The Masked Singer Season 3 Runner-Up Turtle: ‘I Would Still Do It All Over Again’

The year 2020 is just full of twists, and Season 3 of the The Masked Singer kept them coming, with Night Angel declared winner after a powerhouse performance in the last episode. Indeed, Night Angel — revealed to be Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss absolutely deserved her win although throughout the competition, Turtle, singer-actor Jesse McCartney looked like the sure winner. They had totally different styles — Night Angel was fiery while Turtle was smooth and seductive — but Turtle’s combination of sublime singing and sweet dance moves made him seem like a sure bet to take home the Golden Mask. 

It wasn’t to be though. The former boy bander and actor, groomed for stardom throughout his teen years from his time in Dream St. and appearances on shows including All My Children and Greek, lost after a soulful take on Lewis Capaldi’s “Before You Go” — even seeming to hang his head in hurt as Night Angel jumped up and down with joy. It was a tough loss but, as he revealed in a conversation with TV Guide, an overall positive experience; he’d do it all again, even the loss, if he could. Sharing more about his time inside the turtle costume and what some of his clues meant, McCartney — who just dropped a new upbeat single “Friends” — revealed what was happening under the shell in a chat after coming in second place. 

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I could’ve sworn you were going to win. Did you feel confident you were going to win? What did it feel like to lose?
Jesse McCartney: I think it would be impolite to talk about [how the show ended]. I knew it was a competition, and I knew full well [there was a possibility] I could finish last. If I knew I would finish second, I would still do it all over again. 

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Past performers have talked about how hard it is to perform in those costumes, but you were killing it with really complicated dance moves. What was it like for you, being in that costume?
McCartney: For me breathing was the hardest part, especially on the dance numbers. The weight [of the costume] especially that jacket impeded my breathing ability but I learned little tricks and tips, and we had full vocal coaching backstage. No one would ever notice some of the things we were doing but they were very effective.

Why’d you choose the Turtle costume in the first place? Did that have special significance or anything for you?
McCartney: In the beginning they sent me a bunch of choices. [Many of them] looked cumbersome, some along the lines of Monster from Season 1; I knew I wouldn’t be able to move well. I knew I wanted something that had pants. Turtles are kinda like a favorite animal of my brothers growing up, and I thought it reflected who I am. It has a tough shell, but inside I’m a total softy.

Your packages alluded to you having overcome some hardships in your career…can you talk about what specifically this experience helped you work through?
McCartney: It’s no secret they like to punch up the drama a little bit with those. I in no way have a woe-is-me tragic life, but there’s been ups and downs…moments where I was slated to do this project or something and then it collapsed at the last minute more than I would like. It comes with the territory when it comes to this industry. You have to be resilient and face rejection, especially early on. That’s what I was referring to more than anything.

Why’d you want to do the show?
McCartney: I had heard of the show. My friend T-Pain, was the Season 1 winner and we have the same agent. I’ve always not been into the reality genre too much, but I saw that it was a singing competition and that’s what sparked my curiosity. I watched the first season and I was fascinated with how ridiculous it was. We mulled over it for like a week and then I decided, let’s do it. I’m very competitive so I was like, “Let’s win.”

Who else knew? Did you have to lie to a lot of people?
McCartney: My fiancée knew. I had to tell her; we live together. I had to lie to everyone else — my friends, my own mother. My mother heard about it from friends and watched a few episodes and she finally texted me “I know your secret. I know you can’t talk about it but I can tell it’s you.”

You watched the season. Can you believe you beat some singing legends like Chaka Khan? And how did this change you going forward?
McCartney: I knew it was Chaka immediately. I think I was most impressed with Frog, how much of an unbelievable stage presence he had week in and week out. He had no bad night. I thought I did a pretty good job. There was one week with the Whitney Houston “Higher Love” cover I was a little out of my comfort zone and not prepared, but overall I was really happy. I put a lot of thought and energy into the performances. By the time you had seen them I had been doing them front to back for weeks. 

What did you take away most from the experience?
McCartney: I can perform different genres, while wearing a 40-pound turtle suit. I’ve been in the pop bubble so long, I think this made me a stronger performer. I can breathe better now on stage. And doing this validated my theory that I was born to perform. 

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The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Fox.