreen | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Diver | "Jealous" by Labrinth | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Monkey | "California Gurls" by Katy Perry | undisclosed | RISK |
| Sing-off details | ||||
| 1 | Monkey | "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon | Ruth Beeckmans | OUT |
| 2 | Wolf | undisclosed | WIN | |
Episode 7 (October 30)
Each contestant performed two songs. Two contestants were saved from elimination by the judges, one contestant was saved by the audience. The remaining contestant was unmasked.
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolf | "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" by Backstreet Boys | undisclosed | RISK |
| "Pony" by Ginuwine | ||||
| 2 | Diver | "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence | undisclosed | SAFE |
| "Think About Things" by Daði & Gagnamagnið | ||||
| 3 | Queen | "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys | undisclosed | SAFE |
| "California Dreamin" by Sia | ||||
| 4 | Candyfloss | "Who You Are" by Jessie J | Nora Gharib | OUT |
| "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé |
Episode 8 (November 6) - Finale
After each contestant performed two songs, two of them were saved by the audience and the third one was unmasked. The remaining two contestants went up against each other in a sing-off. The audience chose the winner, after which both the runner-up and the winner were unmasked.
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diver | "High Hopes" by Panic! at the Disco | undisclosed | SAFE |
| "Dusk Till Dawn" by Zayn feat. Sia | ||||
| 2 | Wolf | "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak | Kevin Janssens | THIRD |
| "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" by Shania Twain | ||||
| 3 | Queen | "River Deep, Mountain High" by Tina Turner | undisclosed | SAFE |
| "Unstoppable" by Sia | ||||
| Sing-off details | ||||
| 1 | Diver | "This Is Me" by Keala Settle | Giovanni Kemper | RUNNER-UP |
| 2 | Queen | Sandra Kim | WINNER | |
Ratings
The series was very successful. The first episode was watched by more than one million viewers.[12] The second episode got the highest rating for broadcaster VTM in five years.[13] The 7th episode broke the record of highest rating for VTM since the rating started to be recorded in 1997. The episode had 1.7 million viewers.[14] The final established a record with more than 2 million viewers, the hightest rating for VTM in 20 years.[15]
| Episode | Date | Viewers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 18, 2020 | 1.003.222 |
| 2 | September 25, 2020 | 1.284.929 |
| 3 | October 2, 2020 | 1.297.212 |
| 4 | October 9, 2020 | 1.365.665 |
| 5 | October 16, 2020 | 1.358.421 |
| 6 | October 23, 2020 | 1.450.016 |
| 7 | October 30, 2020 | 1.735.151 |
| 8 | November 6, 2020 | 2.015.005 |
Specials
During the final week, two specials aired. On 4 November De Geheimen achter The Masked Singer aired on VTM. It was a compilation of the stories of the unmasked celebrities from the spin-off The Masked Singer: Behind the Mask. On 7 November the special The Masked Singer: The Day After aired. This was a special about the finalists and winner.[16]
Spin-off
In the online spin-off The Masked Singer: Behind the Mask, the unmasked celebrities share their story. Each episode includes some behind the scenes footage on how they prepared for their live performances. They all agree on one thing: it is extremely difficult to perform as a masked singer because it is very hot inside the mask, visibility is limited, and they have difficulty breathing.[17] The episodes are available exclusively on VTM's video streaming platform VTM GO.
Other media
Hoodies using the show's branding were purchasable on the alligned newspaper online store.[18]
The winner of the first season, Sandra Kim, immediately released a single after her victory. It was a cover version of the show's theme song Who Are You, produced by Regi.[19]
See also
References
- "Niels Destadsbader presenteert wereldwijde tv-hit 'The Masked Singer': "Zelfs ik weet niet wie er meedoet"". HLN.be (in Dutch). 2020-01-10.
- "VTM brengt wereldwijde tv-hit 'The Masked Singer' naar Vlaanderen". Mudoo (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- "Corona verstoort tv-plannen zenders: Wat met 'Blind getrouwd', 'Blokken' en 'The voice kids'?". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- "Opnames 'The Masked Singer' van start". MSN (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- "Historische kijkcijfers en tweede seizoen voor 'The masked singer'". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 November 2020.
- "Unmasked in Belgium". etnow. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
- "Vlaamse 'The Masked Singer' krijgt applaus van prestigieuze zakenkrant: "Sterk staaltje visuele magie"". HLN (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- "Marina Toybina ontwierp pakken van 'The Masked Singer', met dank aan Katy Perry: "Ja, die kosten heel veel geld"". HLN (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- "Monsterboete voor wie naam 'The Masked Singer' lekt". Showbizzsite (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- "Monsterboetes en een lege studio: zo houdt 'The Masked Singer' alles geheim". HLN.be (in Dutch). 18 September 2020.
- ""The masked singer" ontmaskerd: het succesverhaal achter de "meloenenjacht" met geïmproviseerd thuispubliek". VRT NWS (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- "Meteen 1,3 miljoen kijkers voor 'The Masked Singer' bij VTM". HLN (in Dutch). Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- "'The Masked Singer' bezorgt VTM beste dag in 5 jaar". HLN (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- "Coronavirus en lockdown bezorgen Eén en VTM recordkijkcijfers". DeMorgen (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 November 2020.
- "Finale van The Masked Singer was best bekeken VTM-programma in 20 jaar". De Standaard (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 November 2020.
- "Blik achter de schermen bij 'The masked singer' én iedereen strijdt tegen iedereen in groepslied". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). October 23, 2020.
- "Ongeoefende deelnemers in benauwende kostuums: coaches 'The Masked Singer' hebben zware taak". HLN.be (in Dutch). October 23, 2020.
- "The Masked Singer hoodie". HLN.be (in Dutch). November 7, 2020.
- "'Koningin' Sandra Kim pakt meteen uit met nieuwe single". HLN.be (in Dutch). November 7, 2020.