Johannesburg – Bontle Modiselle has been crowned the winner of The Masked Singer South Africa season three after spending 13 weeks performing behind the Spotty costume.
The dancer and choreographer was revealed as the person behind the colourful dog character during the SABC2 show’s finale on Saturday, 26 September.
She beat Robot Boii, who was unmasked as Mosquito, in the final showdown to take home the Golden Mask trophy.
For Modiselle, the win was about more than taking home the trophy. She said the experience helped her confront an insecurity she had carried since childhood.
“I had fun and the time of my life, and, you know, the eight-year-old me who was insecure and didn’t think she was able or capable was validated for 13 weeks,” she said.
The final episode featured four celebrity reveals.
Mosquito defeated Chopsticks in the first face-off, while Spotty beat Gogga to secure her place in the final.
Mosquito was later revealed to be Robot Boii, while Chopsticks was unmasked as actress and media personality Khanyi Mbau.
Gogga was revealed as acclaimed Afro-jazz singer Judith Sephuma.
Spotty and Mosquito then went head-to-head in the final, performing Drive by Black Coffee and David Guetta.
The detective panel struggled to identify Modiselle.
J’Something was torn between Modiselle and singer-songwriter Boohle but ultimately went with the wrong name. Sithelo Shozi guessed actress Vatiswa Ndara, while Skhumba Hlophe suggested sports broadcaster Motshidisi Mohono.
Somizi Mhlongo was the only detective to correctly identify Modiselle.
He also took home the Golden Ear trophy after recording the most correct first guesses during the season. He correctly identified Mbau, Lasizwe and Sephuma.
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Modiselle now joins Holly Rey and Warren Masemola as winners of the South African version of the singing competition.
Rey won the first season as Lollipop, while Masemola was revealed as Giraffe in season two.
The competition also gave Modiselle the opportunity to explore a side of her talent that she had not been as confident about.
Speaking to 702’s Bongani Bingwa after her win, she said singing had been outside her comfort zone despite her experience in dancing, presenting and performing.
“Dancing, presenting, emceeing, being on the mic, being on stage, that was not unfamiliar to me. But now to be a vocalist… It’s me on this mic and I need to sing and to be good at it. Yeah, it kind of scared me a bit,” she said.
Modiselle’s win comes after a season in which the identities of the contestants were kept secret while the detective panel and viewers tried to work out who was behind each costume.
The finale finally brought the guessing game to an end, with Modiselle emerging as the season’s Golden Mask winner.
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Picture: Instagram/ Bontle Modiselle
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
